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trying to decide if i want trike or TW need ride in tail wheel rv

erikpmort

erikpmort

Well Known Member
Hey guys,

i am very close to buying an rv, cash in hand, ready to go, but i still haven't ridden in a tailwheel rv and want to decide if its for me or not. i've ridden in two trike rv9s. i'm looking to buy a 6 / 6a but am searching for anyone in my area that can give me a ride in a tw RV. Gas, lunch, whatever it takes i'd be very in your debt.

Erik
 
In the air they will fly very much the same - what you really need is to see the differences on the ground. Ask somebody to show you a ground loop. :D
 
Haha, I just want to ride in one and experience the difference, I'm not lookin for opionions, I've read plenty on each. it will come down to finding the right one for the right price and I need to make sure I can keep the 6 on my list
 
Trike or TW...

Show me a ground loop and I'll show you a nose over. LOL. TW or trike really isn't about how it fly's, it's about what is your mission and risk level are you willing to accept and able to personally manage/mitigate, between the two types when it comes to ground and near the ground operation. The truth of the matter is, THAT is the core issue every pilot has to evaluate for themself.
 
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Unless someone will let you take-off and land a taildragger, which seems unlikely, get TD time from someone like Seager.
 
If you are a really average pilot, get a nose wheel. Otherwise, you will love a tailwheel ;)
 
I had a guy tell me he felt that his 6a nose wheel is flimsy, and if I was going to do any soft field landings at all that I should get a 6. Are there other 6a owners out there that feel the same ? The guy at the vans factory was so pro trike it was suprising, and his personal airplane was a 6. He said why complicate things, if you use the right technique with trike you can do the same things.... What do you all say about that ?
 
erikpmort said:
I had a guy tell me he felt that his 6a nose wheel is flimsy, and if I was going to do any soft field landings at all that I should get a 6. Are there other 6a owners out there that feel the same ? The guy at the vans factory was so pro trike it was suprising, and his personal airplane was a 6. He said why complicate things, if you use the right technique with trike you can do the same things.... What do you all say about that ?
Click to expand...

I've gone both ways wth my 7.
I wanted to build a TW, but went A model. I regretted it and just converted mine to a TW. I only had a few TW hours prior to the conversion.
You're correct in that Vans kept challenging my decision to convert it. They are pro A model to the point of anoyance.

I agree that the nose wheel is flimsy. Living in Utah, you might want to visit some of those great back country strips. IMHO, the TW would be preferred.

The TW is easier to get in to(no steps), to clean canopy & I like the looks.
 
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they're both great!

Unsolicited $0.02: You're very lucky if you've made it this far without becoming completely indoctrinated into one camp or the other! RV's are ALL wonderful airplanes (especially 6's!), and it seems to me you can roughly double your pool of candidate aircraft by looking at both types, and not worrying about it too much. Happy hunting!

Postscript: On second thought... taildraggers are more fun.

J/k... ok i'm not.

Ducking now!
 
Like most of us on here, I'm not at all biased. Completely neutral actually. Either plane will be a great to fly. The nose wheel can be flimsy, plenty of threads about that on here. As for the tail wheel planes, there are also plenty of threads about how much better they look than the training wheel planes. Of course it can't be overlooked that tail wheel pilots tend to be smarter and generally more admired by those with wheel barrow wheels grafted to the front. That is only natural really, since tail wheel pilots are certainly more skilled.

As I said, completely your choice. No pressure here. I don't even have an opinion actually. Buy what you like best and the plane will either occupy a very special place in your heart or you'll always wish it were a tailwheel. Either way really.
 
"trying to decide if i want trike or TW need ride in tail wheel rv"

That means, "I want a tailwheel and I am looking for an excuse to go that way." Just do it, man!:)

Tim
 
Really appreciate the responses. Some good laughs and some really good advice. I think I would enjoy the tail wheel, there are just a few short term drawbacks to it currently for me- I'm not endorsed, insurance is more, and I can't fly a tw rv home again because I'm not endorsed. Again short term obstacles.

The point of doubling my pool of options is Kind of the point- I can keep hunting till I find one I want, without eliminating half of the planes. There are a lot of 6 / 6as for sale which is great lots to choose from
 
Check the classifieds. Some really nice 6 and 6a's have gone through there. There is a 6 in there now for sale in Denver, owned by a G5 Galaxy, T38, NASA instructor super pilot.
 
