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Purchased my RV-10 this weekend!

FlyingBliss

Member
Just want to share my news with the group on my first official day as an RV-10 owner. I had quite possibly the best two days of my aviation life this past weekend. My dream plane has been the RV-10 since I started flying 3 years ago, but I knew that finding one would be very difficult as 50% of RV-10's are sold by word of mouth and the other 50% that are listed on Trade-A-Plane, Controller, Barnstormers, etc., are usually sold within hours of being listed.

I reached out to John Stewart to let him know that I'm on the hunt for an RV-10 and the very next day John also received a call from David Jones about selling his 2007 RV-10. John connected us and the rest is history.

Vic Syracuse performed the pre-buy inspection on Saturday and N331DJ passed with flying colors and the test flights were a pure joy. I'm a low-time private pilot (215 hours) with HP and Complex endorsements and I have time in multiple aircraft (Warrior, Arrow, 172, 182, SR20, RV-12, Beech Sierra, DA40) and have enjoyed flying all of them, but OMG that RV-10 is another category of flying machine!! I was absolutely blown away with the harmony, response, SPEED, comfort, view from the cockpit and efficiency of this aircraft. As you can probably tell, I'm still riding high from my experience this weekend.

I look forward to getting to know everyone on VansAirForce.net and flying with local RVators in the New England area. My home field will be KRUT in Rutland VT. Thank you to Van's for designing such an amazing aircraft, to David Jones for building and maintaining N331DJ to such a high standard and to Vic Syracuse for his guidance and expertise with the pre-buy!!
 

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when I was looking to buy an RV10 in 2009 David was kind enough to take me for a flight in that plane!
Bought N668G a month later
Alan
 
It was nice meeting you this weekend while you were in the middle of the inspection. I am sure you guys will have fun with this airplane.
Bill
 
Congrats!

Welcome to the bright side Ryan! Once you discover how well these planes perform and their cost effectiveness it will be very had to go back to certified aircraft.
 
Congrats! Very jealous...been considering the buy/build on the RV10 for a few years now and never even been in one. Located in Portsmouth NH... trade you lunch for a walk-around one of these days next time I'm in the Rutland area? ;)
 
Welcome to the bright side Ryan! Once you discover how well these planes perform and their cost effectiveness it will be very had to go back to certified aircraft.

Never going back! Between the amazing performance of the RV10 and the amazing kit builders that I’ve met since buying 331DJ there’s no turning back now :):)
 
Congrats! Very jealous...been considering the buy/build on the RV10 for a few years now and never even been in one. Located in Portsmouth NH... trade you lunch for a walk-around one of these days next time I'm in the Rutland area? ;)

Thanks Chase, walk around or I’d be happy to take you up. I’ll be in VT at the beginning of May (moving up from SC, although my wife and I are both from New England). I’m going to be making a trip out to PSM sometime in May to visit my old CFI to show him the plane and I’d be happy to show you as well. Feel free to reach out to me (contact info below).

[email protected]
603.521.4736 Mobile
 
Thanks Chase, walk around or I’d be happy to take you up. I’ll be in VT at the beginning of May (moving up from SC, although my wife and I are both from New England). I’m going to be making a trip out to PSM sometime in May to visit my old CFI to show him the plane and I’d be happy to show you as well. Feel free to reach out to me (contact info below).

[email protected]
603.521.4736 Mobile

Thanks Ryan, will definitely reach out and take you up on the offer!! I am part of the yellowbird flying club out of PSM (cherokee 180.)

Chase
 
Thanks Ryan, will definitely reach out and take you up on the offer!! I am part of the yellowbird flying club out of PSM (cherokee 180.)

Chase

Have you had a chance to see the RV12’s at CHI Aerospace at PSM? I think they have 3 or 4 of them. I’ve got about 8 hours in their 12’s. Great planes, really fun to fly.
 
Have you had a chance to see the RV12’s at CHI Aerospace at PSM? I think they have 3 or 4 of them. I’ve got about 8 hours in their 12’s. Great planes, really fun to fly.

I have, have about the same time in them. They are definitely fun little planes. They're definitely proud of them too, they just bumped the rental price on them up to $175/hr. Ouch!
 
RV10 (to be) owner in CT

Congrats!! I am in the process of purchasing an RV10 here in Connecticut. I'm based at Groton-New London (KGON). If all goes as planned I'll have my RV10 here in May as well.

