Laminar Research Van's RV-10 User manual

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X-Plane 12
Van’s RV-10
Pilot’s Operating Manual
Author: Julian Lockwood ([email protected]m)
Copyright: Laminar Research 2021
Disclaimer
The information contained in this document is for simulation use only, within the X-Plane flight simulator. This document is not
subject to revision and has not been checked for accuracy. This document is intended for entertainment only and may not to be
used in situations involving real-life aircraft, or real-life aviation.
Distribution
This document may be copied and distributed by Laminar Research customers and developers, for entertainment. It may also be
distributed with third-party content developed for X-Plane 11.

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Contents
The Van’s RV-10............................................................................................................................................5
Van’s RV-10 Specifications........................................................................................................................6
The X-Plane RV-10.........................................................................................................................................7
Views and Controls .......................................................................................................................................8
Creating “Quick Look” views.....................................................................................................................9
Operating the controls............................................................................................................................13
Assigning peripheral devices...................................................................................................................15
A Tour of the Cockpit ..................................................................................................................................18
Overhead.................................................................................................................................................18
Battery and Electrical Panel....................................................................................................................19
Engine Starter Button .............................................................................................................................19
External Lighting Panel............................................................................................................................20
Parking Brake ..........................................................................................................................................20
Primary Flight Controls ...........................................................................................................................21
Control Stick............................................................................................................................................21
Rudder Pedals .........................................................................................................................................21
Rudder Toe Brakes..................................................................................................................................21
Flap Lever................................................................................................................................................21
G1000 Avionics Panels............................................................................................................................22
Primary Flight Display (PFD)................................................................................................................22
Multi-Function Display (MFD).............................................................................................................23
Audio Panel.........................................................................................................................................23
Backup Primary Flight Display (PFD)...................................................................................................24
Autopilot .................................................................................................................................................25
Center Console and Throttle Quadrant ..................................................................................................27
Throttle Lever......................................................................................................................................27
Propeller Lever....................................................................................................................................27
Mixture Lever......................................................................................................................................28
Cockpit Lighting Controls ....................................................................................................................28
PFD Controls & Features.............................................................................................................................29
NAV Audio Squelch .................................................................................................................................29
Active & Stand-by NAV1 and NAV2 Frequencies....................................................................................29

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Attitude Indicator....................................................................................................................................30
Next Waypoint........................................................................................................................................30
Active & Stand-by COM1 and COM Frequencies....................................................................................30
COM Frequency Toggle...........................................................................................................................30
COM Audio Squelch ................................................................................................................................30
COM Rotary.............................................................................................................................................30
CRS/BARO Rotary....................................................................................................................................31
Altimeter.................................................................................................................................................31
Joystick....................................................................................................................................................31
Flight Plan Key Group..............................................................................................................................31
FMS Rotary..............................................................................................................................................32
Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI)........................................................................................................32
Soft Keys..................................................................................................................................................32
ALT Rotary...............................................................................................................................................32
Autopilot Key Group ...............................................................................................................................32
HDG Rotary .............................................................................................................................................32
Airspeed Indicator...................................................................................................................................33
NAV Rotary..............................................................................................................................................33
NAV Frequency Toggle............................................................................................................................33
MFD Controls & Features............................................................................................................................34
NAV Audio Squelch .................................................................................................................................34
Active & Stand-by NAV1 and NAV2 Frequencies....................................................................................34
Navigation Map.......................................................................................................................................35
Data Fields...............................................................................................................................................35
Active & Stand-by COM1 and COM Frequencies....................................................................................35
COM Frequency Toggle...........................................................................................................................35
COM Audio Squelch ................................................................................................................................35
COM Rotary.............................................................................................................................................35
CRS/BARO Control...................................................................................................................................35
Joystick....................................................................................................................................................36
Flight Plan Key Group..............................................................................................................................36
FMS Rotary..............................................................................................................................................36
Soft Keys..................................................................................................................................................36

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ALT Rotary...............................................................................................................................................37
Autopilot Key Group ...............................................................................................................................37
HDG Rotary .............................................................................................................................................37
NAV Rotary..............................................................................................................................................37
NAV Frequency Toggle............................................................................................................................37
Engine Indication System (EIS)................................................................................................................37
Weight & Balance........................................................................................................................................38
Checklists ....................................................................................................................................................39
Pre-Flight Exterior Inspection .................................................................................................................39
Cold and Dark to Engine Start.................................................................................................................41
Before Taxi ..............................................................................................................................................45
Before Takeoff.........................................................................................................................................47
After Takeoff...........................................................................................................................................49
Cruise ......................................................................................................................................................50
Before Landing........................................................................................................................................51
Landing....................................................................................................................................................53
After Landing...........................................................................................................................................54
Parking ....................................................................................................................................................55
Operating-Speeds .......................................................................................................................................57