Though I'm very happy I built a tailwheel, one thing I'll add is that worrying about the 6A and 7A are two different things. The 7A's gear legs are taller than the 6A's and thus so is its vertical center of gravity. As a consequence, I'd be less concerned about the nosewheel of a 6A than that of a 7A (or 9A). All that said, I wouldn't discourage anyone from any model, nosewheel or tailwheel. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
alpinelakespilot2000 said:
Though I'm very happy I built a tailwheel, one thing I'll add is that worrying about the 6A and 7A are two different things. The 7A's gear legs are taller than the 6A's and thus so is its vertical center of gravity. As a consequence, I'd be less concerned about the nosewheel of a 6A than that of a 7A (or 9A). All that said, I wouldn't discourage anyone from any model, nosewheel or tailwheel. Good luck with whatever you decide.
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IMO, since I managed to accomplish bending my 6A's nose leg............

I think they'll bend just as quickly as a 7 & 9's, but possibly not flip as easily.

It's also interesting how our mind changes thought patterns. Before the "bend", I thought that 6A's were more "stately" looking on the ground. The short wing 6's reminded me of a "squatting dog" from certain angles, instead of a sleek gray hound ready to sprint. Now all of the sudden, the tailwheels look better from any angle..
 
erikpmort said:
Really appreciate the responses. Some good laughs and some really good advice. I think I would enjoy the tail wheel, there are just a few short term drawbacks to it currently for me- I'm not endorsed, insurance is more, and I can't fly a tw rv home again because I'm not endorsed. Again short term obstacles.

The point of doubling my pool of options is Kind of the point- I can keep hunting till I find one I want, without eliminating half of the planes. There are a lot of 6 / 6as for sale which is great lots to choose from
Click to expand...

I was in your shoes 2 years ago. I decided to buy whichever came along that fit what I was looking for the best, regardless of which end the 3rd wheel was on. I had flown in a 6A so it wasn't a mystery how it would fly. I ended up with a 6, and that caused some issues, but the t/w training was fun, the instructor a character, and now I'm in the club.

I do want to mention that my instructor pointed out that the true price of joining the tail wheel crowd is "Eternal Vigilance." His favorite phrase on final was "Now pay attention!"

If you think you want a 6, get one. Moving forward in flying, and life really, is often about overcoming obstacles, both figurative and literal.
 
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The best looking RV is the one that you see when you open your hangar door!

I have most of my hours in TW but I built a NW. I love it. It is so easy to land and flies like a dream!

TW or NW, if you're buying an RV, you won't be disappointed.
 
It has nothing to do with the plane. Riding in a TW RV will not prove a thing.
It has everything to do with the pilot. Either you are a TW pilot or not.

So the real question is......do "YOU" want to be a TW pilot? If the answer is yes, go get some TW time. If not, shorten your list to nose wheel only.

Look around and you will see plenty of TW pilots that seem to be doing just fine
in all types of TW aircraft.


Sal Capra
N898SC
RV8
 
Mile High Relic said:
His favorite phrase on final was "Now pay attention!
Click to expand...

Love it! It is true in any plane!

My favorite instructor used to say at the end of every flight, "Once again skill and cunning has triumphed over fear and superstition".

FWIW, I am a TW guy.

Blah blah blah, nose over waka waka waka groundloop. Buy what you like. I like tailwheelers! Way more fun and not everyone can fly your plane!

;). CJ
 
If you ever plan on selling your plane, buy a NW. Many more customer options. I have had a TW that I flew for 800+ hours and now own a NGear that I have flown for 600+ hours. They fly the same and I find that I am much more relaxed on STRONG crosswind landings than in the taildragger. Both are great.
 
