RV-14 vs. RV-7/RV-8
 

I've already identified my mission and have talked to a few RV14 builders and personally getting discouraged at the dollar figures Im hearing with the RV14.

Vans says you can build a 14 for about $100K. Im thinking if I buy a couple kits used (partially done), and smart about other high dollar items I might actually be able to stay around $100K mark. One builder told me theres almost no way to build one for under $140K.

I recognized this is an ambiguous question, but Im at a pivotal point and if its a $40K - $50K savings going with a RV8 or RV7 then I'm going that route.

I've run my numbers curious to what other peoples thoughts and perceptions are.

WHATS THE ESTIMATE COST DIFFERENCT BETWEEN BUILDING A RV14 AND LETS SAY AN RV7 OR RV8 (ASSUMING SIMILAR AVIONICS, EQUIPMENT, ETC)?



Thanks

Roger,

I have a detailed spreadsheet for a high end, slow build RV-8 (I'll build it whenever my naval aviator son and son-in-law figure out how to pay for it). You can substitute in the RV-14 kit cost and IO-390 engine and have a fairly accurate number.

The bottom line for the RV-8 for everything including interior and paint is $113,971.

Provide me your email and I will send.

Carl
carl.froehlich@verizon.net

The cost dif should be the dif of the 2 kits + recommended engine price dif!

What's the estimate for a -7/-8? As jthocker said, just add 12K. Unless there are lots of things missing from a -14 kit that are included in a 7/8 kit, which I doubt.

Now, the next thing to consider is, must you have a brand new IO-390, new C/S prop, $50-$70K in avionics, and a full leather interior to make you happy?

I know that most of the guys on this forum think that they have to build the space shuttle, but you don't. :-)

Build what you want; there will be only a 10-12K variance at most, if you build right and can scrounge.

Hint: You can build any of Van's planes (except maybe the -12) for a lot less than the kind of estimates you're getting.

Charlie

How big are you?
 

Smokey Ray will hopefully explain better than I will.

The answer really depends on how dearly do you want to fly. Or do you want to fly dearly? (new IO 390 and a 70 K panel alone)

A fixed pitch O 320 will move an 8 quite adequately to fly you from Florida to Alaska several times over. A simple and safe VFR panel with a single glass EFIS or just basic VFR steam instruments like Vlad has used to cross the USA numerous times with, can get you into the air with a fraction of the 140K.

The odd 8 shows up on Barnstormers for under 70K.

If you are patient the odd good 4 can be had for 1/2 of that.

The 14 is for people that need more room inside that the smaller RV's have less of.

Depends what you want. If you want to fly lots, it does not need to cost the moon.

I'm 6'4'' 240lbs and have flown an RV14A, RV7A, and an RV8. Without question the RV14A was the most comfortable.

All 3 planes are great and will satisfy my mission. Still struggling to pick a plane.

I thought about this as well, briefly. Since we are talking differences here, it is really quite simple. The -14 kit price will be $11k to $12k more. The engine, new, will be $11k to $12k more. So, minimum will be $22k to $24k more. If you throw in the fact that it is relatively easy to get a used mid-time O360 and run a fixed pitch on a 7 or 8, the difference could be as high as another $18k, so somewhere between $22k and $42k more for a 14 by my calcs.

Tim

Not necessarily.

An RV-7 or RV-8 can be built with an angle valve IO-360 (and a lot of them are.... and by the way, a brand new IO-390 is slightly cheaper than a new IO-360). The same engine can be used in an RV-14 (that is what the taildragger prototype has)

So as has already been said in a number of other posts in this thread.....
Depending on what airplane you are comparing it to, and RV-14 can be built for the same cost as an RV-7 or 8 plus the kit cost difference of 11-12 thousand.

When a person says that an RV-14 can't be built for under 140K, they mean that to build it the way they think it should be built, it would cost 140K.

I'm just starting on my -14, so I can't speak with as much experience as some of the others. What I can tell you is how I made my decision to build the -14. There were two factors that influenced my decision...room and perceived simplicity of the build.

Sitting in both the -7 and the -14 my wife just liked having more room. If my mission was flying alone, I'd have built the -7. The -7 has more options when it comes to engine, canopy, prop, etc. The number of available engine and prop combinations and the "cool factor" of a sliding canopy are things that the -14 doesn't have that are available on the -7.

Regarding the cost, I agree with Scott. There doesn't have to be any difference in avionics or interior. I calculated the cost difference as additional kit cost, engine cost, and possibly prop cost. I'd have chosen an 180 hp power plant if I'd have gone with the -7 so there was an incremental increase due to the difference in engine size and availability.

Lastly, if time is a factor and Van's is correct, it's worth something to get into the air a bit faster.

Good luck!

Fred

The 390 is spendy, but you can also have Lycon or someone build a 360 for the same power for a lot less than a new 390, I too wanted a 390 for my project then I found a IO 360 A1A with a CS HZ prop for 16K! took 4 years of active looking, but hey, there out there!