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  #11  
Old 08-06-2013, 07:57 PM
diamond diamond is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Rochester, MN
Posts: 710
Default

For what it's worth, I had some time to kill at Osh last week so I looked at all the RVs in the field behind the Vans tent. I tallied a count of trikes vs tailwheels for all the RVs and came up with about 60% being taildraggers. I'm not sure if that number is representative of the entire fleet of RVs, but that was the snapshot on that particular day behind the Vans tent.
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  #12  
Old 08-06-2013, 09:28 PM
don.olandese don.olandese is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 193
Default build what you want...

...and you will learn to fly it well, whatever it is. the 9a lands effortlessly, the 9 easily for a taildragger. both require that you slow them down to land them. the 9 looks much cooler than the 9a, if that matters to you.
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  #13  
Old 08-06-2013, 10:06 PM
Rupester Rupester is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mahomet, Illinois
Posts: 2,195
Default I am constantly amazed ...

..by how easy my 9A is to land. It nearly ignores crosswinds and flares beautifully. For comparison purposes, it lands far easier than a C172, and they have a pretty docile reputation.
Like Bill says, whether a 9 or a 9A, it will float a long ways if you don't scrub the kts off prior to short final. As a retired commercial pilot/buddy says, "Fixed pitch RVs are a bit like jets. You can scrub off speed or you can scrub off altitude; but you can't do both." Once you point it downhill, it picks up airspeed way fast.
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  #14  
Old 08-07-2013, 06:41 AM
JDRhodes JDRhodes is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Taylorsville, GA
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EASY EASY EASY taildragger. And oh so pretty.

But, remember, people foul up landings and wreck Cessna 172's. Get a little instruction and you'll be fine.

Manage thy airspeed, lest the earth come up to smite thee
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  #15  
Old 08-07-2013, 09:22 AM
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ArVeeNiner ArVeeNiner is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 1,125
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I too am amazed how easy my 9A is to land. I just roll it on. I tell people it's not me, it's the plane.

Even though most of my time is in taildraggers, I went with the 9A because of the possibility of lower insurance costs (mine is pretty reasonable) and the fact that I will probably grow old(er) with this plane so I wanted it very easy. That's not to say that the taildragger is hard. I've only had a single flight in an RV taildragger so I don't know but it sounds pretty docile.

I also remembered way back when I rented 172s I got very good at very smooth landings. I couldn't always do that in my Aeronca Sedan. But, this RV, oh man...EASY. It's very consistently smooooth! I also like the visibility of a NW...not that the TW version is really bad but with the NW, you have a front row seat.

As far as looks, I can honestly say that I like them both. Yes, the TW looks way cool sitting on the ground but I love how tall the tail is with the NW. Of course, my 9A is the most beautiful in the world because it's mine and I built it!!

Here are some things to think about:

-The TW actually has steering on the ground, the NW does not. If you lose one of your brakes in the TW, you can still steer. However, this is a very rare occurance but something that I didn't really think about. I remember once in the Aeronca one of my brakes got spongy but I felt comfortable flying home to fix it because it too had a steerable TW. I probably would think twice before doing that in my 9A. I do have to say that the large rudder ends up being effective at steering at a pretty low taxi speed.

-There have been incidences of the A models nosing over. I think with the Anti-Splat device, improved NW design, and good technique, this has been pretty much overcome. Still, I'm a bit apprehensive about landing on anything but a hard surfaced runway but A models do it all the time and in fact, I did my transition training with Mike Segar off a grass strip in a 6A. Now, an emergency off field landing might get exciting in an A model.

Either one will be a good choice. Build the plane you want and don't look back. You'll be happy with either one.
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RV-9A

Pink slip issued: 5/7/12

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  #16  
Old 08-07-2013, 09:52 AM
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Vlad Vlad is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Utah
Posts: 8,151
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArVeeNiner View Post
I too am amazed how easy my 9A is to land. I just roll it on. I tell people it's not me, it's the plane.


9A doesn't need a pilot. You just ask her nicely and she does what you want.

Wear out first engine and convert if you wish. Great idea Scott!
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Не имей сто рублей, а имей сто друзей.
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