It's not an easy decision. My preference would be to have one of each in the hangar :p

I was in your shoes 2 weeks ago. I'm a 230hr pilot (90hrs tailwheel) who is now the proud owner of a sweet RV-6A. I've put 14hrs on it in the last 2 weeks including aerobatics and night flight, so I've had a sampling of what it offers.
For me, the deciding factor was mission. My wife and I plan on using it as a travel machine. We did our 1st day-trip to the beach last weekend and that was a very cool thing. Almost all of our destinations will be paved, and several hours away in possibly different and challenging weather conditions. Our 1st trip also confirmed that I made the right choice for me.. I landed at Savannah in a 7kt crosswind component and departed in the evening with a 15kt direct crosswind :eek: The nose wheel handled it fine. A tailwheel in those conditions would have been more 'entertaining'.
If your missions shows you're based out of a grass strip or plan on flying to many grass strips, I'd say that the tailwheel is preferred. I do plan on flying to the occasional grass strip, and the A has proven over many thousands of hours that it can do that just fine; however the tailwheel is the better tool.
I HAVE seen a Cessna 195 nose over on a grass strip. Any airplane going into a soft grass strip had better be paying attention.
Just taxiing my 6A with my arm hanging out of the sliding canopy with Excellent visibility over the nose and Very easy ground handling behavior has kept the RV grin on my face for 14days straight! I'm based at a field with 29 flying RVs, and many of them are tailwheel. I've received the 'training wheel' jabs. Nose or tail wheel, it feels like you've become a rock star landing a RV at any field.
You've left out the other major decision.. tip-up vs slider ;) For ME in the Georgia heat, the slider fit the bill.
Good luck on your search! I still can't believe there's a RV in my hangar!

Brian
 
L.Adamson said:
IMO, since I managed to accomplish bending my 6A's nose leg............

I think they'll bend just as quickly as a 7 & 9's, but possibly not flip as easily.

It's also interesting how our mind changes thought patterns. Before the "bend", I thought that 6A's were more "stately" looking on the ground. The short wing 6's reminded me of a "squatting dog" from certain angles, instead of a sleek gray hound ready to sprint. Now all of the sudden, the tailwheels look better from any angle..
Click to expand...

Except your forward visibility during ground maneuvers. And that's where you will hit something. Be sure to have "In Motion" coverage.......
 
The tailwheel could open up opportunities down the road. I'm looking at starting up in a T6 with a CAF chapter and then hopefully flying some P-51s, etc. I'm glad I have tailwheel experience and the RV is a very honest TW airplane. Like others have said...get the airplane you want and don't be overly intimidated with the TW.
 
erikpmort said:
Hey guys,

i am very close to buying an rv, cash in hand, ready to go, but i still haven't ridden in a tailwheel rv and want to decide if its for me or not. i've ridden in two trike rv9s. i'm looking to buy a 6 / 6a but am searching for anyone in my area that can give me a ride in a tw RV. Gas, lunch, whatever it takes i'd be very in your debt.

Erik
Click to expand...

Have you ever flown a tail dragger?

Seeing whether you like riding in one, vs whether you like flying one are two totally different things. With enough determination, just about any proficient pilot can learn to fly a tail bragger (some pick it up fast, some take a lot of time).
The question you really need an answer to is do you like flying one? Not everybody does (and some people have regretted their build/purchase decision, because of not confirming before hand.

Considering the amount of money you will invest, it makes good sense to go out and get a couple hours of tail wheel dual (doesn't need to be an RV) and see if you like actually flying one.
 
Yeah thus the point of my thread. I would like it to be in an rv. Like you said lots of money, might as well
 
ColoRv said:
Like most of us on here, I'm not at all biased. Completely neutral actually. Either plane will be a great to fly. The nose wheel can be flimsy, plenty of threads about that on here. As for the tail wheel planes, there are also plenty of threads about how much better they look than the training wheel planes. Of course it can't be overlooked that tail wheel pilots tend to be smarter and generally more admired by those with wheel barrow wheels grafted to the front. That is only natural really, since tail wheel pilots are certainly more skilled.

As I said, completely your choice. No pressure here. I don't even have an opinion actually. Buy what you like best and the plane will either occupy a very special place in your heart or you'll always wish it were a tail wheel. Either way really.
Click to expand...

That's the best description I've seen in a while. I have to add that to me every TW looks like it's trying to get off the ground just sitting there. They belong in the sky. The trainers look like my fathers Gold wing trike, just saying...
 
I own both.

I have an Air Tractor and my -10. With around 15,000 hours in taildraggers, mostly ag airplanes but also T-6, Stearmans, Cubs and various RV taildraggers, it's just a joy to not have to stretch my neck to see where I'm going on the ground.

