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RV7 or RV8 ?

joe1968

Well Known Member
looking to start a build , the wife is ok with either model looking for some advice from people have one , which would you choose the RV7 or RV8 and tell me what would attract you to either.

thanks
joe
 
Choice

I?ve owned both. RV8 is a wonderful airplane for single pilot ops. Grandkids in back were not ideal as you just couldn?t see them. RV8 gets a little twitchy with significant weight in rear. Coolness factor is a 10+. RV7 is just as fast, same acro capability and lets you be directly connected to your passengers. Either way, you won?t go wrong.
 
Regardless of what your wife says now, she will most likely grow tired of looking at the back of your head.

So what I tell people:
- If you fly mostly by yourself and only occasionally have the wife (or any passenger) with you, RV-8. It is a blast.
- If not, RV-7.
- But what your wife really wants is an RV-10. Every wife I know who has seen an RV-10 poked their husband on ?why did you not build this one??. It is the premier cross country plane. You will forever be a hero with her.

Carl
 
I'm currently flying my 2nd (purchased) -4. I've owned a Luscombe 8A, T-18, BD-4, & a Swift. I'm building a -7. I enjoy giving rides, especially to folks who've never experienced a small plane. For me, there's no comparison between flying 'solo with a passenger' and sharing a flight in a side-by-side plane. It's very difficult to monitor a novice backseater's condition, and if you let them take the stick, they have a harder time with visual perspective and with seeing the instruments. I absolutely love the handling of my -4 (which is better than an -8, for pure yank&bank fun), and I'll miss it when the -7 flies. But the shared experience tips the scale toward SBS for me.

Another significant plus for me is the baggage capacity & ease of CG management for extended travel with SBS.

But you need to decide what's most important to you, & make your choice based on that. That's why both styles are available. :)

Charlie
 
As always, decide on the mission first.

As others have said, if mostly flying by oneself, the -8 is the best choice. If often flying with a passenger, the -7 (actually, the -14) is better suited. A tandem aircraft is a pilot's airplane, first and last. It'll make passengers feel uninvolved with the flight and the pilot. A side-by-side arrangement is just the opposite; it's ideal for sharing the experience.

I loved my -8, but my wife never did. Although, from the pilot's perspective, there's no substitute for centerline seating, I'm building a -14A now in the hope that she'll feel more involved and less like ballast.
 
My 2 cents

I've built both so can give you a few other data points.

Yeah side by side better for wife and kids - check RV7

If you ever want to train in the aircraft RV7 is a lot better. Yeah you can put dual rudders in RV8 but the vans installation I think is an after thought and looks cheap. Dual throttle also possible but its not an insignificant amount of work. Visibility from back seat on takeoff and landing is warbird like. Unless you already have extensive experience you don't really want to learn sitting in back seat of RV8.

Way better looking I think especially with fastback - check RV8

A few data points on the builder side. From my experience the RV7 is easier to build. The RV8 obviously a lot narrower and working in aft fuselage is difficult if you're any where north of 185 lbs. Also the landing gear installation is more involved and you can really pooch it if you're not careful. Rv7 landing gear is a single bolt into engine mount. However the look (especially aero shapped gear) of the Rv8 is much nicer I think (and no gear legs fairings). The gear towers are a pain in the RV8. Its a narrow area that is hard to access - most guys modify this area. Running wires, fuel lines, control cables is harder in the 8 compared to the 7. In the RV8 you can basically only go down the left side of the aircraft forward of the pilot seat. This is due to the baggage area on the right side. I have seen guys run wires etc through the baggage area but I wouldn't recommend this.

So why did I pick the Rv8 after having several RV7s - speed and looks.

I'm a fighter guy and RV8 is closest you can get with a prop. Nothing bad to say about RV6/7.
 
Exactly what the previous posters said. Performance is about the same. The -8 looks a little cooler because it's more like an old fighter plane, but the -7 is definitely much more social.

When we were shopping for ours, we would have bought either, but found the RV7 first, and I'm glad we did. I really like giving rides and instructing in the RV7. We have dual controls and displays and you are just much more connected to your passenger. I think your wife will be much happier sitting next to you instead of looking at the back of your head.

Now your question is... Tip-up or Slider:D

I originally wanted a slider, but I LOVE my tip-up. Visibility is great on both, but I love the unobstructed view of the tip-up bubble, and I love how easy it is to get to the avionics behind the panel of the tip-up.
 
