rv-9 vs rv-10

I?m a very low-time pilot. Very interested in the rv-9 for its design envelope slow and fast speed range, STOL performance, cross country features, etc.

My wife says, heck, why settle with the ?9, I?ll support you if you start the 10 (and yes, that means, not necessarily support with the ?9, I tried to explain the cost diff but since she doesn?t pay the bills, it went over her very pretty head). Besides, what are we going to do with the kids while we are gallivanting around she says?

Can anyone offer their opinion about a comparison between the rv-9 and rv-10? I know the ?10 is considered a high performance machine, but doesn?t it have similar qualities as the ?9. Wouldn?t the ?10 be more benign than the 4-8 acro-birds? I know the rv-10 will require additional training, but in the long run if that is what will suit our needs better, why not?

I?m as much interested in the build process as hobby, so let?s assume I?m OK with the 2000+ hours commitment.

aj

You can fit 3 other people in the -10!



That should be your only consideration. Getting a High Performance signoff is sooooo easy it is ridiculous.

Build the -10 if you want the SUV of RV's!

CJ

I think if you check Vans site somewhere that describes the 10's first flight, you'll see that Vans himself said the 10 felt most like the -9. Although apples and oranges, I transitioned from a C150 after my ticket to a C182 which equaled much greater performance, constant speed prop, cowl flaps, etc. Took about 3 hours transition training, thereafter I flew it like I had flown it for years. In fact, because of the higher wing loading, I actually flew it much more precisely than the 150. I'm sure you'll be able to handle the -9 or the -10 with the proper training, no problem. Insurance? That may or may not be another story. Who knows.

I, too, went through the -9 vs. -10 question about 1.5 years ago. While I have a family who loves to fly (wife and two little kids), I just couldn't swallow the cost of the -10. I'm planning on a -9 at under $45K. The most realistic for the -10, the best I could figure, is probably closer to $70-80K (and I bet you'll have a lot of people who'll tell you it can't be done even for that.)

Good luck with your decision.

Steve

9 or 10

My wife could care less about flying but insisted on the -10. She knows flying is the quickest & safest way to get from point a to point b, but is still uneasy in the airplane. (she comes fro a very "nonflying" family). She is encouraging our daughters to get their ppl's since they enjoy flying so much.
Anyway, I fly a 150 at the present. there's only room for one other person. Seem like every time I go flying someone has to stay on the ground. You may not fill all the seats everytime, but I almost bet there would be at least 3 seats filled. Cost? It's like buying a 150..... or do I want a 172 for twice the money & twice the fuel to fly it? Go with what you think you'll be happiest with. I 'm building a -10 so we can all go if we want.

Marshall Alexander
RV10
wings

Unlike cars where you might choose one for it's looks alone, airplanes are chosen for their specific mission. If 90%+ of your flying is done with just two souls on board, then you'll be paying for the fuel to carry around two empty seats 90% of the time and that can add up to be extremely expensive.

Some may not believe this, but I'm trying to talk my wife out of the -10. I'll be ready to jump feet first into my QB7-A that's been sitting in it's boxes waiting until I get my new building up (within 8 weeks, finally now that all permits are approved). But Linda is thinking she'd like to be able to haul more "stuff" on trips. However, I see almost no requirement for needing two extra seats.
Since QB 10's are down to just 4 months wait time now, time isn't a problem, but just the "basic" diffference in the cost of the QB10 kit is $20K more, and the engine adds an additional $20k. I'm hoping to convince her that $40k+ is a pretty expensive way to add an extra suitcase.

Whether I have the right airplane or not, I don't know yet. But I sure seem to have the right wife.

With this kind of family support you can't go wrong either way. If your looking for a reason to lean toward the -9, remember that you will be flying mostly with the back seats empty, but you will still be burning about 50% more fuel per hour with the -10. That can add up.
Mel...DAR

Resale Value!

Another consideration should be resale value. There aren't any -10's that have been sold yet, but I think it is pretty widely accepted that the -10 will sell for a greater margin over build cost than the other models will.

I agree that if most of your flying will be 2 people, then the added fuel burn and time on a more expensive engine may not be justified.

Jesse