Anyone owned a Van's RV6 or RV7 before?

[amillet]

Maybe it was the bottom of the panel. My knees were hitting something 

[jaylw314]

1 hour ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Fuel consumption maybe even a little better than a J?  By an RV-10?  Really?  

Granted it's based on factory figures (my RV-10 isn't anywhere near complete), but they suggest a range of around 900 nm on a 60 gal fuel load.  RV's are efficient because of low drag, flush-riveting is used throughout the entire outside structure, and gross weight is actually 200 lbs less.  Those numbers might be optimistic, but it's at least in the same ballpark as a J

[Guest tommy123]

2 hours ago, amillet said:

I’ve ridden in my hangar neighbors RV 7.  My 6’3” frame does not fit very well.  Knees hit yoke or feet hit rudder pedals without uncomfortable contortions. Seats are not adjustable 

Pretty hard to hit the yoke in a plane with a stick.

[Wildhorsesracing]

Well, I am driving to FL tomorrow to pick up the wings and empennage for an RV-7.  Should be fun building an airplane, looking forward to the life experience!

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, Wildhorsesracing said:

Well, I am driving to FL tomorrow to pick up the wings and empennage for an RV-7.  Should be fun building an airplane, looking forward to the life experience!

Jim,

Welcome to the RV world, you’ll love the RV.  Great group support just like this group, just freedom to install anything you want.

Clarence

[Wildhorsesracing]

34 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Jim,

Welcome to the RV world, you’ll love the RV.  Great group support just like this group, just freedom to install anything you want.

Clarence

Thanks, I have been enjoying this freedom with my Hatz Biplane, looking forward to earning my repairman's certificate for the RV-7.

[tangogawd]

On 8/23/2018 at 2:05 PM, MIm20c said:

Currently watching the market for a really nice 7 or 8. Going back and forth between buying a flying version and one that is “close”.  Realistically trying to get a feel for how close is “close”. 

I think Joe’s system of travel plane AND fun plane is the way to go. Pa46/a36/Ovation/bravo and an RV/cub/etc. 

remember this one saying "90% done; 90% to go", and you should be doing good!

The wife wants us to build a RV8 from scratch. I'd prefer a 7 because I know she'll stuff me in the back otherwise! 

Either way, looks like we will be joining the RV world in a few years. So I've been told- "Happy wife, happy life"

[steingar]

Had they room for Mrs. Steingar's luggage I would be flying an RV right now.  But they don't, and Mrs. Steingar has said quite emphatically that she down's want to fly in something with a canopy.

And to be honest, my Mooney is still the biggest bang for my buck.  You can't get into an RV for what I paid for the Mooney, and it is plenty fast.  And good luck flying one of those things IFR.  Yeah, it can be done, but I'll bet you get blown around pretty good. And I can't imagine doing a stabilized IFR approach in something that twitchy.

[Wildhorsesracing]

5 hours ago, steingar said:

Had they room for Mrs. Steingar's luggage I would be flying an RV right now.  But they don't, and Mrs. Steingar has said quite emphatically that she down's want to fly in something with a canopy.

And to be honest, my Mooney is still the biggest bang for my buck.  You can't get into an RV for what I paid for the Mooney, and it is plenty fast.  And good luck flying one of those things IFR.  Yeah, it can be done, but I'll bet you get blown around pretty good. And I can't imagine doing a stabilized IFR approach in something that twitchy.

I have been flying a couple of years now without a canopy and love it (see pic).  The RV-7 can handle more luggage than you are allowed to take on most airlines.

I fly VFR only anyway and can vouch that landing a biplane is anything but "stabilized" so I should enjoy flying it.

[TX-Champ]

I built a RV9A and flew in several other RVs including 6, 7 and 8s.  My RV build took over 2 1/2 years.  It was a great learning experience.  If interested in building, the Van's kits are a great product.  I selected the Van's kit because of the large support network of builders and owners.  There isn't a single question regarding the build that you can't find documented online.  Building also allows you to customize to suit your budget or needs, especially with respect to avionics.  Flying qualities are great.  The 9 was fast in cruise but landed short at under 50mph.  It was very docile and had no bad habit.  I sold it to pursue other projects and restorations.  As a 2-seat airplane it was fine and fun.  As with any airplane there are compromises.  Getting up and into the cabin is a little like getting into a canoe.  If interested in Van's consider buying an unfinished kit from another builder (after a thorough inspection).  Unfinished kits sell for less than the cost of a new kit.  That's how I bought my 9 and I'd recommend that path if you're on a budget.  Check out the VansAirforce website for info on owners and projects.  

[Stephen]

On 7/20/2018 at 2:35 PM, gsxrpilot said:

If it wasn't for our full size dog who travels with us... I'd be flying an RV instead of a Mooney. 

Paul, how do you work around the 252's altitude affinity and the dog, just curious.

[gsxrpilot]

47 minutes ago, Stephen said:

Paul, how do you work around the 252's altitude affinity and the dog, just curious.

That's a very good question... 

When I'm solo, which is about 50% of the time, I'm up high.  When the Mrs and the Pup are with me, we usually stay below about 15K. We have been up to 18K with an O2 mask on the dog. We have one of these. https://aerox.com/product/canine-o2-mask-extra-large which she wears very well. But she's a very calm and well behaved dog. So if we tell her to wear it, she'll wear it.

She seems to suffer no ill effects from extended time at 14K or 15K so we often fly there and she's the only one in the cabin not wearing O2. Of course humans don't suffer at that altitude either. We just get too sleepy to reliably fly the airplane. 

[N231BN]

Had they room for Mrs. Steingar's luggage I would be flying an RV right now.  But they don't, and Mrs. Steingar has said quite emphatically that she down's want to fly in something with a canopy.
And to be honest, my Mooney is still the biggest bang for my buck.  You can't get into an RV for what I paid for the Mooney, and it is plenty fast.  And good luck flying one of those things IFR.  Yeah, it can be done, but I'll bet you get blown around pretty good. And I can't imagine doing a stabilized IFR approach in something that twitchy.

Tru-track autopilot, and cheap!

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