Decisions, now that both wings are made.

I have a delima starting.
Tip up. or slider. I already know alot about both and I am at a loss

injected or carb. Horiz or Vertical induction., I guess Carb icing is really not a problem with Lycomming engines.

speed difference. between injected or Carb utilizing a C/S prop.

Does any one who has built a 7 actually do 200mph on 75 percent power, with a 180 hp /constant speed. carb or injected. like the specification state on the Vans site?
Is it necessary to fill all aspects of the elevators with foam and so nothing shows riveting?

Do you like your tip up/ slider, would you have gone a different direction.

Help me... I only have a couple days before the price increase. and I have to know tip up/ slider and the engine.....

Thanks
Smilin' Jack
EAA 690
Wings done, empenage done.
Hopefully, dynon, skyview, 10 and 7, Xcom's 2. TCAS and syn vision. battery backups on the skyviews.
An aircraft that will do 170 kts true at @ 7500 feet

Fortunately your questions are easy.

Tip Up or Slider? Either
Carb or Injected? Either
Horizontal or Vertical? Either
Speed Difference between Carb and Injected? Negligible if any.

Van's numbers are pretty accurate.
Carb icing happens on Lycomings too but using carb heat is not a big deal.
I don't understand the elevator foam question.

Flip a coin. As soon as it's in the air you will know how you want it to turn out and that answers your question.

Injected might be better if you want to run lean of peak.

greg

I wasn't sure either

I hadn't decided the 7 or 7a question before I started filling out the order form.
Just filled it out without giving it much thought, and when I got done I looked up and said "huh, I guess the little wheel will be in the front".

Just get the order form, fill it out, and get it on the way.

Smilin Jack
If you are building a SB fuselage the engine decision is quite aways away.
It doesn't have to be decided at this juncture. Just the canopy and tail or nose dragger. Simple really.
Have fun.

Tip up !!

99.9% of your time is with the canopy closed and I absolutely LOVE the unrestricted visibility of my tip-up canopy!!
Van's tells me either one is equally difficult to build.

Hard choices

I decided for:
-Tip up for unrestricted visibility. Some say it not noticeable when flying, but I still prefer not having the frame in my view. Others say it is nice to be able to taxi with the canopy back with the slider, but as rv9av8tr says, more than 99% of the time you'll be airborne.
-Injection for aerobatics and ability to fly inverted (with the inverted oil system), Horizontal because I don't want the lower intake.
-Tailwheel because ... I prefer it that way .
And all of the above because in my opinion the RV7 looks so much better with these options
All personal choices though...
Alain.

your Wings are built:
-Slider canopy. I have had two sliders. Also flown a tip up many times. If I do another RV it will be a slider. Several reasons: Safety and convenience are at the top. I saw a RV7A nose wheel flip on its back. It had a tip up and the guy could hardly squeeze out. It took him a few minutes to squeeze out. I could see right away that the forward roll bar on a slider will make the exit from the cockpit much easier to crawl out fast if ever inverted. Compare the line from the tail to the nose cowling on a tip up. Now compare the line from the tail to the front roll bar. The front roll bar of the slider makes safety margin if inverted on the ground. People will argue this issue back and forth all day, but I have seen the difference. If is clear in my mind. Also, having flown both the slider and tip up, I never noticed the better visibility in a tip up. They both have great visibility. I crack open my slider most every flight when taxied. Love it.
-If I do it again it will be a tail wheel. Several reasons: Safety and Looks are at the top. Safety if an off airport landing is needed the tail wheel will be safer. RV's are not bush planes, although there are no bush planes with nose wheels. Nose wheel vs tail wheel only matters when contacting the ground. The nose wheel on an RV is not completely comparable because it does not steer, as it is free castering. When in the air flying, it does not matter which one you picked. You gain one knot with a tail wheel. You can eliminate the dumb looking steps on a taildragger. It just looks better. RV's handle well on the ground in a tailwheel configuration. Easy to learn but you need to learn.
-Carb is my choice. I have had both. Fuel injected can be leaned better if you have good injectors, which is a slight advantage because it only really works well on the larger engines, per the professionals. io-540 and up do benifit from Fuel injection. The other issue is FI has more parts and eventually problems. You are plagued with diagnosis and extra down time and expense. I have friends that have been very frusterated on several occasions. I have been lucky. No problems with mine yet although I have seen what others have had to go through.
I have fuel injection now in my RV7 and I like it, but honestly I don't like the increased vulnerability of malfunction, higher expense, downtime to diagnose and repair.
Carb's are simple and work, even on basic aerobatics. Carbs, unless a pressure carb, are not good for extended inverted flying. Although if you are flying inverted extended you need inverted oil kit and fuel pick up. Basic aerobatics are fine with a standard carb. Next time I will go back to a Carb setup. Carb's are also less expensive if that matters. No noticeable speed difference even with a C/S prop.
-I would again spring for the engine hollow crank for a C/S prop.

My 2 cents.
Either way is good. Just build it for you, not others.
Let us know what you decide.

Thanks

Thanks for many of the responses, i have decided on a tip up since it is a little easier to work on and the fact tnat two folks can get the canopy off if needed

There are several drip options i have discovered that eliminate the water problem. I have heard via emails that several folks who have sliders complain about drafts and wet baggage areas. It appears that both have some problems. It will be easier for my wife to get in with the tip up as she can grab the rear roll cage to help pull her up.

My choice is to go tip up,tail wheel,carb o-360 a 10 inch dynon a 7 inch dynon
Both with battery back up one transponder, two x coms unless dynon gets their's perfected. Two AHAR's , and a tcas system. i 'll probably add more later but that will be the beginning

On to ordering
Thanks
Smilin' Jack
EAA 690

My t'pence worth

I went through the same.... My choices were identical to Alain's further up.

Think a little more about the fuel system. Without fuel injection, you can't go inverted (I have also installed an inverted oil system). I still can't (me, not the plane), but I plan to learn this year. The way I figure it, the RV if configured right, can do whatever you may decide to do with it, so why make a decision on the fuel system that restricts its potential operational flight envelope.

Also, read and re-read these John Deakin articles on engine operation. Can't do lean of peak without fuel injection, and now having learned how engines actually work, operating LOP is a complete no brainer (IMHO).

http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182132-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182084-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182081-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182082-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182085-1.html

http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182179-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182176-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182583-1.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/183094-1.html

With regards the prop, I went for a CS prop (MT 3 Blade). Operating out of a short field, I need the take off performance. Also, an unexpected benefit of the light MT prop, is that it acts as a VERY effective speed brake when reducing power giving much more control over your speed on finals...... Important when operating out of short fields.

Happy Building,
Andrew Butler
VANS RV7 EI-EEO 50hrs.
Galway, Ireland.

Changed our mind again.

SLIDER final pick... on a vote of 4 to 1 .....flipping a coin.... heads were slider, tails weretipup.... I did two heads immediately, my wife bounced back an forth.. one head one tail and finally another heads...

tough decision made easy..
and a hinged instrument panel.

Smilin' Jack

Hey Smilin' Jack.

Have you been up close and personal in any -7s yet? As you're in my neck of the woods, happy to show you my tip-up, injected, c/s, 180, vertical, "no-foam" elevator rv7.