On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 11:26:39 -0500, Jason Grass
wrote:

On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:39:13 GMT, "comanche driver"
wrote:

ive just got to respond to this.

1. the failures of RV-3 wings were fixed years and years ago, from what ive
been told it was not a design problem but a problem with the way people were
assembling the wing. Van redesigned it anyway, for added strength.
2. this my cousin knows someones brother that said---- crap, don't cut it.
Talk to Van. he will tell you exactly what you want to know. his web site
has all the details of the RV-8 wing separation and the testing that was
done after to re-prove the design.
3. check the FAA data base yourself, I have and there has NOT been one
in-flight failure of a wing on a RV-4.
4. with over 3000 planes flying and several thousand more in construction,
stating that the RV line has weak wings, is pure horsesh--.

yes , I am biased, but I will put my RV-4 up against anything out there. Van
is one of the most honest and talented designers out there and his success
more than proves his designs.

R. Burns
RV-4 N82RB

After some more research, I found another Sport Aviation article, in
the April 1998 issue, page 14, they report a total of 7!!! wing
failures in RV-3. Whew, I'm not stepping foot in one those things!
It seems after that one, Van offered the kit to fix the weakness for
free to anyone that hasn't had it done. Do you think that fix really
makes it safe? You know, it's not uncommon for a design to linger for
years that has a fatal flaw. Take the Questair Venture for instance.
Turns out that thing is an absolute deathtrap, but it sold for big
bucks for years, and I still see them for sale for high numbers. But I
was at Reno the year 3 of them were destroyed, one fatally, before
people finally started to see the light with that design.