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August 12, 2008

Experimental plane popular among pilots

By Keith Purtell

Gary Lynn, airport manager at Davis Field Aviation, said the small plane that crashed Monday afternoon in a Muskogee neighborhood was a special type.

“This was an RV-6A; an experimental type aircraft,” he said. “You can build these yourself. We have a few experimental aircraft that come through here. They are not rare, but they are not the bulk of our traffic.”

Lynn said that, despite its small size, the RV-6A has the necessary gear to land in poor weather if clear conditions are not available.

“Most of these aircraft are equipped with instruments and could make an instrument approach when there is not an opportunity for a visual approach,” he said. “The weather like we’ve had today makes it difficult for any plane of size. Most pilots prefer a VFR (Visual Flight Rules) landing.”

Lynn said the RV-6A has a solid reputation among most pilots.

“I just understand that this is a well-built aircraft,” he said. “A lot of people fly them; they’re very popular.”

According to the Web site for Van’s Aircraft Inc. of Oregon, maker of the RV-6A, the two-man plane has a 23-foot wing span and weighs 985 pounds when empty. It has a length of 19 feet and 9 inches, and a height of 6 feet, 8 inches. The 180-horsepower motor can generate a top speed of 208 miles per hour. Typical cruise speed at 8,000 feet of altitude varies between 167 miles per hour and 197 miles per hour.

Tom Green, president of Van’s Aircraft Inc., said the company began manufacturing the kits in 1988.

“We haven’t sold that model for quite a while,” he said. “It’s a popular airplane — similar in popularity to a Cessna.”

Reach Keith Purtell at 918-684-2925 or Click Here to Send Email

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