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I'm coming back and I'd like to buy an RV9

BrianHOU

Member
Hey all -

So I'm looking for RV9 to buy - I'm a former CFI/ATP, I flew oil and gas guys around during the early fracking days...4000 TT but zero experimental and zero Vans.

For the last year of so a friend and former student kept calling me to help him to rivet his RV-14 and I've been drawn back in!!!

When i mentioned to him I was interested in the RV9, he said that you guys would know who to call, where to look...

I've been talking to a guy in Canada, but the logistics of that deal seem fairly complex, and a US buyer is his last choice. So lower 48 seems like a good choice for Covid time.

So if you guys have suggestions, I feel like I'm coming back to a familiar place, but so much has changed in the last 15 years, I'm almost starting from scratch.

My wife convinced me to leave aviation as a career years ago, so she's not FULLY on board with the "hobby" aspect of it - YET. So I'm thinking I need to look in the range of 75K or less if she's gonna buy in. Steam gauges are fine, 320 preferably, fixed pitch prop is fine.

Baby steps...so I've already been lurking in the forum, reading lots of posts and trying to soak it in...I'm sort of excited to be back...but I know I've let all those skills atrophy. I want to go slow, enjoy the process and fly for fun again.

So if anyone knows of an RV9 that may become available or needs a home - I'd appreciate it...I'm in Texas - but I want to get started so it doesn't really matter where the plane is - (except Canada won't let US citizens in right now, so that's a bit complicated) I'll go the seller and make it work. So thanks in advance - this is a great resource.

Brian
 
My friend, you are barking up the right tree! Welcome to the experimental side of aviation and I know you will never be disappointed!
 
Houston RV-9

As I am just embarking on the adventure, it would be nice to know of an RV-9 in the Houston area. Wishing you luck in your search.
 
RV-9A

Brian,

Not sure if your focus is on a -9 , but (and Bill R will likely de-friend me) there is a nice looking -9A model for sale. Listed on a popular aviation sales site in CA. Seems to tick most of your boxes. 320, fixed pitch, around 75k.
 
Hey all -

So I'm looking for RV9 to buy - I'm a former CFI/ATP, I flew oil and gas guys around during the early fracking days...4000 TT but zero experimental and zero Vans.

For the last year of so a friend and former student kept calling me to help him to rivet his RV-14 and I've been drawn back in!!!

When i mentioned to him I was interested in the RV9, he said that you guys would know who to call, where to look...

I've been talking to a guy in Canada, but the logistics of that deal seem fairly complex, and a US buyer is his last choice. So lower 48 seems like a good choice for Covid time.

So if you guys have suggestions, I feel like I'm coming back to a familiar place, but so much has changed in the last 15 years, I'm almost starting from scratch.

My wife convinced me to leave aviation as a career years ago, so she's not FULLY on board with the "hobby" aspect of it - YET. So I'm thinking I need to look in the range of 75K or less if she's gonna buy in. Steam gauges are fine, 320 preferably, fixed pitch prop is fine.

Baby steps...so I've already been lurking in the forum, reading lots of posts and trying to soak it in...I'm sort of excited to be back...but I know I've let all those skills atrophy. I want to go slow, enjoy the process and fly for fun again.

So if anyone knows of an RV9 that may become available or needs a home - I'd appreciate it...I'm in Texas - but I want to get started so it doesn't really matter where the plane is - (except Canada won't let US citizens in right now, so that's a bit complicated) I'll go the seller and make it work. So thanks in advance - this is a great resource.

Brian

I had prior decades of flying mostly Cessnas and PA28s. When I did re-do my flight review after a bit of a layoff, I found that no one around here was renting any other airplanes than the 45 year-old 172's that made up their training fleet, and renting them to actually fly them anywhere was a struggle, and an expensive one. Other than hourly rate, refueling anyplace other than home base and the FBO would only pay for 70% of the fuel cost. So...I decided to get a cross-country plane that was newer, and actually fun to fly. Lots of research indicated that plane was most likely an RV-9A. I found a nice one about 500 miles away by putting a "want-to-buy" ad in the Classifieds here on VAF and bought it, about a month ago. I had several excellent responses to that ad, all of which were RV-9s where the owner said that the plane wasn't actually listed anywhere. The one I bought is 9 years old and checked all the boxes for me, including full-IFR capable, glass panel, autopilot, CS prop, IO-320, and a lot other nice doodads that I might not have thought to include. I did have to do a lot of avionics sorting after I got it home - fortunately I have a friend (who is also my transition instructor) who is something of an avionics savant and was able to clear up that stuff effectively (and cheaply). I'm fortunate that he is recently retired (anesthesiologist) and was kind of looking for a project. That project turned out to be my airplane and me. Lucky break. He's a great instructor.

I'm about 5 hours and 20 landings into that transition. Still a lot to learn, but I'm OK for solo (insurance company wants another hour of solo before passengers). I've flown a lot of airplanes in the 50+ years I've been a pilot, but I've never flown a plane like this RV-9A. It is an absolute blast, and as fun and responsive as I anticipated that it would be. It has no bad habits. It will do exactly what you tell it...no more, no less. It's straightforward to fly, but it won't wait for you. I had to sharpen up my planning and flying skills. Fly it like a Cessna 172 and the plane can get ahead of you.

So...having been pretty much where you are...I whole-heartedly endorse the RV-9A as a great next-step in your aviation life.
 
Last edited:
RV9

Sent you a PM....

Hey all -

So I'm looking for RV9 to buy - I'm a former CFI/ATP, I flew oil and gas guys around during the early fracking days...4000 TT but zero experimental and zero Vans.

For the last year of so a friend and former student kept calling me to help him to rivet his RV-14 and I've been drawn back in!!!

When i mentioned to him I was interested in the RV9, he said that you guys would know who to call, where to look...

I've been talking to a guy in Canada, but the logistics of that deal seem fairly complex, and a US buyer is his last choice. So lower 48 seems like a good choice for Covid time.

So if you guys have suggestions, I feel like I'm coming back to a familiar place, but so much has changed in the last 15 years, I'm almost starting from scratch.

My wife convinced me to leave aviation as a career years ago, so she's not FULLY on board with the "hobby" aspect of it - YET. So I'm thinking I need to look in the range of 75K or less if she's gonna buy in. Steam gauges are fine, 320 preferably, fixed pitch prop is fine.

Baby steps...so I've already been lurking in the forum, reading lots of posts and trying to soak it in...I'm sort of excited to be back...but I know I've let all those skills atrophy. I want to go slow, enjoy the process and fly for fun again.

So if anyone knows of an RV9 that may become available or needs a home - I'd appreciate it...I'm in Texas - but I want to get started so it doesn't really matter where the plane is - (except Canada won't let US citizens in right now, so that's a bit complicated) I'll go the seller and make it work. So thanks in advance - this is a great resource.

Brian
 
After 43 years of Owning and flying everything from Bonanza, Baron, C-421, King Airs, MU-2, Lear, L-39, I could,go,on (a total of 34 owned) including a 10 year stint owning and operating a Charter Airline in Central America I retired for good and moved back to,the US. Flying was getting a little boring but I knew I couldn’t give it up.
A repeat client of ours kept telling me about Vans RV’s. I decided on a tailwheel to spice things up. After two pre buys by Vic Syracuse I ended up with an RV9. And I could not be happier. The fun factor, or the RV grin, is back.
From my personal opinion you cannot go wrong with a 9.
 
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