What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

RV-7a or 9a ?

I am just starting my quest for a RV, I'm expecting to be buying one in about a year or so. Of course I want to at least see and sit in one of each model ( 9 and 7 ) before I get too far along...just to make sure this is the route I want to take.

I feel like the best model for me, all things considered, would be the 7a or 9a. I have read the differences on Van's website and understand them, but as we all know experience is better than print. I have met one guy with a 9a ( haven't seen his plane yet ) that loves his plane but does state that climb rates and such are not as advertised.

Can anyone give me any insight as to which of these two models would be better ? Has anyone on here owned or flown both models extensively ? I'm not really interested in performing aerobatics, my flying would be more going places for fun or vacations. Which both models are fast and low fuel consumption compared to say a Cessna 182, so I really can't at this point make a real decision.

Thank you
 
I guess it depends on the year....earlier -7As had a different empennage IIUC...smaller fin/rudder. Otherwise, I think the -7A and -9A are the same fuselage these days. The difference is the wings. Obviously, if you want to do any aerobatics then the -7A is your plane. When I started looking, I was set on either a -7A or -9A...didn't care which. A -9A equipped as I wanted and at a reasonable price came up first.
 
I'm not really interested in performing aerobatics, my flying would be more going places for fun or vacations.

The 9/A was designed specifically for you :).

There are lots of variations in how people build them, but if you build to specs, they get Van's advertised numbers, or better. The 9 will give you slightly better efficiency up high (cue the -7 owners who swear that's not true), as well as better glide and lower stall speed, both of which come in handy if the worst happens and the engine goes quiet. You also get a slightly more stable platform for IFR, should you wish to equip that way. A -7 still makes a great XC plane, but if that's your main mission, why not go for the model that was specifically designed for it? The 9 is what Van himself chooses for long XC.

Chris
 
I guess it depends on the year....earlier -7As had a different empennage IIUC...smaller fin/rudder. Otherwise, I think the -7A and -9A are the same fuselage these days. The difference is the wings. Obviously, if you want to do any aerobatics then the -7A is your plane. When I started looking, I was set on either a -7A or -9A...didn't care which. A -9A equipped as I wanted and at a reasonable price came up first.

That’s kinda where I’m at, whichever one equipped correctly for me and comes up first would get me. Unless there was a specific reason to stay away from one or the other.
 
The 9/A was designed specifically for you :).

There are lots of variations in how people build them, but if you build to specs, they get Van's advertised numbers, or better. The 9 will give you slightly better efficiency up high (cue the -7 owners who swear that's not true), as well as better glide and lower stall speed, both of which come in handy if the worst happens and the engine goes quiet. You also get a slightly more stable platform for IFR, should you wish to equip that way. A -7 still makes a great XC plane, but if that's your main mission, why not go for the model that was specifically designed for it? The 9 is what Van himself chooses for long XC.

Chris


Thank you Chris

You have a perfect point. The 9 does fit my needs better. I’ve got plenty of time so I may as well keep my search to the 9.
 
It is difficult to choose when both choices are good choices.

I have a 9A, I fly with several friends with 7s. Speed is relative to airplane design to some extent but in terms of the flying we do, altitude is also an important factor too. I can attest that 9s will cruise with pretty much any 7. In some situations the 7 will out perform the 9. In other situations the reverse is true. The 9 can be more efficient on long x-country flights, especially if flying higher (above 9K). It has a different airfoil so its glide characteristics will allow the plane to glide (float) very differently than a 7 which could affect performance in the pattern. The 7 is aerobatic so will have different maneuvering (Va) speed, never exceed (Vne) Speed, etc.. As mentioned, the 7 and 9 wing airfoils are different so the 7 will behave differently When you pull the power back.

It really will depend on your mission. You will be happy with either but make the choice based on what kind of flying you expect to be doing.
 
Jeff,
They are both nearly perfectly suited to your (current) mission. As a buyer, you will be perfectly happy with a good example of either that you can actually get your hands on. Beware, when you get your hands on an RV, your aviation perspective will definitely change.

When we built our -9a, we had one very low time pilot to bring up to speed, and she knew what she wanted. It has taken us to the ends of the earth and provided experiences that we never could have imagined. Our aviation perspective grew with those experiences.

