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  #31  
Old 01-06-2014, 03:02 PM
diamond diamond is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Rochester, MN
Posts: 710
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grayforge View Post
LMAO!

Will I need any for my 7A? It'll be a slider. :-)
They make a spray for the XA slider RVs, but the product for taildraggers is a lotion to be applied liberally.
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  #32  
Old 01-06-2014, 07:28 PM
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rmartingt rmartingt is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Savannah, GA
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I'm going with a taildragger on my -7 because it's what I'm used to from flying a -6 for 11 years. In fact, I'm so used to it now that on the rare occasions I fly a nosewheel plane (i.e., for BFRs) I butcher the landings
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  #33  
Old 01-06-2014, 07:45 PM
pilot28906 pilot28906 is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Murphy, NC
Posts: 535
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I did a 180; was dead set on a A model but am now building the TW; no TW endorsement.

Reasons: I could not get over the percieved problem with the nose gear, TW seems simpler to me, and the only ride in a 7 was an A model and the main leg weldment in the cockpit realy bothered my leg.

I think learning something new with the TW will be fun.
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  #34  
Old 01-07-2014, 07:10 AM
David-aviator David-aviator is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Chesterfield, Missouri
Posts: 4,514
Default Tail wheel vrs trike - same old discussion

With regard to tail wheel vrs trike, if there are regrets they are not transferable. The choice is a personal one and so is the satisfaction level. If an individual is not happy with a decision on this subject it does not spread like a cold virus, it is local and personal.

Do what you are inclined to do and if the outcome is no good, do something different. Do not make the decision based on another person's feeling on the subject, follow your own path.

The aviation world knows the tricycle configuration is safer than the conventional version. That's why things changed after WWII, its ancient history. But the appearance and challenge of flying with a tail wheel is embedded in many pilots, so they go for it and do quite well.

Life is boring without a challenge.
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  #35  
Old 01-07-2014, 03:34 PM
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SkyFlorida SkyFlorida is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 74
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Another TW switcher. Though I'm still on the empennage, I had every intention of building a 7A. But the coolness factor (for me) of a TW just became too much to resist.

Now if I can learn to fly the darn thing...
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  #36  
Old 01-07-2014, 05:33 PM
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N9331v N9331v is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hampshire, IL
Posts: 276
Default Same boat

I'm building the 7 TW slider. The only tail wheel aircraft I've been in is a DC3 as a passenger and that alone was very cool. I have always been facinated by all TW aircraft.
I only have around 1500TT most in my Mooney. Sometimes as I'm building I think I shouldn't be building a TW. I know if I don't follow through I'd always feel some regret. If by some fluke I don't like it I'd just build the 14A and I don't think that's going to happen.

Maybe if I'm luck some day soon I will catch a ride in a tw RV 6-7.
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  #37  
Old 01-07-2014, 06:52 PM
jongurley jongurley is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 94
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Well I'll jump in on this discussion. Im 32 years old I have only 250ish total time, but 100 in my decathlon and 50 in a Taylorcraft and rest in Misc Cessnas. But as I was buying my decathlon and etc. all the guys at the airport said you'll love taildraggers and never go back "just something about them". Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the Decathlon as far as aerobatics and cutting up, but as far as the "taildragger" part I didn't care either or, it wasn't hard or anything, I actually found it easy to land in all wind conditions, just didn't understand all the hype about taildraggers. I have flown tri gears, fairchilds etc and landing and taking off is landing and taking off, I don't care which one it is. I know this is a simplistic look at the ideals, but me and my cfi and partner(who built a immaculate rv7 a couple years back) are 90% done with our RV7A, we both wanted to try a nose gear and our thinking was simply for bad/ifr landings and flying. We are putting all the glass panels and g430w etc and our thinking was its alittle less to worry about in IFR winds etc. Could we land RV7 in those conditions of course, but just wanting to try both flavors nose vs. tail. and see which one is better. And me personally i think the 7a looks just as good as the 7. And just a side not, I think 99.9% of all 7A nose overs are pilot error. jmho

Last edited by jongurley : 01-07-2014 at 06:56 PM.
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  #38  
Old 01-07-2014, 08:43 PM
Stalldog Stalldog is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Kansas
Posts: 332
Default I've Got A Plan

A lot of good comments here and reasons for/against both nose gear and tail wheel. As someone has said, it's an individual preference and I just have to find out for myself, so I've found someone locally who can provide a TW endorsement (once the weather improves -- I don't need to freeze my butt to the seat in -10F temperatures)! I figure getting my endorsement will only help me be a better pilot plus give me a better idea if a TW plane is for me.

My current CFI thinks I'm crazy to drop the nose gear. He has a TW endorsement but doesn't care to fly that way other than improving piloting skills. He makes it sound pretty intense, but I might as well find out for myself, I might love it, who knows. One concern my CFI brought up is my age, early 60's, so getting in the TW 7 might be more difficult in the years to come. Something to think about.

Thanks again for all the good input.
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Lenexa, KS

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  #39  
Old 01-07-2014, 09:08 PM
alpinelakespilot2000 alpinelakespilot2000 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,646
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I have no thoughts about which is "better." Having said that, I too was very undecided just as I was about to order the fuselage kit. I had no experience at all with a tailwheel but kind of wanted to learn. Coincidentally, that was the summer of 2005 and a large number of -A models happened to flip that year. Whether justified or not, that helped me finalize my decision in favor of the tailwheel. All that aside, I found that learning to fly a tailwheel RV to be, by and large, a piece of cake. It has been way easier than the Stinson I got a tailwheel endorsement in and it has NEVER, EVER gotten squirrel-ly on me or made me think the tail wanted to swap ends. (Knock on wood.) Now I really enjoy it, especially being able to land different ways (2-pt vs. 3-pt) just because I have the option.

FWIW, just this past weekend I landed with a 70-80 degree crosswind at 15 gusting to 22 no problem. I was fully prepared to do a go around because I've not yet faced those kinds of winds, but it turned out to be very much a non event.

Good luck with your decision. You won't go wrong either way though.
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  #40  
Old 01-07-2014, 09:21 PM
luddite42 luddite42 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 454
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jongurley View Post
Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the Decathlon as far as aerobatics and cutting up, but as far as the "taildragger" part I didn't care either or, it wasn't hard or anything, I actually found it easy to land in all wind conditions, just didn't understand all the hype about taildraggers.
A Decathlon doesn't really qualify as a taildragger.
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