#Mus2 bushby mustang ii full

We rejoin, move into a line-abreast formation, push the throttles and props all the way up, and pitch for VY. After 20 seconds, the Mustang is holding a substantial leadĪnd nine-knot indicated airspeed advantage over the RV–7 (155 KIAS to 146, or 174 KTAS to 164) and the expanding gap between the two airplanes confirms the ASI readings.īut which airplane has the better climb rate? The two airplanes stay together for about five seconds, but then the Mustang starts pulling away. With two pilots and about 25 gallons of avgas in each airplane, it’s a pretty realistic comparison. And RV–7 builder, owner, and pilot Bill Cloughley meticulously followed the Van’s Aircraft plans to make his airplane light and straight.)īoth airplanes are equipped with parallel-valve Lycoming IO-360 engines and constant-speed Hartzell propellers in addition, their empty weights (1,070 pounds for the Mustang and 1,100 pounds for the RV–7) are closely matched.

(In fact, Carlo Cilliers, owner and builder of the Mustang II, won a workmanship award for his airplane at EAA AirVenture 2012. These two popular kit airplanes are both built to specifications-and they’re extremely well-made and well-cared-for examples. Manufacturers, aircraft owners, and pilots make all kinds of performance claims about the airplanes they build, own, and fly, but there’s nothing quite like a side-by-side fly off to see how competing designs measure up.

#Mus2 bushby mustang ii full

“Going to full power,” my colleague Ian Twombly transmits from the Mustang cockpit as I do the same in the RV–7. The Mustang II and Vans RV–7 are flying side by side at 6,500 feet, and the pilots of both airplanes push the power wide open at the same time. Our first moment of truth comes somewhere over West Virginia.

Let us know which airplane matchups you’d like to see in future Fly Offs, and we’ll bring you the results in AOPA Pilot and videos on AOPA Live This Week. Fly Off pits competitive airframes against each other in wing-tip-to-wing-tip contests designed to reveal real-world performances differences-and AOPA Pilot editors share the findings, and their opinions about the merits of each design.