The important part, I think, is not to get too stuck on the details of -7 vs -9. Do something as soon as reasonable, because it will blow your mind ;).
 
It is difficult to choose when both choices are good choices.

I have a 9A, I fly with several friends with 7s. Speed is relative to airplane design to some extent but in terms of the flying we do, altitude is also an important factor too. I can attest that 9s will cruise with pretty much any 7. In some situations the 7 will out perform the 9. In other situations the reverse is true. The 9 can be more efficient on long x-country flights, especially if flying higher (above 9K). It has a different airfoil so its glide characteristics will allow the plane to glide (float) very differently than a 7 which could affect performance in the pattern. The 7 is aerobatic so will have different maneuvering (Va) speed, never exceed (Vne) Speed, etc.. As mentioned, the 7 and 9 wing airfoils are different so the 7 will behave differently When you pull the power back.

It really will depend on your mission. You will be happy with either but make the choice based on what kind of flying you expect to be doing.

I am far more interested in stability and ease of control. Especially when my girlfriend is with me, and she will be with me on most of my trips.

Believe it or not, the main missions I do are simple. A group of us fly to breakfast on Sunday mornings. Other than that, it’s taking friends and family on their first flights. I want to expand to vacationing. I’ve only self flown vacationed once and that was to the Bahamas. Pretty darned cool and I wanna do more of that. It seems the RV’s are the most affordable way to accomplish that, plus everyone seems to really enjoy flying them.
 
Jeff,
They are both nearly perfectly suited to your (current) mission. As a buyer, you will be perfectly happy with a good example of either that you can actually get your hands on. Beware, when you get your hands on an RV, your aviation perspective will definitely change.

When we built our -9a, we had one very low time pilot to bring up to speed, and she knew what she wanted. It has taken us to the ends of the earth and provided experiences that we never could have imagined. Our aviation perspective grew with those experiences.

The important part, I think, is not to get too stuck on the details of -7 vs -9. Do something as soon as reasonable, because it will blow your mind ;).

Hopefully you mean it’ll change for the best :)

I’ve heard the only drawback, even though it’s slight, is the nose gear. But I’m reading all I can about.
 
I am far more interested in stability and ease of control. Especially when my girlfriend is with me, and she will be with me on most of my trips.

Believe it or not, the main missions I do are simple. A group of us fly to breakfast on Sunday mornings. Other than that, it’s taking friends and family on their first flights. I want to expand to vacationing. I’ve only self flown vacationed once and that was to the Bahamas. Pretty darned cool and I wanna do more of that. It seems the RV’s are the most affordable way to accomplish that, plus everyone seems to really enjoy flying them.

Investigate useful load of these RVs...that can vary a lot depending on how it’s equipped. Full fuel with my wife, and her suitcase for a Bahamas vacation would leave me with the ability to take a laptop and a shaving kit.

I’m exaggerating. A little.
 
Investigate useful load of these RVs...that can vary a lot depending on how it’s equipped. Full fuel with my wife, and her suitcase for a Bahamas vacation would leave me with the ability to take a laptop and a shaving kit.

I’m exaggerating. A little.
Exaggerating aside, I carry just as much as the 7 friends I fly with whenever we fly together to OSH. Useful load is a non-factor when comparing the 7 and 9.
 
I am far more interested in stability and ease of control. Especially when my girlfriend is with me, and she will be with me on most of my trips.

Believe it or not, the main missions I do are simple. A group of us fly to breakfast on Sunday mornings. Other than that, it’s taking friends and family on their first flights. I want to expand to vacationing. I’ve only self flown vacationed once and that was to the Bahamas. Pretty darned cool and I wanna do more of that. It seems the RV’s are the most affordable way to accomplish that, plus everyone seems to really enjoy flying them.
I wish I lived closer to you. I would love to come over and give you a ride and observe your “RV GRIN”. That grin comes from the “stability and ease of control”. Honestly, all RVs have those feels. The 9 is very docile for sure. I do think it is more so than the 7 but by no means by saying so would I say it is less responsive than a 7. It is the responsiveness that defines how an RV feels. The 9 has that responsiveness in droves.

Hopefully someone who lives near by you will chime in to this thread and give you that ride I would love to give you.
 
