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  #31  
Old 06-03-2010, 07:26 PM
WingsOnWheels WingsOnWheels is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Plano, TX
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Maybe it is sign that the first draft of my paint design I used a -6 (all I had at the time) and it is still my favorite layout...

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Colin P.
RV-6A #20603
Complete 5/10/19
PP SEL / A&P
I donate every year on my B-Day (in Dec), but donated early in Sep'19.
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  #32  
Old 06-03-2010, 07:56 PM
Kyle Boatright Kyle Boatright is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jsharkey View Post
My RV-6 is more stable on landing than the PA-12 and Champ that I learned tail wheel on. Perhaps it is because the shorter wings and fuselage give it a lower polar moment of inertia. I haven't had that feeling of trying to control a big flywheel or weathervane - yet!

Jim Sharkey
RV-6
The RV has a much lower center of gravity and a much lower profile in addition to being smaller (and denser) to start with. With a Champ, for instance, you've got a 36' wing 6' up in the air and its attached to a 1220 (?) pound airplane. Once the wind catches all that surface area way up high or once you get it going sideways a little, it gets really tippy. Once you get the wheels on the ground, the RV's like a go-cart in comparison.
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Marietta, GA
2001 RV-6 N46KB
2019(?) RV-10
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  #33  
Old 06-03-2010, 08:36 PM
N131RV N131RV is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Elmendorf,TX
Posts: 358
Default Not much difference at all

Quote:
Originally Posted by WingsOnWheels View Post

I do wonder how insurance rates differ for the 6 with a pilot that has little TW time compared to the 'A'.
I started out with a nose wheel, did the flip, rebuilt as a TD. My rate went up a bit, but mostly due to the higher valuation and the accident.

NationAir did require that I get 4 hours dual in a tail wheel RV. I had about a hundred hours TW time in other aircraft.

I was a bit nervous about flying a high performance TW, but it turned out to be unfounded. I have flown a Chief, Champ, Taylor-craft, Murphy Rebel and the RV6 and RV7. The RV's are simple to land and handle, even in "nasty" crosswinds. I would even describe my 7 as "docile".

Just work up to it. Get trained and practice. The insurance people will probably request dual instruction for either configuration, so go with what will feel best for you.

FWIW, I fly off of grass every day, I would never (again) take a nose wheel RV into either of my strips.

YMMV
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Hangared since 11/23/2011, working on getting airborne again!
Joe Portman
N131RV - RV-7A, IO360A1B6, CS
Rebuilt as TD
Added dual MGL EFIS.
Airborne again at last! 2/21/2009

Elmendorf, TX (28TE)

baron (AT) baron (dot) com
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  #34  
Old 06-03-2010, 08:52 PM
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DakotaHawk DakotaHawk is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Arlington, WA
Posts: 799
Default Still not too late...

As long as you're reconsidering the position of the third wheel, maybe you should be thinking about tip-up vs slider too...

(wearing nomex - don't bother with the flamethrowers!)
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Scott "Grumpy" Stewart
RV-7 N957RV (First Flight on Dec 18, 2009)
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Arlington, WA
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  #35  
Old 06-03-2010, 08:55 PM
WingsOnWheels WingsOnWheels is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Plano, TX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DakotaHawk View Post
As long as you're reconsidering the position of the third wheel, maybe you should be thinking about tip-up vs slider too...

(wearing nomex - don't bother with the flamethrowers!)
Mel already tried to talk me into that one....I'm not having any second thoughts about my decision to go slider.
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RV-6A #20603
Complete 5/10/19
PP SEL / A&P
I donate every year on my B-Day (in Dec), but donated early in Sep'19.
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  #36  
Old 06-03-2010, 08:59 PM
WingsOnWheels WingsOnWheels is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Plano, TX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by N131RV View Post
I started out with a nose wheel, did the flip, rebuilt as a TD. My rate went up a bit, but mostly due to the higher valuation and the accident.