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The Van’s RV-10
The Van’s RV-10 is a single-engined four-seater home-built General Aviation aircraft that is currently the world’s most popular four-
seat kit airplane. The RV-10 offers budget-minded pilots similar capability to the benchmark Cirrus SR-22, for a much lower price.
The prototype aircraft first flew in May 2003 and delivery of kit parts to customers followed in September of the same year.
Approximately 1,000 aircraft have been sold to date.
Van’s Aircraft Inc. was founded in 1972 by Richard VanGrunsven. The company was initially located in Reedville, Oregon, and
started selling plans (and some parts) for their RV-3 aircraft. This later grew to the manufacture of complete aircraft kits, and the
company moved first to North Plains, and later to Aurora, Oregon, from which it currently manufactures several hundred kits per
year. In total, over 10,00 kits have been sold, comprising the RV-3, RV-4, RV-6, RV-7, RV-8, RV-9, RV-10, and RV-12 models.
The RV-10 is available with fixed tricycle landing gear only but has a number of powerplant options. These range from 210 to 260
hp. The most popular is the Lycoming IO-540 which develops between 235 and 260 hp, depending on the variant.
The aircraft accommodates four full-sized adults, 100 lbs. of baggage and 60 gallons of fuel - enough for four hours at cruise speed,
or five hours at economy cruise.
Construction is mostly from aluminum, with the exception of the gull-winged doors that are made from composite materials, and the
landing gear that is tubular steel. The nosewheel is free-castering, and the aircraft is steered on the ground with differential braking.
A ballistic parachute option is available from a third-party. The parachute occupies part of the baggage compartment.
According to the company, the average build-time for an RV-10 kit is 2,000 hours. At time of publication, prices began around $US
50,000 for the airframe - excepting engine and avionics.

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Van’s RV-10 Specifications
Engines:
Model
-----------------------------------------
1 × Lycoming IO-540 piston-engine
Power
-----------------------------------------
260 hp (194 kW)
Fuel:
Capacity
-----------------------------------------
60 U.S. gallons (227 Liters)
Type
-----------------------------------------
Avgas
Burn (cruise)*
-----------------------------------------
11 US gallons (42 liters) per hour
Weights and Capacities:
Max. Takeoff Weight
-----------------------------------------
2,700 lbs. / 1225 kg.
Basic Empty Weight
-----------------------------------------
1,520 lbs. / 689 kg.
Useful Payload
-----------------------------------------
1,050 lbs. / 476 kg.
Maximum Persons
-----------------------------------------
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Performance:
Max. Cruise Speed
-----------------------------------------
175 KTAS
Stall Speed
-----------------------------------------
55 KCAS (full flap)
Never Exceed Speed
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200 KTS
Service Ceiling
-----------------------------------------
20,000 ft. / 6,096 m
Rate of Climb
-----------------------------------------
1,450 ft. per min / 442 m per min
Range
-----------------------------------------
750 nm
Dimensions:
Wingspan
-----------------------------------------
32 ft. / 9.75 m
Length
-----------------------------------------
24.5 ft. / 7.5 m
Height
-----------------------------------------
8.75 ft. / 2.7 m
•Representative value depending on conditions

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The X-Plane RV-10
Unlike other flight simulators, X-Plane employs a technique called “Blade Element Theory”. This utilizes the actual shape of the
aircraft (as modeled in the simulator) and breaks down the forces on each part separately. The force of the “air” acting on each
component of the model is individually calculated, and combined, to produce extremely realistic flight.
When you “fly” an airplane in X-Plane, there are no artificial rules in place to govern how the aircraft behaves. Your control inputs
move the control surfaces of the aircraft, and these interact with the virtual flow of air around it. As such, you may consider that you
are really flying the aircraft.
Due to the use of “Blade Element Theory” in X-Plane, an aircraft must be modeled with great accuracy, in order that it behaves like
its real-life counterpart. This means the fuselage, wings and tail surfaces must be the right size and shape, the center of lift and
center of gravity must be in the right places, and the engine(s) must develop the right amount of power. In fact, there are a great
many properties that must be modeled correctly to achieve a high-fidelity flight model.
The RV-10 featured in X-Plane-11 has been modeled by our design team with a degree of accuracy that ensures its flight
characteristics are similar to the real aircraft. However, despite this, some differences will be apparent, because even the smallest
factor plays into the ultimate behavior of the aircraft in reality, and in X-Plane. The systems modeling of this aircraft involves some
compromise too, because of the degree of complexity present in a real aircraft. However, in many cases, the actual RV-10
procedures could be followed when operating the X-Plane version. Checklists are presented later in this document (with
modifications to suit this specific simulation platform and model). It is recommended that X-Plane pilots follow those procedures
when operating the aircraft.

