What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

For the 2-Seater RVers

4 seats

We have a 180hp Piper Pacer for the 4 seat requirements. It's a darn good airplane. Makes you dance on the rudders on takeoff and landings with the bigger tires on pavement.
 
That's basically what I'm going to do. I'm trying to get my instrument done so I am more insurable on bigger more complex aircraft. I'd love a t210
 
4 seat Maule

I picked up a 1996 Maule to fly slow, haul big heavy stuff, and go places the RV would struggle with a heavy load. Not as efficient as the RV, but it fits its mission very well. 73 gallons gives it the range and 4 seats is icing on the cake.
 
I still have the four seat arrow partnership. It keeps breaking and I have become too good of a mechanic for my partners to allow me to leave!

Actually, my wife started giving me the stink eye a while ago about 'owning' two planes, and after the engine overhaul and associated gremlins the arrow is in pretty good shape and worth more than ever, so it is not long for our world. Plenty of four seat options for occasional use at the FBO. Or, the occasionally available 160 seat standby options, like now (currently posting from FL270 after four days on a warm island, which would not have been cost effective with either of the other options).
 
i had a 2 seat RV, bought a 4 seater, sold the 2 seat RV, now I'm finishing up my RV7 (2 seat) and will keep both
 
My "problem" is that a year after our RV was complete, and the same day the plans for a Pitts S1 arrived, my wife told me she was pregnant.

At around age five, he outgrew the baggage compartment so we are now in need of an extra seat. As much as I like the -10, it isn't in the budget.

Thus, I hope to check checked out in a T-tail Lance in the next month or two for those few times we need a backseat. If the currency requirements are onerous, then I'll at elsewhere.

Remember, you will still need additional renters insurance to cover the four seater.
 
Shortly after my son was born my wife pointed out that she no longer got any benefit from the RV, since we could almost never fly together anymore. This was not a bid to get rid of the RV, but instead a suggestion that we needed access to a larger plane. We bought into a 12 person partnership that owns a Trinidad TB20 and a PA32R Lance. We did the math, and joining the partnership and keeping the RV-8a was less expensive than selling the RV-8a and building an RV10. With a second child on the way, it's really nice to have access to the Lance with its 6 seats and (more important) 1500 lb useful load.

My wife is very close to getting her PPL. She just has her solo cross countries and checkride to go. In the future we're thinking we will do the light twin thing that Louise mentioned. We're going to build another 2 seat RV. If everyone needs to go, we will take 2 planes. Fuel burn will be less than the Lance, with faster speed and the same useful load.

Guy
 
Back
Top