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I vote for the -7

I know everyone has their own personal bias on this subject and I'm no different, but here's my take on it. First and foremost, you can't go wrong with either one. I personally like the side by side seating. I currently fly a -4 and I'm building my second -7. I've never owned an -8 so I can only speak from a -4 perspective. Even though I love my -4 and flying it is the most fun you can have with your pants on and it's like flying my own personal little fighter plane, you just can't beat the convenience of a side by side. Even when you're flying by yourself, just having all that extra room to spread out and to have that extra seat next to you to put stuff on is such a huge benefit to me. I also think it's a much more fun experience for the passenger to be able to sit next to the pilot. I love taking people flying that's never flown in a small airplane and having the ability to let them have some sticks time with me being right next to them to teach and supervise them is always fun for both me and my passenger. Also, having the baggage compartment right behind me and easily accessible in flight is also a huge benefit. I know this subject is a never ending debate but my vote is for the side by side -7.

Mark
 
When I decided to build my 8 I was 27 years old and solo. Of course the decision was more than easy => speed and coolness factor. Now I have a great girlfriend (and hopefully future wife). Maybe my decision would be different now. But currently I fly a 7ECA Champ and she never flew next to me so luckily she is not used to SBS :)
 
I will say that after having rides in the both the RV-8 and the RV-7 and yes even being in the back seat my smile was wider when I rode in the 8. There is nothing as cool as taxiing to the runway with the canopy back on a warm day oh and not rubbing shoulders with someone all flight! If you want to do that go rent a spam can! Otherwise enjoy your mini P-51 !

Oh and a tip, if you want to stay "connected" to your passengers in the back of the 8 just put a little mirror up on the roll bar and you can make sweet eye contact all day while she rubs your shoulders haha
 
- But what your wife really wants is an RV-10. Every wife I know who has seen an RV-10 poked their husband on ?why did you not build this one??. It is the premier cross country plane. You will forever be a hero with her.

Carl

+1 to what Carl has said. I had my sights set on a 7, but while reviewing the models with my wife, she learned about the 10. We were planning to have kids back then, but even so, I opined about the sublime handling of the Vans aerobatic 2-seater and told her it was my top choice. Her reply was simple... "Honey, are you building this plane for you, or for us?" Needless to say, the decision was made. For a brief moment, I tried to build an RV-3B (best flyer in the line-up) at the same time as the 10, but I couldn't swing it financially.

However, I find there are plenty of 2 seat RVs and not as many 10's out there. My plan is to "swap" occasionally with my good buddy and flight instructor, who's currently building an RV-8 slider, with LED machine-gun banks and a WW2 paint scheme. It's gonna be awesome! :D :D :D
 
Far more baggage space in a -7 and, with the Super Tracks installed, dropping one or two large suitcases in is a breeze. Also accessible while flying - though not easily.

My -7A is comfortable in either seat for 4-5 hours. The back seat of the -8 I rode in was only good for about 2.5 and no place to move your feet.

Install the Almost -14 mod and shoulder room is vastly improved as well.
 
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Take a ride in both. I had started an 8, decided to buy but reconsidered which model first. I thought the wife and kids would like the 7 better. So I rode in a side by side and then in the back of the 8. I felt like I had more room in the back of the 8 5’11” 220 (shoulders kind of wide). Also the visibility in the back of the 8 seemed better than the SBS. Tandem is easier or more natural for me to fly, grew up single seat. Turns out my wife doesn’t like flying, so still working on that; in the mean time I am flying alone on centerline. Either a great choice.
 
I will say that after having rides in the both the RV-8 and the RV-7 and yes even being in the back seat my smile was wider when I rode in the 8. There is nothing as cool as taxiing to the runway with the canopy back on a warm day oh and not rubbing shoulders with someone all flight! If you want to do that go rent a spam can! Otherwise enjoy your mini P-51 !

Oh and a tip, if you want to stay "connected" to your passengers in the back of the 8 just put a little mirror up on the roll bar and you can make sweet eye contact all day while she rubs your shoulders haha

Couldn't have said it better myself, the 8 is the only Vans design that looks the part (4too small) has that fighter feeling, half the reason why people build an 8 in the first place. The 6/7's always remind me of a Piper spam can, awful Cessna type eng controls and sitting very close to someone with little room to move. To me an RV8 is a personel experience, that's why I fly, for me first, anyone else who comes along is always second, I fly for me not them -:)
 
That about

That about sums it up.