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Views and Controls
The X-Plane RV-10 features a detailed 3-D cockpit with many of the primary controls and systems modeled, including: Flight
controls (control sticks, rudder pedals, throttle, prop, and mixture), electrical systems, pneumatic systems, navigation aids, radios,
interior and exterior lighting, and fuel systems.

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Creating “Quick Look” views
Before discussing the controls, we suggest that the pilot establish a series of “Quick Look” views that will be helpful later when
interacting with this particular aircraft. If you are not familiar with this technique, more information is available in the X-Plane Desktop
Manual.
The following “Quick Look” views are recommended for the RV-10, where the pilot is not using a Virtual Reality (VR) headset, or a
head tracking device. To some degree, these correspond (on the keyboard Number Pad) with their physical locations in the cockpit -
and are therefore logical and easy to recall later.
Parking Brake
Left Door Handle

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Throttle
Quadrant
25
Right Door
Handle
Pilot View
Forward

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G1000 PFD,
Audio and
Electrical Panels
G1000 MFD,
Autopilot and
External Lights
Panel
Left Glance View

12
Cabin Overhead
Lighting
Right Glance
View

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Operating the controls
This section covers the control manipulators used in X-Plane. The specific illustrations in THIS chapter may differ from YOUR
aircraft.
Toggle and Rocker switches are operated with
a single click of the mouse. Place the mouse
pointer slightly above, or below, the center
point of the switch, depending on the direction
you intend to move it. A small white arrow is
displayed to confirm the intended direction.
Click the mouse button to complete the
operation.
•Illustration not taken from this
aircraft
Levers are operated by assigning a peripheral
device to the necessary axes in X-Plane
(throttle, prop, mixture etc.). More information
is available in the X-Plane Desktop Manual.
Levers may also be operated by clicking and
dragging the mouse pointer.
•Illustration not taken from this
aircraft
Radio and Navigation frequency rotary dials are grouped together as “twin
concentric knobs”. Here, the larger rotary is used to tune the integer portion
of the frequency, and the smaller rotary is used to tune the decimal portion.
Each works independently, using the same technique, as described above.
Some rotary dials are operated by positioning
the mouse pointer on top of the control, and
then a click and drag to the right, or to the left.
The same can be accomplished using the
mouse wheel - if one is present on your
device.
Other rotary controls require finer precision.
When the mouse pointer is positioned slightly
to the left of such a control, a counter-
clockwise arrow appears. This indicates that
you are ready to rotate the control counter-
clockwise. Correspondingly, a clockwise arrow
indicates that you are ready to rotate the
control clockwise. After positioning the mouse
pointer, changing the frequency in the desired
direction is accomplished in two ways:
i) By rolling the mouse wheel
forwards, or backwards
ii) By clicking (dragging is not
supported here)

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Push buttons are operated by pointing and
clicking with the mouse.
Guarded switches are used in situations
where accidental activation of the switch must
be prevented. To operate a guarded switch,
the guard must first be opened. Do this by
positioning the mouse pointer over the switch
until the two vertical white arrows are
displayed. Click once. If the switch is currently
closed, it will open, and vice-versa. After the
guard has been opened, the switch may be
operated like a toggle and rocker switch (see
earlier in this section).
•Illustration not taken from this
aircraft
The Control Stick is operated by assigning a
peripheral device to the “roll”and “pitch”axes
in X-Plane. This is discussed in greater detail
later in the guide.
•Illustration not taken from this
aircraft
The Rudder Pedals are operated by assigning
a peripheral device to the “yaw” axis in X-
Plane. If your rudders also support toe
braking, create additional assignments to the
“left toe brake” and “right toe brake” axes in X-
Plane. This is discussed in greater detail later
in the guide.
Note that you may also assign keys on your
keyboard, or buttons on your external
peripheral to move the rudder to the left or
right, or to center the rudder.
•Illustration not taken from this
aircraft

