Meet Van’s RV-8 / RV-8A
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear. Van’s describes the airborne handling of the RV-8 and RV-8A as nearly identical, placing the main distinction in the undercarriage and ground operation. The cockpit’s tandem arrangement is paired with the responsive, balanced controls that Van’s discusses across its RV aircraft.
History & design
Two landing-gear choices
Van’s presents the RV-8 and RV-8A together and describes nearly identical handling once airborne. Performance tables separate solo and gross-weight conditions and use statute miles per hour. A published cruise figure therefore needs its weight and unit context before it can describe a particular flight.
Van's Aircraft · RV-8 / 8A - Van's Aircraft Total Performance RV Kit Planes ↗Van’s RV-8 model and performance page.
Linkages and trim choices
The construction manual documents elevator pushrods and bellcranks, with optional manual or electric pitch trim. Van’s catalogue explains roll-trim spring bias. The builder’s choice affects the installed mechanism; SWS and AOA package their own cockpit and avionics options, so a particular owner’s wing-leveler or equipment fit is not universal to the family.
Van's Aircraft · RV-8/8A Manual — Section 8 ↗Van’s RV-8/8A construction manual, section 8; roll trim additionally described in Van’s catalogue.
Different simulator cockpits
SWS documents analog and G3X panels and different propeller options, while AOA’s XP12 change history describes its G1000-based automatic-flight controls. Both represent the RV-8 family, with separately documented equipment and versions.
SimWorks Studios · Van’s RV-8 for MSFS - Taildragger & Trike by SWS ↗SWS product scope; AOA source listed separately.
In your simulator
No released simulator product is listed for this aircraft in the developers reviewed. Announced products are excluded.
Manuals & resources
Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Manual
RV-8/8A Manual — Section 8Van's Aircraft · Van’s RV-8/8A construction manual, section 8; roll trim additionally described in Van’s catalogue. Van’s Aircraft 2015–2016 Catalogue — Roll TrimVan's Aircraft · Aircraft equipment and developer product details.Aircraft background
Van's RV-8 /8A Duo XP12/XP11-AOASimulations-RV8-DuoAOA Simulations · Aircraft equipment and developer product details. Van’s RV-8 for MSFS - Taildragger & Trike by SWSSimWorks Studios · SWS product scope; AOA source listed separately. RV-8 – Version History - Simworks StudiosSimWorks Studios · Aircraft equipment and developer product details. SimWorks Studios – Microsoft Flight Simulator Add‑OnsSimWorks Studios · Aircraft equipment and developer product details. RV-8 / 8A - Van's Aircraft Total Performance RV Kit PlanesVan's Aircraft · Van’s RV-8 model and performance page. Flying an RV - Van's Aircraft Total Performance RV Kit PlanesVan's Aircraft · Aircraft equipment and developer product details. Kevin Horton RV-8 Pilot’s Operating HandbookKevin Horton · Aircraft equipment and developer product details.Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261011-v3 · 6 profile choices
AOA Simulations RV-8
AOA Simulations · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
X-Plane 12
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
AOA Simulations RV-8A
AOA Simulations · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
X-Plane 12
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
SimWorks Studios RV-8
SimWorks Studios · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
SimWorks Studios RV-8A
SimWorks Studios · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
Vans RV-8
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
Vans RV-8A
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
Vans RV-8
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Vans RV-8 · MSFS 2020 · Variant starting point
- Vans RV-8 · MSFS 2024 · Variant starting point
- Vans RV-8 · X-Plane 12 · Variant starting point
Universal named airframe/configuration; intended MSFS2020/MSFS2024/XP12 starting point, not add-on or edition acceptance. · Physical facts and prior documentary review are reused from their archived dated sources; new market availability is not inferred.
The simulator model and controls
The RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
How this profile feels
Spring resistance builds with the selected airspeed response. A separate aerodynamic term adds speed-dependent control load.
Valid trim provides the configured pressure relief. Autopilot following is off.
Aircraft and configuration
The manufacturer identifies the RV-8 as the conventional tailwheel configuration, distinct from the RV-8A tricycle configuration.
Linkages and trim choices
The construction manual documents elevator pushrods and bellcranks, with optional manual or electric pitch trim. Van’s catalogue explains roll-trim spring bias. The builder’s choice affects the installed mechanism; SWS and AOA package their own cockpit and avionics options, so a particular owner’s wing-leveler or equipment fit is not universal to the family.
About the values
Strengths are normalized hardware-feel settings. They set the effect balance; hand force depends on the device and its limits. The IAS reference is a tuning value.
What the documentation establishes
Vans RV-8: The manufacturer identifies the RV-8 as the conventional tailwheel configuration, distinct from the RV-8A tricycle configuration.
Documentary review and sources
These decisions describe the documentary basis and remaining gaps for this revision. Aircraft documentation and a starting setting describe different kinds of evidence.
Aircraft and variant
ReviewedThe RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
Flight controls
InheritedThe RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft offered with tailwheel or nosewheel landing gear.
