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  #1  
Old 12-05-2018, 07:09 AM
joe1968 joe1968 is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Niagara falls, ny
Posts: 109
Default RV7 or RV8 ?

looking to start a build , the wife is ok with either model looking for some advice from people have one , which would you choose the RV7 or RV8 and tell me what would attract you to either.

thanks
joe
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  #2  
Old 12-05-2018, 07:16 AM
74-07 74-07 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 474
Default Choice

I?ve owned both. RV8 is a wonderful airplane for single pilot ops. Grandkids in back were not ideal as you just couldn?t see them. RV8 gets a little twitchy with significant weight in rear. Coolness factor is a 10+. RV7 is just as fast, same acro capability and lets you be directly connected to your passengers. Either way, you won?t go wrong.
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  #3  
Old 12-05-2018, 07:20 AM
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Carl Froehlich Carl Froehlich is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dogwood Airpark (VA42)
Posts: 2,596
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Regardless of what your wife says now, she will most likely grow tired of looking at the back of your head.

So what I tell people:
- If you fly mostly by yourself and only occasionally have the wife (or any passenger) with you, RV-8. It is a blast.
- If not, RV-7.
- But what your wife really wants is an RV-10. Every wife I know who has seen an RV-10 poked their husband on ?why did you not build this one??. It is the premier cross country plane. You will forever be a hero with her.

Carl
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  #4  
Old 12-05-2018, 08:03 AM
rv7charlie rv7charlie is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pocahontas MS
Posts: 3,884
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I'm currently flying my 2nd (purchased) -4. I've owned a Luscombe 8A, T-18, BD-4, & a Swift. I'm building a -7. I enjoy giving rides, especially to folks who've never experienced a small plane. For me, there's no comparison between flying 'solo with a passenger' and sharing a flight in a side-by-side plane. It's very difficult to monitor a novice backseater's condition, and if you let them take the stick, they have a harder time with visual perspective and with seeing the instruments. I absolutely love the handling of my -4 (which is better than an -8, for pure yank&bank fun), and I'll miss it when the -7 flies. But the shared experience tips the scale toward SBS for me.

Another significant plus for me is the baggage capacity & ease of CG management for extended travel with SBS.

But you need to decide what's most important to you, & make your choice based on that. That's why both styles are available. :-)

Charlie
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  #5  
Old 12-05-2018, 08:41 AM
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kbalch kbalch is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Clermont, FL
Posts: 565
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As always, decide on the mission first.

As others have said, if mostly flying by oneself, the -8 is the best choice. If often flying with a passenger, the -7 (actually, the -14) is better suited. A tandem aircraft is a pilot's airplane, first and last. It'll make passengers feel uninvolved with the flight and the pilot. A side-by-side arrangement is just the opposite; it's ideal for sharing the experience.

I loved my -8, but my wife never did. Although, from the pilot's perspective, there's no substitute for centerline seating, I'm building a -14A now in the hope that she'll feel more involved and less like ballast.
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  #6  
Old 12-05-2018, 08:51 AM
sjhurlbut sjhurlbut is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 834
Default My 2 cents

I've built both so can give you a few other data points.

Yeah side by side better for wife and kids - check RV7

If you ever want to train in the aircraft RV7 is a lot better. Yeah you can put dual rudders in RV8 but the vans installation I think is an after thought and looks cheap. Dual throttle also possible but its not an insignificant amount of work. Visibility from back seat on takeoff and landing is warbird like. Unless you already have extensive experience you don't really want to learn sitting in back seat of RV8.

Way better looking I think especially with fastback - check RV8

A few data points on the builder side. From my experience the RV7 is easier to build. The RV8 obviously a lot narrower and working in aft fuselage is difficult if you're any where north of 185 lbs. Also the landing gear installation is more involved and you can really pooch it if you're not careful. Rv7 landing gear is a single bolt into engine mount. However the look (especially aero shapped gear) of the Rv8 is much nicer I think (and no gear legs fairings). The gear towers are a pain in the RV8. Its a narrow area that is hard to access - most guys modify this area. Running wires, fuel lines, control cables is harder in the 8 compared to the 7. In the RV8 you can basically only go down the left side of the aircraft forward of the pilot seat. This is due to the baggage area on the right side. I have seen guys run wires etc through the baggage area but I wouldn't recommend this.

So why did I pick the Rv8 after having several RV7s - speed and looks.

I'm a fighter guy and RV8 is closest you can get with a prop. Nothing bad to say about RV6/7.
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  #7  
Old 12-05-2018, 08:51 AM
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ChuckGant ChuckGant is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Collierville, TN (M41)
Posts: 120
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Exactly what the previous posters said. Performance is about the same. The -8 looks a little cooler because it's more like an old fighter plane, but the -7 is definitely much more social.

When we were shopping for ours, we would have bought either, but found the RV7 first, and I'm glad we did. I really like giving rides and instructing in the RV7. We have dual controls and displays and you are just much more connected to your passenger. I think your wife will be much happier sitting next to you instead of looking at the back of your head.

Now your question is... Tip-up or Slider

I originally wanted a slider, but I LOVE my tip-up. Visibility is great on both, but I love the unobstructed view of the tip-up bubble, and I love how easy it is to get to the avionics behind the panel of the tip-up.
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Last edited by ChuckGant : 12-05-2018 at 08:57 AM.
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  #8  
Old 12-05-2018, 08:52 AM
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Mark33 Mark33 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 753
Default I vote for the -7

I know everyone has their own personal bias on this subject and I'm no different, but here's my take on it. First and foremost, you can't go wrong with either one. I personally like the side by side seating. I currently fly a -4 and I'm building my second -7. I've never owned an -8 so I can only speak from a -4 perspective. Even though I love my -4 and flying it is the most fun you can have with your pants on and it's like flying my own personal little fighter plane, you just can't beat the convenience of a side by side. Even when you're flying by yourself, just having all that extra room to spread out and to have that extra seat next to you to put stuff on is such a huge benefit to me. I also think it's a much more fun experience for the passenger to be able to sit next to the pilot. I love taking people flying that's never flown in a small airplane and having the ability to let them have some sticks time with me being right next to them to teach and supervise them is always fun for both me and my passenger. Also, having the baggage compartment right behind me and easily accessible in flight is also a huge benefit. I know this subject is a never ending debate but my vote is for the side by side -7.

Mark
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  #9  
Old 12-05-2018, 09:11 AM
YvesCH YvesCH is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Posts: 203
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When I decided to build my 8 I was 27 years old and solo. Of course the decision was more than easy => speed and coolness factor. Now I have a great girlfriend (and hopefully future wife). Maybe my decision would be different now. But currently I fly a 7ECA Champ and she never flew next to me so luckily she is not used to SBS
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  #10  
Old 12-05-2018, 09:46 AM
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Mach.26 Mach.26 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Ozark, AL
Posts: 62
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I will say that after having rides in the both the RV-8 and the RV-7 and yes even being in the back seat my smile was wider when I rode in the 8. There is nothing as cool as taxiing to the runway with the canopy back on a warm day oh and not rubbing shoulders with someone all flight! If you want to do that go rent a spam can! Otherwise enjoy your mini P-51 !

Oh and a tip, if you want to stay "connected" to your passengers in the back of the 8 just put a little mirror up on the roll bar and you can make sweet eye contact all day while she rubs your shoulders haha
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