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Assigning peripheral devices
This section of the manual deals with an “ideal”scenario, in terms of the assignment of external computer peripherals to operate the
X-Plane PA18 with the highest degree of realism. If you are missing some of these external peripherals, you may elect to choose a
different configuration that better suits your hardware.
More information is available in the X-Plane Desktop Manual.
This aircraft is
equipped with a
control stick, for
roll and pitch
control.
Assign the lateral
axis of your
joystick (or yoke)
to the “Roll”
command in X-
Plane, and the
vertical axis to the
“Pitch” command.
This aircraft is
equipped with a
single throttle –
which controls the
torque (power)
output by the
engine.
Assign the throttle
lever on your
quadrant to the
“Throttle” property
in X-Plane.
This aircraft is
equipped with a
variable pitch
propeller. The
pitch of the
propeller is
optimized for
each phase of the
flight using the
Prop Lever. To
simulate this,
assign the (blue)
prop lever on
your quadrant to
the “Prop”
property in X-
Plane.

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This aircraft is
equipped with a
single mixture
lever which
controls the ratio
of fuel to air
entering the
engine’s
combustion
chambers.
Assign the throttle
lever on your
quadrant to the
“Mixture” property
in X-Plane.
This aircraft is
equipped with a
Flap lever, which
controls the
deployment of the
flaps.
Assign a
peripheral lever to
the “Flaps”
property in X-
Plane.
.
This aircraft has
conventional
rudder controls,
actuated by the
rudder pedals.
Assign the yaw
axis of your
pedals peripheral
device (or a
joystick axis) to
the “yaw”
property in X-
Plane.

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This aircraft has
conventional
rudder toe-
braking, actuated
by the tip of the
rudder pedals.
To simulate this,
assign the brake
“toe-tipping”
motion of each
individual pedal
(or a joystick axis)
to the “left toe
brake” and “right
toe brake”
property in X-
Plane.
This aircraft
features an
electric pitch trim
system.
Assign joystick
buttons, or hat-
switch axes to the
following
properties in X-
Plane:
‘Pitch trim up’
‘Pitch trim down’
‘Pitch trim takeoff’

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A Tour of the Cockpit
In this section of the manual, the cockpit will be broken down into distinct functional areas, and the controls that are featured in
those areas will be identified and described. This will assist in locating the necessary instruments and controls later, when working
through the aircraft check lists, and flying the aircraft.
Overhead
1
Overhead Light Power (toggle) Button
Click to toggle the overhead-light on and
off.
2
Overhead Light Color Button
Click to change the overhead-light color.
Options are white, red, green, and blue.
3
Overhead (LED) Light
Each light is directional and may be
moved with a mouse-click and drag
operation.

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Battery and Electrical Panel
Select MASTER BATTERY to energize the electrical systems when the engine is not
running. The display panel on the left will support both PFD and MFD functions in this
condition.
Select ALT (Alternator) to
energize the electrical systems
when the engine is running, and
also to charge the battery.
Select AUTO PILOT to energize
the AC bus that powers the
autopilot.
Select AVIONICS MASTER to
energize the avionics electrical
bus. When this bus is energized,
the PFD and MFD displays will
function in their normal modes.
Select FUEL PUMP Activates the
electric fuel pump, for priming the
engine before starting. This also
provides a backup to the engine-
driven pump.
Select PITOT HEAT to energize
the pitot tube heating element
(only in the event of potential
icing).
Engine Starter Button
Depress this button to engage
the engine starter motor.
The engine will start if the battery
is sufficiently charged, there is
fuel present in the tanks, the fuel
selector is in the Left, Right or
Both positions, with the mixture is
not at the cut-off position.

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External Lighting Panel
Select STROBE LIGHTS to activate the wingtip mounted strobes that provide enhanced
visibility of the aircraft.
Note: This aircraft does not have a beacon light. The FAA allows the use of strobe lights in
place of a beacon, to warn persons in the area that engine start is imminent.
Select NAV LIGHTS to activate
the green, red, and white
navigation lights that provide
visibility to other aircraft, together
with direction and orientation.
Select LANDING LIGHTS to
activate the landing lights that are
mounted in both wing leading
edges. These provide additional
lighting to assist in these phases
of flight.
Select TAXI LIGHTS to activate
the single taxi-light that is
mounted in the right-wing leading
edge.
Parking Brake
This lever toggles the parking
brake on / off
Pull to set. Push to release.
Note: The parking brake will not
keep the aircraft stationary with a
throttle setting that exceeds idle.