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  #21  
Old 02-21-2017, 05:50 AM
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rleffler rleffler is offline
 
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I'm a bit biased, as I have a RV-10.

I can't tell you how many people with 2 seaters that I've talked to, wished that they had 4.

I can tell you that I seldom file with four people on board. I do however fly with three people, a dog, and plenty of luggage. I've also do two people and two dogs.

With a good electronic ignition and flying LOP, you can get the flow fuel pretty reasonable. I can get the same fuel flow that I used to get on my Cherokee 180 in my RV-10 while going 40kts faster.

Quote:
Originally Posted by YellowJacket RV9 View Post
BUT, I was able to build a 9A for probably 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of what a -10 would cost me, not to mention higher operating costs. Chris
I don't think your understanding is accurate. 70-90% is more accurate. It really depends on the engine and panel choices.
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  #22  
Old 02-21-2017, 07:07 AM
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Mach.26 Mach.26 is offline
 
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1.) After unwrapping the fuselage kit and looking at the associated hardware bag I instantly regretted not going with a quick-build fuselage! The wing kit parts count was smaller and consisted of a lot of same/similar parts and repetitive work so I think slow build was right choice on that for me. It sure would have been a morale boost though to throw a pillow in the quick-build fuselage and start making airplanes noises on day 1 !

2.) Even with a family of 4 + dogs I do not regret not getting the 10. Small airplane travel is just not practical even in a 10 there is no way we are fitting all our stuff and our German Shepherd and going on a family trip all while at the mercy of weather! That is what a minivan is for! lol The RV is just a TOY. Plus like a previous poster alluded to, it typically results in a lot more engaging experience in a two seater than it would be for RV-10 passengers sitting in the back.

3.) The notion that you should always do a quick build or just buy a flying plane if you have a fmaily is not necessarily the best advice. I have not sacrificed much family time at all, I simply replaced prior non productive time (gaming, netflix, staring at a computer screen) with a daily commitment to spend a hour or two in the shop, typically when kids are sleeping anyways. So instead of using a entire day or weekend to build, try breaking it up and spend much smaller amounts of time every day(or close to it) doing "something". Building a prepunched RV in my opinion only requires two thing strong desire and some money. If you have these, the rest will follow...
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  #23  
Old 02-21-2017, 07:34 AM
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Auburntsts Auburntsts is offline
 
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Well you need to take a look at your mission and budget and decide first, is a 4-place what you really need and what you can afford--be brutally honest with yourself and try an take as much emotion out of the analysis as you can.

Once you've done that you've got a number options: build, buy a flying E-AB, or buy a used standard certified aircraft.

Building is time intensive, a serious commitment on your and your family's part, and is not necessarily cheap especially in the 4-place market. Building is only less expensive when comparing new E-AB aircraft vs. new factory built. Otherwise if you stick to comparing performance, a nice used standard certificated aircraft with updated avionics can be significantly cheaper (acquisition cost) than a recently built E-AB aircraft. Operating costs for a typically 4-place standard certificated airplane in many cases is higher than E-AB, but there's a number of things as an owner you can do to lower that cost closer to the E-AB world.

Bottom line is if you really just want to fly, buy an already built airplane regardless of certification. If you want to build, build because you because you want to experience that process and think you'd enjoy the journey. Don't build as some shortcut means to an end.
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Last edited by Auburntsts : 02-21-2017 at 08:50 AM.
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  #24  
Old 02-21-2017, 08:48 AM
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rmartingt rmartingt is offline
 
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I go back and forth about not getting the quickbuild fuselage--progress really slowed down shortly after that kit arrived because we suddenly got a baby. I look at how little I've gotten done in a year and I really wish I'd gone QB so I could have moved on to wiring and other systems stuff (i.e. the fun part).

And then I look at the airplane savings account, and see the extra numbers in there, and I think "hey, but this way I can afford an engine now!"

And then I get depressed looking at how much more drill/dimple/deburr/prime there is left to do, and I wish I'd gone QB again...


If there were an aerobatic 2+2 out there with comparable performance (or a three-seat RV-14+ option) I'd have gone that way. I didn't want to give up aerobatic performance and handling for the extra payload since that would be most of my flying. Maybe in the future there will be an opportunity to buy into a partnership on a -10 or a Velocity or something, but I need to finsh the -7 first.
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  #25  
Old 02-21-2017, 09:03 AM
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Quote:
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... suddenly got a baby.
That is funny!
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  #26  
Old 02-21-2017, 09:06 AM
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rmartingt rmartingt is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mach.26 View Post
That is funny!
No, seriously. Got a phone call from our adoption agency on a Friday afternoon, dropped everything to drive to the hospital, and took him home the next day. Zero warning.
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  #27  
Old 02-21-2017, 10:57 AM
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Mach.26 Mach.26 is offline
 
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Wow, that makes sense now! That is fantastic though Congrats!
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  #28  
Old 02-21-2017, 11:10 AM
YellowJacket RV9 YellowJacket RV9 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rleffler View Post

I don't think your understanding is accurate. 70-90% is more accurate. It really depends on the engine and panel choices.
Might have been a bit of a stretch, but my 9A came in around ~$60k, where I doubt there have been many -10's built for under $100k, and most much more. In addition, the -10 has a bit different mission, and so I would most likely want to equip it for IFR, autopilot, etc (my choices though, I know).

For most people considering a 10, I doubt the cost is as big a factor as it was for me, and I hope to build one someday, too - but I do like to remind people that it certainly is possible to get into a great airplane for less than the cost of some new SUV's. But not really the point of this thread so I apologize.

Chris
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  #29  
Old 02-21-2017, 11:23 AM
Kyle Boatright Kyle Boatright is offline
 
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Regrets?? Not many.

Several of my mistakes have been buying stuff too early, and being stuck with pink elephants when technology (or my preferences) changed.
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  #30  
Old 02-21-2017, 11:36 AM
alpinelakespilot2000 alpinelakespilot2000 is offline
 
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I chose the -9 just as the -10 was coming out. I had a wife and 2 little kids and really wanted to be able to take them all at the same time. Once I saw the price difference, which (if using Van's calculator today) for a -10 is approximately 1.8-2x that of a -9, my decision was easy. There's no way I could have justified spending $111-124K on a toy.

That said, a few things I learned:
1. The time to build is when the kids are in bed. It helps if they have 7:30 bedtimes! Didn't miss much time with them that way!
2. Necessary to have wife on board--make sure some of those evenings are for her too.
3. Four seats would be great, but there are very few times where we would have taken trips as a family anyway to be quite honest. The Wx is just too unpredictable, especially if you are VFR only, so unless everyone's schedule is very flexible, the extra seats wouldn't be as handy as their initial and operating cost would require. To each their own, though.
4. Having just one at a time, even though all 3 of my girls like to fly, makes for great "dates."
5. Driving cars that are, on average, 10 years old, makes a 2-seater RV really doable financially.
6. You have to REALLY want to build. If you do, you will find the time to build and have a family and will be able to slowly save up money along the way to be able to afford it. If you don't really want it, probably better to buy something that flies right away.
7. To keep the budget, both $ and time, in check, you may need to quit flying for a few years. Then get current again as you get closer to completion. Just a sacrifice you may have to make. I made it and can definitely say it was worth it.

Just my experience(s). Good luck.
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Last edited by alpinelakespilot2000 : 02-21-2017 at 11:39 AM.
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