You asked
Top questions posed at AirVenture
Photography by David Tulis
Q: Will you replace the interior?
A: Absolutely—did you see the foam falling out of the pilot’s seat? We’ll strip the interior bare and install new carpeting, seats, headliner, and all interior plastic parts. Soon, the sweeps interior will look better than new.
Q: What color will you paint the airplane?
A: Great question! We’ve been working with Craig Barnett at Scheme Designers on several spectacular paint schemes. We’ll soon provide a sneak peek at a few possible schemes on AOPA’s social media channels—and we’d love your feedback.
Q: Is the Tiger difficult to fly?
A: Not at all. The free-castering nosewheel and light aileron control feel is very similar to most Van’s Aircraft models. And if you’ve a flown a Piper Archer or 180-horsepower Cessna 172, you’ll easily transition to the Tiger—although the Tiger is considerably faster.
Q: Can you fly with the canopy open?
A: Yes. A placard on the left canopy rail indicates how far the canopy can be opened in flight (about 12 inches) up to 113 knots. Make sure there are no loose papers in the cockpit!
Q: How fast does the Tiger fly?
A: A stock Tiger has a maximum cruise speed of 139 knots at 8,500 feet. The AOPA Sweepstakes Tiger has a few trick components that may increase its gallop—including an electrically controlled constant-speed propeller and a Power Flow tuned exhaust system. Once everything is installed, we’ll show you how fast it’ll go.
Q: Where is the propeller controller?
A: The Tiger does not have a propeller control next to the throttle and mixture controls because it was not born with a constant-speed propeller. Instead, the Tiger uses a small electronic propeller control unit mounted just under the autopilot control panel. Simply turn the dial to the rpm you desire.
Q: How do I enter to win?
A: AOPA members are automatically entered. The Sweepstakes ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on May 20, 2022. An 80-year-old student pilot won the Piper Super Cub and an airline pilot (and paraglider enthusiast) won the Van’s RV–10 in the two most recent sweepstakes. The next winner could be you! And, no need to tell us where to deliver the airplane—we know where to find you!
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