System Descriptions

The Airplane

The RV-10 is a four-place, single-engine, low-wing aircraft with tricycle landing gear. The airframe is primarily aluminum alloy construction with flush rivets, except for some steel components including the engine mount, landing gear legs, control surface bellcranks, and miscellaneous hardware. Wing tips, tail fairings, cowling, and wheel fairings are fiberglass.

Engine and Components

The aircraft is powered by a Lycoming IO-540 series engine, fuel injected and normally aspirated, rated at 260 HP at 2700 RPM.

Electronic Engine Management

The EFII System32 provides:

• Full Electronic Ignition: Dual redundant ignition with individual coil packs for each cylinder
• Electronic Fuel Injection: Precise fuel metering with automatic mixture optimization
• Redundant ECUs: Two independent Engine Control Units; panel switch allows manual ECU selection if needed

The System32 controller on the panel provides mixture control through the electronic fuel injection system.

Fuel Pumps

Two electric fuel pumps (primary and backup) pressurize the fuel line to the engine. The system includes:

• Automatic Switchover: If fuel pressure drops below threshold, the System32 automatically activates the backup pump
• Manual Selection: Panel switch (PMP 2) allows manual pump selection
• Fuel Return: Excess fuel returns to the originating tank

Propeller

Landing Gear

The landing gear is a fixed tricycle configuration with:

• Steerable nose wheel
• Main gear with wheel fairings

Brake System

Hydraulic disc brakes are operated by toe pedals on both pilot and copilot rudder pedals.

Flight Control System

Dual controls are fitted. Primary flight controls:

• Ailerons: Operated through push-pull tubes
• Elevator: Operated through push-pull tubes
• Rudder: Cable operated, connected to rudder pedals

Trim Systems

• Pitch Trim: Electric servo-actuated trim tab on elevator, controlled by hat switch on stick grip
• Roll Trim: Electric servo in wing, controlled by hat switch on stick grip
• Yaw Trim: None installed

Co-Pilot Trim Enable

A panel switch enables or disables trim authority from the co-pilot stick grip. This allows the pilot to disable co-pilot trim inputs when desired.

Flaps

Electric flap motor with position indicator on EFIS. Controlled by:

• Panel-mounted flap switch
• Stick grip switch (both sticks)

Flap positions range from reflex (-3°) to full (40°).

Fuel System

Fuel is stored in two wing tanks with a selector valve on the center tunnel.

Fuel System Components

• Wing Tanks: Integral tanks in wing leading edges
• Fuel Selector: Three-position valve (LEFT / RIGHT / OFF) on center tunnel
• Fuel Pumps: Primary and backup electric pumps (see Engine section)
• Fuel Return: Returns to selected tank
• Fuel Strainer: Drain before first flight of day

Note: The fuel system does not support inverted flight.

Electrical System

Power Sources

Bus Architecture

The electrical system uses a dual-bus architecture managed by the flyEFII System32 Bus Manager:

• Essential Bus: Powers critical engine systems (ignition, fuel injection, fuel pumps)
• Main Bus: Powers avionics and other aircraft systems via VPX Sport

Emergency Endurance Bus

If a battery fails or bus voltage drops critically, the System32 Bus Manager automatically:

1. Disconnects non-essential loads from the main bus
2. Preserves all available power for the essential bus
3. Maintains engine ignition and fuel injection

The EMERGENCY POWER switch on the panel manually activates this mode.

VPX Sport Power Distribution

The Vertical Power VPX Sport provides:

• Electronic circuit breaker protection
• Load monitoring and display on EFIS
• Automatic load shedding if needed
• No physical circuit breakers to reset

Pitot-Static System

Pitot

The pitot tube incorporates a second orifice angled to measure differential pressure for Angle of Attack (AoA) display on the EFIS.

Static

The static system feeds:

• Dynon Skyview HDX AHRS
• Backup instruments (if installed)

Instrument Panel

Primary Flight Display

Dynon Skyview HDX provides:

• Primary Flight Display (PFD)
• Multi-Function Display (MFD)
• Engine monitoring
• Moving map with terrain
• Traffic display (ADS-B In)
• Autopilot interface

Navigation and Communication

Autopilot

Dynon 3-Axis Autopilot with:

• Roll servo (aileron)
• Pitch servo (elevator)
• Yaw damper

Controlled via:

• Dynon autopilot panel
• Stick grip disconnect button

Transponder and ELT

Panel Switches

Left Panel:

• Pitot Heat
• Landing Light
• Taxi Light
• Nav Lights
• Strobe Lights

Center Panel:

• Flap switch
• Alternator field
• Avionics power
• Emergency power

EFII System32 Switches:

• Ignition Select
• ECU Select
• Fuel Pump Mode
• Start Battery Select

Other:

• Master switch (keyed)
• O2 mode switch (pulse/constant)
• Co-pilot trim enable

Control Sticks

Both pilot and co-pilot have Tosten CS Military stick grips with identical button functions:

Oxygen System

Mountain High EDS-4iP pulse-demand oxygen system:

Operating Modes

A panel switch selects between:

• Pulse Mode: Oxygen delivered in pulses synchronized with inhalation (normal operation, conserves oxygen)
• Constant Flow: Continuous oxygen flow (for high altitude or if pulse mode is insufficient)

Heating, Ventilation and Defrosting

Cabin Heat

Heat is provided from a heat muff on the exhaust system. Controlled by push-pull knob on panel.

Ventilation

Fresh air is supplied through:

• Eyeball vents under instrument panel (pilot and copilot)
• NACA ducts on fuselage sides

Defrost

Windshield defrost air from the heating system.

Cabin Features

Seating

Four-place seating:

• Front: Pilot and copilot, side-by-side
• Rear: Two passengers

Restraints

Baggage Area

Access through rear baggage door.

Exterior Lighting

Wing Tip Lights

Each wing tip contains:

• AeroLEDs Pulsar (NSP/660): 3-in-1 LED combining position light (red/green), strobe, and rear-facing white position light
• AeroLEDs AeroSun VX: Landing and taxi light with built-in wig-wag mode

Tail Light

• AeroLEDs SunTail: LED position light (white) and strobe

Lighting Controls