Exaggerating aside, I carry just as much as the 7 friends I fly with whenever we fly together to OSH. Useful load is a non-factor when comparing the 7 and 9.

Well, that's true 7 vs 9 the same relative to useful load. In that regard, I would neither confirm nor deny that I haven't exceeded GW on occasion. I will say that I have as much passenger space and more luggage space in my RV-9A than in the car that I drive in non-winter months.
 
If you are interested in a flight in an RV 9A I’d be more than happy to come down to Culpepper and give you an opportunity to sit and fly in mine. I’m based out of Carroll County airport in Maryland and that’s about 35 to 40 minutes away from where you are. Send me a PM with your contact information and I will give you a call to make arrangements to give you a flight In my 9A.

Steve
N424JK
900 hr+
 
7 has higher wing loading so slightly better ride in turbulence...9 more stable in roll and the easiest airplane I've flown.

Both are great airplanes...can't go wrong with either one. If budget is a consideration then I would look at both and find one with most value to you.

I can tell you I thought my -9a was slow compared to Van's numbers but found out that I had a static source error and now I'm within 2 mph of Vans numbers.

I went through the same decision making process and ultimately it was only a 6 min difference in my commute and that was WOT burning lots of gas.
 
Jeff,
When I started looking I was set on an RV-9 because I knew that I wouldn’t do aerobatics and I wanted a tail dragger. I looked at several very nice planes traveling all over the country. I expanded my search to include 6s & 7s, then expanded my search to include nose gear models.

I was becoming a bit frustrated not finding what I was looking for when a good friend (he built a 6) that flys tail wheels and knew that I preferred a tail wheel model, recommend that I look at a 6A built by a gentleman in Washington State.

I was skeptical because it was not what I thought that I was looking for. However, after seeing the aircraft and meeting the builder, I realized that this aircraft would meet my mission and I felt confident that it was a great build (I’m not a builder).

I purchased that aircraft in July of 2015 and every time I walk into the hangar and see that plane I smile. My point is do not limit yourself to one model because they are all great! Don’t limit your search, but rather look for a good engine/prop combo and a quality build.

Normally I fly by myself on short trips for fun, however I’ve flown long cross country with my wife and the aircraft meets both missions well.

Good luck on your search.
Pat

DBEC6440-15-F9-4-EE9-936-E-535520085510.jpg
 
You have selected the right brand of homebuilt. 6, 7, 9 A or not, you will enjoy it greatly.

I love my 9a, my wife is learning to fly in it. You can't go wrong.
 
If you can fly a 9 you can fly a7. The 7 is faster and has a better climb rate assuming a 180 hp engine in place of the 160. It has a higher approach speed. It is more responsive and lighter on the stick.
 
If you are interested in a flight in an RV 9A I’d be more than happy to come down to Culpepper and give you an opportunity to sit and fly in mine. I’m based out of Carroll County airport in Maryland and that’s about 35 to 40 minutes away from where you are. Send me a PM with your contact information and I will give you a call to make arrangements to give you a flight In my 9A.

Steve
N424JK
900 hr+

PM sent....thank you
 
You have selected the right brand of homebuilt. 6, 7, 9 A or not, you will enjoy it greatly.

I love my 9a, my wife is learning to fly in it. You can't go wrong.

I do believe you are right.

I only have one hour in a tail wheel, I just have never liked tail wheels. I guess I should get my endorsement so I could broaden my horizons, and it would open up more purchasing opportunities. I just prefer the tricycle type.
 
Thanks for all the replies and info ! It sure sounds like I have selected the correct Avenue for my quest. As well as it seems the RV community is good to become a part of.
 
I do believe you are right.

I only have one hour in a tail wheel, I just have never liked tail wheels. I guess I should get my endorsement so I could broaden my horizons, and it would open up more purchasing opportunities. I just prefer the tricycle type.

Your insurance company might tell you that there are two kinds of tail-wheel pilots...:)
 
The 9/A was designed specifically for you :).

There are lots of variations in how people build them, but if you build to specs, they get Van's advertised numbers, or better. The 9 will give you slightly better efficiency up high (cue the -7 owners who swear that's not true), as well as better glide and lower stall speed, both of which come in handy if the worst happens and the engine goes quiet. You also get a slightly more stable platform for IFR, should you wish to equip that way. A -7 still makes a great XC plane, but if that's your main mission, why not go for the model that was specifically designed for it? The 9 is what Van himself chooses for long XC.