NationAir did require that I get 4 hours dual in a tail wheel RV. I had about a hundred hours TW time in other aircraft.

I was a bit nervous about flying a high performance TW, but it turned out to be unfounded. I have flown a Chief, Champ, Taylor-craft, Murphy Rebel and the RV6 and RV7. The RV's are simple to land and handle, even in "nasty" crosswinds. I would even describe my 7 as "docile".

Just work up to it. Get trained and practice. The insurance people will probably request dual instruction for either configuration, so go with what will feel best for you.

FWIW, I fly off of grass every day, I would never (again) take a nose wheel RV into either of my strips.

YMMV
Since you already had ~100 hours of TW time, that may have made a big difference with the insurance company. I probably won't have more than 15 hr TW when I fly thins thing for the first time (assuming I go -6), so they may hit me a bit harder.
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RV-6A #20603
Complete 5/10/19
PP SEL / A&P
I donate every year on my B-Day (in Dec), but donated early in Sep'19.
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  #37  
Old 06-04-2010, 09:07 AM
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Flybuddy2 Flybuddy2 is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 370
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If you go the 6 route, make sure you do it for the right reasons. Not because it's more macho and the plane looks cooler. I've got nearly a thousand hours of tailwheel time but prefer to own trigears. When you're sliding down final at some distant airport in a wicked crosswind after a long day of flying, the need for cool and macho goes right out the door.
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  #38  
Old 06-04-2010, 09:24 AM
WingsOnWheels WingsOnWheels is offline
 
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Location: Plano, TX
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I have been going back and forth on the issue for the last few days and still don't have a clear picture for myself. I am still a little concerned with dropping the tail while boarding, but I think I will go with my initial plan and continue with the 'A'. There are a multitude of good reasons to go either way. I have always found that when in doubt go with your first instinct, in this case I think that is the best option.

Thank you everyone for your input!
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RV-6A #20603
Complete 5/10/19
PP SEL / A&P
I donate every year on my B-Day (in Dec), but donated early in Sep'19.
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  #39  
Old 06-04-2010, 09:29 AM
recapen recapen is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Laurel, DE
Posts: 347
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I fly primarily from and to grass strips...I've put larger main tires in the main rims and put a bigger tire up front too.

No regrets,
Ralph Capen
RV6A Slider @ N06
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  #40  
Old 06-04-2010, 05:28 PM
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L.Adamson L.Adamson is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: KSLC
Posts: 4,021
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WingsOnWheels View Post
I have been going back and forth on the issue for the last few days and still don't have a clear picture for myself. I am still a little concerned with dropping the tail while boarding, but I think I will go with my initial plan and continue with the 'A'. There are a multitude of good reasons to go either way. I have always found that when in doubt go with your first instinct, in this case I think that is the best option.

Thank you everyone for your input!
Not a bad idea. It was my uncle who added a bit of final persuasion when I too, was on the fence about this for months. He spent his career in the U.S. Airforce beginning at the end of WWII. He said to go the nosewheel. He said that it solved many of the problems that Airforce pilots had encountered over the years.

Now, it does seem obvious that the tail wheel RV's appear to be easier to land and manage in cross winds than numerous other tail wheel models. Yet, I do know of two local aircraft, an RV6 & F1 that lost it on landing and did some major damage. And it's still obvious that tail wheel models do limit forward visibility. That has been proven in the recent past. The final blow to my thought pattern, was when the Pitt's S2B that I was taking aerobatic lessons in, hit a tractor that tows aircraft... head on. The tractor ran out of fuel on the ramp, and between the sun & limited visibility, they clobbered it.

Other than that, I want a real back country tail dragger. I'm a bit jealous of friends who fly these Cub, Cub clones, and Aviat Huskys........with over sized tires. Between Utah & Idaho, there is a lot of cool backcountry strips. I wish I could have two airplanes. When these Cubs go with us on our 150 mile Sunday brunch, they leave about an hour early. They are definately slower than an RV.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
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