Trim
InheritedRoll trim: Control-column spring bias. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; roll authority is 0.1.
Autopilot and stability
ReviewedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
InheritedThe manufacturer identifies the RV-8 as the conventional tailwheel configuration, distinct from the RV-8A tricycle configuration.
Speeds and limits
InheritedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
ReviewedThe profile targets msfs2020, msfs2024, xplane12. Add-on-specific controls use only the supported references configured by this profile.
Force-feedback settings
InheritedThe settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
Starting settings and their rationale
These configured values are starting estimates. The explanations describe what each setting controls; physical validation appears separately below.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyPitch control: Pushrod and bellcrank linkage. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 65 KIAS. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 145 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value145 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value65 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.72 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.72 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1.0 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
All 44 starting settings and their rationale
The settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyPitch control: Pushrod and bellcrank linkage. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 65 KIAS. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 145 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1.0 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.72 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.72 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
Vans RV-8: Elevator trim tab and optional roll spring bias reviewed separately. Estimated pitch/roll trim authorities 0.3/0.1; exact add-on sign, travel, units and build-specific neutral remain unqualified. Rudder trim never substitutes for roll trim.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0.3 | What it controls and whyRoll trim: Control-column spring bias. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; roll authority is 0.1. |
| Aileron Authority | Starting value0.1 | What it controls and whyScales supported roll-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes roll response. |
Vans RV-8: 145 KIAS is the retained estimated tuning reference. It is not published cruise TAS, VNE, a new flight limit or a measured force threshold. Source-specific operating quantities remain attached to their original configuration and conditions.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value145 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
The selected flap-motion gain is 0.12 and gear motion is disabled. Smoke controls supply no calibrated primary-control force event.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Gain | Starting value0.12 | What it controls and whyThe selected flap-motion gain is 0.12 and gear motion is disabled. Smoke controls supply no calibrated primary-control force event. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyThe selected flap-motion gain is 0.12 and gear motion is disabled. Smoke controls supply no calibrated primary-control force event. |
Exact configured values with software explanations. Force magnitudes remain editable estimates; disabled features retain inactive values.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring deadband | Starting value0.035 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| QBlend Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows baseline spring strength to rise with indicated airspeed where the control law permits it. |
| QSpring Minimum Factor | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value20 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed spring blend starts rising. This is a feel threshold, not a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value65 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening gain | Starting value0.15 | What it controls and whyThe high-speed spring-stiffening gain is 0.15. It strengthens the permitted spring response above 65 KIAS, with the squared-speed ratio capped at 5. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening limit | Starting value5 | What it controls and whyLimits the squared airspeed ratio used for high-speed spring stiffening; it is not a device-force cap. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Force Trim Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyEnables local force trim, separate from aircraft-owned trim and add-on integration qualification. |
| GLoad Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows load-factor changes to modify permitted spring laws. Passive fly-by-wire feel can suppress it. |
| Rate Damping Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables rate damping with the configured coefficients and control law. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot follow authority | Starting value0.1 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP-follow gain, not a percentage of travel. Runtime ownership and input limits still apply. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Autopilot neutral hold strength | Starting value0.6 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP neutral-hold strength; inactive while neutral hold is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables aerodynamic cues; each still needs nonzero strength and its simulator conditions. |
| Gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whySets stall-buffet strength. Zero removes the cue without changing simulator stalls or warnings. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets high-Mach buffet strength; onset and full-strength thresholds are separate. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets flap buffet at the configured position and speed gates. Flap movement texture is separate. |
| Maximum flap index | Starting value3 | What it controls and whySets the final flap index for detent normalization. UP plus three detents uses maximum index3. |
| Minimum flap index | Starting value2 | What it controls and whySets the first flap detent that admits buffet; this is a handle index, not degrees. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear aerodynamic buffet; movement and ground-contact cues are separate. |
| Shaker Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits shaker at supported warning conditions; the switch does not establish aircraft equipment. |
| Stick shaker amplitude | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets triggered shaker strength; inactive while the shaker feature is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables ground effects; each still needs its own strength and contact or motion telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.4 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0.25 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.65 | What it controls and whySets landing-impact strength; landing telemetry and response shape determine the pulse. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets reverse-thrust vibration with valid reverser and engine conditions. Zero removes the cue. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables engine cues with nonzero settings and valid running-engine telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.12 | What it controls and whySets estimated engine vibration using configured telemetry and response, not measured cockpit vibration. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables accessory cues with configured strengths and observed accessory movement. |
Limits and open questions
- Vans RV-8 is a universal starting point; exact add-on matching, edition operation and physical hand-force calibration remain unqualified.
- Autopilot movement and unknown custom trim, failure or force-input signals are disabled. Confirm the selected equipment fit and trim direction for the implementation in use.
- Force magnitudes and speed tuning are editable inherited estimates. Owner physical and installed-aircraft acceptance remain pending.
Physical validation
No physical force validation is recorded in this public catalogue for this revision. Documentary review and software checks do not establish how a particular device feels.
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