Chris

Agreed go for the 9 unless you want to do acrobatics or you have a need for slightly greater speed. I have built and flown both and the 9 was a better fit. With that wing is is much more comfortable going slow or going high and it can get you into short fields better.
 
I see you're in Culpeper....

I'd be happy to give you a ride sometime in my -9A (I'm at W96 near Richmond).

The -9A is probably slightly better tuned to your mission, but I predict you'd be happy as a clam with a good -7A as well. If you find the "right" aircraft in either model I would jump on it.

Vans published numbers for the -9A are shockingly accurate in my (admittedly limited) experience. Much better than Piper's claimed 127kt top speed for my old 1979 Warrior. Maybe with JATO bottles.... :)

I am just starting my quest for a RV, I'm expecting to be buying one in about a year or so. Of course I want to at least see and sit in one of each model ( 9 and 7 ) before I get too far along...just to make sure this is the route I want to take.

I feel like the best model for me, all things considered, would be the 7a or 9a. I have read the differences on Van's website and understand them, but as we all know experience is better than print. I have met one guy with a 9a ( haven't seen his plane yet ) that loves his plane but does state that climb rates and such are not as advertised.

Can anyone give me any insight as to which of these two models would be better ? Has anyone on here owned or flown both models extensively ? I'm not really interested in performing aerobatics, my flying would be more going places for fun or vacations. Which both models are fast and low fuel consumption compared to say a Cessna 182, so I really can't at this point make a real decision.

Thank you
 
get rides...

Fly in as many RVs as you can while you are shopping. If you can find a CFI who owns an RV fly with them, log the time. Keep track of every flight and the time you spend.

Don't be shy of tail wheel RVs, the A models are largely flown the same as a tail wheel anyway.

Get rides in conventional gear, A models, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14s. All RV time is good for preparing for ownership. The statement earlier that your mission may "evolve" after you own an RV for a while is true, though you can control that "mission drift" a little if you get a bunch of rides.

I'd wager that if you're considering a 9A that unless budget is a concern you'd really like a 10.

Hear me out...

For a cross country bird that lands easily, has plenty of room for bringing bags, dogs, etc. the 10 can hardly be beat. Landing and stall speeds of the 10 are almost exactly the same as my RV-7...it's pretty amazing. Furthermore, the IO-540 is a very common and reliable engine. If you lose a cylinder on a six cylinder engine you can limp to a safe place to land. Lose a cylinder on a four cylinder, you're landing somewhere close by.

That all being said: budget was a factor for me and still I wanted a tail dragger, so I fly an RV-7 200hp equipped bird. Thinking about building a 10 though, the more I fly them.
 
Last edited:
Ride in everything.

Collect data on useful load / range / speed so you have realistic expectations for what ever mission you decide on.

Start learning about different equipment / engines / avionics so you will know you have the "right plane for you" when the time comes.

Get on a hanger list

Continue to network to find good folks to help with Prebuy and Condition Inspections.

Decide if you want to build or buy. Used market with quality used RVs is all over the map.

Did I mention Prebuy? These are EAB aircraft after all.

I love RVs but I know of 2 owners who bought airplanes that had all kinds of mx issues they were surprised with during the first year.
 
Got to fly with Steve today. Wow ! I really like his plane.

Definitely different than what I’m used to in a lot of ways. It’s fun as well as fast. I can’t thank him enough.
 
Yes ! Already on the list. Want the hangar first for sure.

At my home base, a hangar rental agreement requires that you actually have an airplane registered to you and insured. Can’t have a hangar until you have an airplane. Seems a little difficult for new aircraft owners. Hopefully other airports have a little more enlightened policy.
 
Got to fly with Steve today. Wow ! I really like his plane.

Definitely different than what I’m used to in a lot of ways. It’s fun as well as fast. I can’t thank him enough.

Glad to hear you liked the ride Jeff. Now offer Steve enough roubles and the dream airplane is yours. Steve indicated he was ready to sell :D

Blueberry%20run%20-%201.jpg
 
Back
Top