Personal preference

I have built two RV6s and 2 RV8s.
1,500 RV6 hours in my log. 800 RV8 hours so far, in my 8. Borrowed Horse
I own and fly an 8, but love them both, 7 & 8
Personal preference. After all that
 
What to Build

You ask an impossible question for an unbiased answer. If you look at the total builds of the RV-7s and RV-8s, there are a few more RV-7s out there. I've been flying my Beautiful Doll for 18 years and I can't imagine a better airplane for me. My RV-8 has been to Oshkosh 17 out of the last 18 years and I've talked to hundreds of people about "What to build". Honestly, I've had at least a hundred builders or prospective builders say to me: "I wanted to build an RV-8....but!
They didn't build the model they wanted because of other concerns. My advice to them was the following:

1) You will fly your RV solo 90+% of the time, so build the plane you want!
2) Nothing... and I MEAN NOTHING.... beats centerline seating!
3) The RV-8 is a 10+ in the looks department

Now you have my biased opinion! One last argument:

xgcwvr.jpg
 
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Both of you should go sit in them first. If you can find someone patient enough, sit in them a while together. See what you think. I know I?m about climbing the walls after about 30 minutes in the back of an -8, because I can?t move my feet at all there.

I went with a -7 because my wife said ?if you want me to fly with you, I?m sitting next to you?. Plus, now I?ll also be able to teach my son (we didn?t have him when I started).

I don?t find Dad?s -6 that crowded up front unless we?re wearing heavy coats. Side-by-side also makes crew coordination easier, if the person in the other seat is also a pilot or is an interested and helpful passenger.
 
+1 for Danny

+1 with what Danny said

If you can?t make due with 50 lbs of baggage in the front and 75 lbs in the back, you need to pick a warmer destination.

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4.5 hours in the back seat is NOT an issue IF you make it comfortable (big air vent, heated seats, iPad power port) in the back seat.

95% of the time you?ll be flying solo. Look at the pictures, what do you REALLY want to fly? :D
 
First off, it matters not what percentage of wives "prefer side by sides"... the only thing that matters is YOUR situation. I can tell you with absolute honesty that I have owned side by sides and tandems and my wife STRONGLY prefers the tandem. As far as percentage flown solo - also highly personal. My hours flown is better than 50% with my wife in back. Put a -7 and an -8 in my hangar and my wife will pick the -8 every time. Period. Dot. It so happens that I also strongly favor the tandem, so it works out perfect. The only thing wrong with the -8 from my wifes perspective is that it is too slow. She has her own iPad in the back and really starts to complain when groundspeed is less than 200 knots. I have spoiled her with the Rocket and I hear about it every time we have to take the "slug" (the -8) somewhere.

Be honest with your (and your wife's) preferences and go with that. Disregard the "status quo".
 
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Yes what these guys said ^ I will tell you that I started building a RV-7 for the "wife".... in the mean time I was flying our certified spam can and came to the realization that my wife nor any of my family is into flying like I am into flying. Struggled with motivation throughout the 7 tail kit... finally came to conclusion my heart wasn't it. Sold it, bought a RV-8 kit and never looked back :D Getting close to finishing the fuselage now and have something to sit in and make airplane noises finally! Go with your passion instinct! Its a longggg build....
 
Either one is a really nice airplane. Go look at both.

I fly a -4 and I'm building a -7. The tip up canopy and visibility on the -7, seating, and baggage volume for bigger items are what tipped the balance vs the -8. I really like my -4 so it was a tough call.

The -8 made some design choices I personally don't like of but others probably love. The sliding canopy needs a forward support and roll bar. I like the unrestricted visibility a tip-over gives. The gear towers reduce leg room and I prefer the look of the rod gear. Plus, if you have a centerline seating RV, it should have cheek cowls :).

Any tandem airplane will have really big shifts in CG and differences in handling qualities with a passenger vs. solo. The builder has a choice on how to bias that.
 
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Love those RV replies above, brings a smile to my face the same as my 8 does, as mentioned nothing looks and flies as nice as centreline seating with that fighter feeling of looking out either side and seeing nothing but the world and the wing you are sitting on. For those with demanding wives then I guess the 2nd choice will just have to do:D
 
LOOKS LIKE THE 8

THANKS
I READ ALL THE REPLIES AND LOOK AT MANY PICS AND VIDEOS AND DECIDED MONDAY MORNING I AM ORDERING THE RV8 KIT AND STARTING MY BUILD.

THANKS
 
My 2 cents worth - sitting on center line of airplane is best.

Also, RV-8 has better gear system than RV-7.

It is a personal decision...info is all personal.

Don't make a decision on what someone else likes, do what you like.

If you don't know what you want, it doesn't matter.
 
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THANKS
I READ ALL THE REPLIES AND LOOK AT MANY PICS AND VIDEOS AND DECIDED MONDAY MORNING I AM ORDERING THE RV8 KIT AND STARTING MY BUILD.

THANKS

Wise choice, we are proud of you, you won't regret it as owning an 8 is a selfish act, and there's nothing wrong with being selfish when it's for YOU�� With a slider canopy (the best design) and the ability to carry another body whilst still having that feeling you are in it for YOU -:)
 
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