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If you are inclined to build, go with the 7.
If you are inclined to buy and fly, go with the 6. Either way you can't go wrong. These machines are a delight to fly. I take off for any reason - today it was to search for that deer I hit on Sunday. No sign of hide. hair or it. Maybe a hunter picked it up, the season was open that day and the deer may have been on the run because of it. I've ID'd the exact spot where it came on the road and it is all brush and tall grass on both sides. The front license plate was missing and that's where I found it, pure luck I'd say. |
Better....,
My $ .02
The RV6 is a little shorter than a RV7. so....The RV7 has better pitch stability. The RV7 has more fuel. More Better! The RV7 has longer ailerons, 4". Better roll rate. The RV 7 has more head room, More Better........... I have flown, and built two RV6s, one had 500 hours, and the second one had 998 hours when I let it go. I have some 125+ hours in RV7s . I did not think the RV7 would interest me untill I had a chance to fly several and use them as my own airplane. The RV7 is a Better airplane, hands down. I did not think I would like it when it first came the out. Or that I would need the 'improvements' that the 6 does not have. But the RV7 is a Better all round airplane than the 6. It is easer to build as well. |
Good arguments Jay. But for someone buying a 6 or 7, would you say that the typical higher cost for a 7 is worth it?
If someone were to give me my choice of a 6 or 7 aircraft, I would probably take the 7(A). But I bought a 6A. |
Too bad the larger counter balance tails of the 7's just look over sized & not dimensionally correct...........compared to the shorter, sportier, and eye pleasing "classic" tail of the original 6's. :D
L.Adamson --- RV6A (classic tail) |
price
Buying or building?
Buying, a flying RV ? A RV6 is my choice. Since money is a limiting factor. If money was no factor??? I would own 2 Grumand F8F Bearcats one to fly when the other is down for mantience,,, No RVs for this hipothetical bizzilionair |
Are you sure Jay?
Quote:
I still prefer my 6, 'cause that's what I own!:) |
landing gear
One other difference not mentioned...on the A models, the 6A sits a bit nose high on the ground and the 7A is almost level. Slight difference in taxi visibility, the 7 "looks" larger sitting on the ground and there may be some implications for rough surface operations but I don't want to cause thread creep!
Jeremy Constant 7A 90hrs, about to start my 1rst condition inspection! |
Quote:
Having rolled both, I would say the -6 feels like it's rolling faster... But the difference isn't large enough to consider as a serious factor. They're effectively the same for the type of flying the RV was designed for... "gentlemanly aerobatics" I think Van calls it. |
Not too much larger span
Gents,
The RV-7's have a different wing tip design then the RV-6's. The new style angles out and adds about 6" per side. I doubt very seriously that this area adds any real performance improvements or degrades performance. So the real effective span difference is about 1ft total. I actually prefer the look of the old style tips over the batwings and the new style. |
It is not just the tip, the wings are longer too. Wing span for a 7 is 25' versus the RV6's 23'. There is also more leg and head room available. I have flown a 6 for 2500 hrs and a 7A for 600 hrs. and would agree with most of the previous comments. The most notable differences for me are the 7's greater load carrying capacity due to the larger wing area and more favorable CG envelope and the better directional stability due to the much larger tail. Both are great flying airplanes and I love them both.
Martin Sutter building and flying RV's since 1988 EAA Technical Counselor |
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