Yesterday, at the Boshears Fly-in, it was really close quarters during ground operations while being led by two golfcarts near each leading edge wingtip. I was sooo happy to have super visibility that my -10 provides over doing the same thing in my Air Tractor..NEVER!

Air Tractors make my payday but the -10 makes my life fun:)

Best,
 
North American made the P-51 a taildragger for a reason. :D

i'll admit I'm biased.

bob burns
N82RB RV-4
 
Ride in tailwheel aircraft

Eric,

My wife and I will be travelling from Pagosa Springs CO (PSO) to Bend Oregon (BND) on Monday 29 October or Tuesday 30 October. We will be passing quite near, so we could stop at Logan for lunch, and to give you a ride. We would be arriving about 1030. Let me know if that would work for you. The only problem is that my aircraft is an RV8, so you would miss the side-by-side experience, but the visibility is great!
 
Man, i can't believe i missed a chance to fly in an rv 8! don't know how i missed that post.

Anyway i got a ride in an rv9 this morning, and wow it handled great! i am amazed every time i ride in one. This was the first TW though

The two things that stuck out to me is how straight it tracked and how gentle it handled- at least my percieved handling i didn't land or take off.

Also decided the cs prop is a big difference, the take off in the cs 160 vs fp was dramatic.

i have been in 3 different 9s now, i need to mix it up a bit! :)

going to check out a 6 in california tomorrow. thanks again for everyones comments
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
Have you ever flown a tail dragger?

Seeing whether you like riding in one, vs whether you like flying one are two totally different things. With enough determination, just about any proficient pilot can learn to fly a tail bragger (some pick it up fast, some take a lot of time).
The question you really need an answer to is do you like flying one? Not everybody does (and some people have regretted their build/purchase decision, because of not confirming before hand.

Considering the amount of money you will invest, it makes good sense to go out and get a couple hours of tail wheel dual (doesn't need to be an RV) and see if you like actually flying one.
Click to expand...

Ground maneuvers, takeoffs and landings are what you need to see if that's what you are OK with. They fly the same. Insurance companies do the same by saying that you need 15 hours in tail time. What they should require is a given number of landings or proving proficient in landings.

You are way more likely to run into something or someone on the ground in a tail dragger.
 
6/6A

I think we could figure out which you should get based on the car you drive. I drive a 911/I fly a tailwheel. They both are trying to kill me all the time, so they keep me on my toes.
 
beberle said:
For me, the deciding factor was mission....
Brian
Click to expand...

I thought beberle's post was the most spot on.

This thread interested me because I too am window shopping for a -6/-6A and the -6s double my options.

My thought is that the TD adds complexity and if it does not bring anything of real value to the mission; then it's out (positives vs negatives).

From the "it's cool" perspective; I'm neutral. I don't think aircraft are designed as a TD or not based on the cool factor. I think they all look cool.
 
I love my 7-A

I had flown a amphib tailwheel for about 10 years then I bought an RV-8. I flew it for about 40 hours then I traded it for 7-A. I love the A. I have almost all tailwheel planes at the grass strip I live at and the guys here think nosewheel airplanes are for girls. I succumbed to the pressure and bought the 8.

Granted I had little time in the 8 but I was always nervious landing it. Also, I almost hit something on the ground (my fault) when taxiing. I have a wife that hated being in the back as "she felt like baggage."

So one day after one of the aerobatic pilots around hear came up and was looking at my 7-A. I asked him if he would teach me a roll in the plane and he said he would never get in a plane with a training wheel on the front.

I said, give me one advantage for the RV to have a tailwheel? (since i fly off a nice grass strip and mostly go to paved runways)

What did he come up with? and i quote "When I look in my hanger at my plane I want to like what I see and a tailwheel looks better on the ground"

I agree that my 8 looked great in my hanger but so does my 7-A.

That is the kind of mentality some have about tailwheel plane.

In my 7-A I don't worry about landing, I see great when I taxi, and my wife and friends can sit next to me and I don't care what the "real man pilots" think. This plane is the perfect one for me and I love it.

And like what was said before, when you are flying it, you can't tell what end the wheel is on. :D
 
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