1,000! RV9's! 1,000!

It was nearly 6 years ago that I wrote into VAF to recognize the launching of the 500th RV9. I was surprised to find that my post titled "Whoda Thunk" is still in the archives - thanks , Doug.
What a great airplane. It's carried me on long trips as well as many 15 minute "therapy" flights. It's allowed us to follow our children and grandchildren as they've moved from base to base and have risen from Private to Captain, from Ensign to Lt. Commander, and from Lieutenant to Major. We've used 3TP to visit friends and relatives, to return every year to the shores of Lake Superior, and to spend time with our best friends.
I can't count how many weekend breakfast "meetings" I've attended with the gang from KPTK. Headed out this morning for another session. Might be 4 there or 14. Doesn't matter. Always the best way to start the weekend.
On many weekend evenings, we end up having dinner out with the Gauthiers (RV6) and Pohl's (RV7A). So much of our lives now are intertwined with this fantastic little airplane.
As I start my 45th year of flying, I'm setting a few simple goals for myself. I want to fly a 9 tail dragger. I want to meet the mad Cossack (Vlad) who writes so many great posts on these forums. Want to have him at the controls for a trip up the East River. I want to do more dinner flights with our friends. Most importantly, N323TP will need to make many flights to Camp Lejeune and wherever else we need to travel. Skype is great, but it can't beat being there. It'd be awful tough without a great traveling machine at our disposal.
So much has changed in our lives since I decided to build an airplane. All good.
Whoda thunk.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP

Breakdown of the -9/-9a

I wonder what the percentage is of those 1000 (tailwheel vs tri-gear)?
I imagine the -9 is the smallest group out there besides the -14.
Cj

Terry, next time I head up to IKW to visit Mom I'll drop in and let you try out a -9.

As for the 9 to 9A ratio, I think the tailwheel version will get lost in the rounding. That is unfortunate as the 9 tail dragger is really a great airplane and probably the easiest tail dragger I have ever flown, and I have flown a lot of different tail draggers.

I let one of the Team Aerodynamics guys fly the -9 a few weeks ago and he commented that he didn't understand why anyone would want the -9 because it wasn't aerobatic but that after flying it, he understood; super slow landing speeds, good cruise speeds, and it still flies like an RV, although a little slower on the controls.

Thanks Bill- I'll look forward to it.

Maybe we'll run into you on one of our trips South. Lejeune will be one of our primary destinations for the next three years.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Terry

If memory serves me... my 9A was around number 834 to be completed. Now, 2.5 years later, I have over 300 hours flying all over the West, and a couple long trips from Southern California to Oshkosh. It's been a wonderful machine, can't say enough great things about RV's and my 9A.

I fly as much as possible and can't wait for my next adventure. I should probably plan a GoPro flight soon. It's been awhile since I posted a new video. Always fun to let people FLY ALONG as I cruise in the RV9A.

I Confess

Can't stand it anymore since this post was started.
My RV9A, with Don Broussard (aka Cajunwings) as pilot, flew for the first time
Thursday morning for a short 30 minute flight. We had a tight window.
It flew Great with no real squawks except for one prop surge on take off.
Robert Viator and I chased in Robert's RV6A, the plane I did my 6.5 hours
of transition training.
Later that evening I sent a first flight report to Vans and shortly after
received an email from Ken Scott, tech dept, telling me mine was the
1000th RV9 series first flight report. That just added to the hype of the day
and I greatly honored to be the one.
Ken said it should be on the Vans site sometime Monday.

Here is a picture of N325MB over the mighty Mississippi.



Here is a picture of Don and I after the cowl off post flight inspection.
Don on the left, me on the right.


If weather permits, my turn this week.

The number of flying RV9s nearly doubled since I got mine airborne over 4 years ago. It's a wonderful machine indeed. She transported me to any place I wanted to go in 49 states. She helped me to make a lot friends in US and around the globe. Once I was questioned by a hot rodder on the purpose of RV9 he couldn't understand why Van designed it. I am sure he is changing his mind now. RV9 in an aerobatic competition - MarkW... Formation flying - look at 22C of Scoot and Cookie, Ted and others... read recent review of a combat pilot (Smokey) about the experience of flying "the ugly duckling". RV9s are multiplying in great numbers and rightfully so. TW or nose, primed or not it doesn't matter much on big scale.

Terry I am flattered. Well before I started flying my RV I was picking your CFI knowledge how to do it right with RV9A. When you dropped out of sight due to medical reason I was very upset. Glad you are back!

325MB - good job on being in lucky number!

Peter I was wondering why you were not posting your great educational videos. Get back in the saddle and give us some entertainment!


RV9s rock!

A friend of mine in California, Bruce Peters, made his first flight in his 9A on Saturday. #999?

PS: Terry, now that we're more or less settled in Brighton, I need to get over to Pontiac for breakfast again!

longranger said:

A friend of mine in California, Bruce Peters, made his first flight in his 9A on Saturday. #999?

PS: Terry, now that we're more or less settled in Brighton, I need to get over to Pontiac for breakfast again!

Click to expand...

I'm guessing I was #1001 Miles...unless someone else flew on Friday...missed it by that much!...