Would like to compare notes on insurance. You mentioned you were low time. Did you get a formal check out or did you gain hours with others' planes before getting insurance for your new purchase?
 
I'm35 hours into phase 1 after a 5-year build. (Honestly, even as a veteran of an original 6A build in the 90's, I had no clue it would take that long...)

There have been a few squawks, but all of them either foreseeable or my fault in the first place. I just got the pants on after break-in, and I'm seeing a nice boost in speed: 173 KTAS at 7,000 MSL and 75% power, and 150 KTAS at 5500 MSL, lean of peak, 56% power and 9.8 gph.

Every time I stick a landing on my turf strip and put the -10 away for the evening, I'm wearing the RV grin - which has lasted through 950 RV-6A hours and still going strong. I think to myself: "I built this plane as a safe cross-country comfort-cruiser, but it's real purpose is evidently to make me look like a better pilot than I am."

What's not to love about these 10's! Awesome machines. Enjoy yours, and safe flying, OP.
 
How does one get in touch with John Stewart?

I'm also a possible buyer of an RV-10 or RV-14. How does one get a hold of John Stewart. I need help finding one.

Thanks

Mike
 
Thanks Chase, walk around or I’d be happy to take you up. I’ll be in VT at the beginning of May (moving up from SC, although my wife and I are both from New England). I’m going to be making a trip out to PSM sometime in May to visit my old CFI to show him the plane and I’d be happy to show you as well. Feel free to reach out to me (contact info below).

[email protected]
603.521.4736 Mobile

Welcome to the club. I am based at Middlebury with my Rv-10 have two friends at Franklin Co with 10's We can do a fly in of 10's when you get to Vermont.
 
Happy 10 buyer

I had a similar experience. Having built an RV-4 and enjoying it immensely for 19 years I had the opportunity to fly a 10. I wanted one from when it first came out but actually flying it motivated me to search the market. With no luck there I found a competed 10 tail kit for sale. I figured with Quick Build wing and fuselage I could have my dream 10 relatively quickly since I am now retired. Driving the U Haul home with my 10 tail in back I got a call from a Guard buddy saying I should check his friends' that might be for sale. It was too good to turn down and now a year later I can't get enough of flying it. The 10 takes that RV superb handling and performance and applies it to a very comfortable genuine 4 seat aircraft. This is by far the best all around 4 seater I have flown! Does anybody need a nicely built 10 tail?
 
I had a similar experience. Having built an RV-4 and enjoying it immensely for 19 years I had the opportunity to fly a 10. I wanted one from when it first came out but actually flying it motivated me to search the market. With no luck there I found a competed 10 tail kit for sale. I figured with Quick Build wing and fuselage I could have my dream 10 relatively quickly since I am now retired. Driving the U Haul home with my 10 tail in back I got a call from a Guard buddy saying I should check his friends' that might be for sale. It was too good to turn down and now a year later I can't get enough of flying it. The 10 takes that RV superb handling and performance and applies it to a very comfortable genuine 4 seat aircraft. This is by far the best all around 4 seater I have flown! Does anybody need a nicely built 10 tail?
Dan,

Can you send me details and pictures of the tail kit you have. I might be interested. Thanks.
 
Hi Mike,

My apologies for the delayed response. I have 220 hours with HP and Complex endorsements but no instrument rating yet. I plan to have that by the end of the year. I was able to get a policy without any time in an RV10.
The annual premium for my policy is $3,021 and in order to get passenger coverage I have to spend 5 hours with a CFI (who has logged a minimum total time of 500 hours and a minimum of 50 hours in an RV10) and have logged 10 hours in the RV10 myself. I'm in FL right now about to check those boxes. Feel free to shoot me a DM if you have any other questions. Happy to talk more about it.

Ryan

Congrats!! I am in the process of purchasing an RV10 here in Connecticut. I'm based at Groton-New London (KGON). If all goes as planned I'll have my RV10 here in May as well.

Would like to compare notes on insurance. You mentioned you were low time. Did you get a formal check out or did you gain hours with others' planes before getting insurance for your new purchase?
 
Hi Bill,

I've had the RV grin all day today just thinking about flying it this week :)

Ryan

I'm35 hours into phase 1 after a 5-year build. (Honestly, even as a veteran of an original 6A build in the 90's, I had no clue it would take that long...)

There have been a few squawks, but all of them either foreseeable or my fault in the first place. I just got the pants on after break-in, and I'm seeing a nice boost in speed: 173 KTAS at 7,000 MSL and 75% power, and 150 KTAS at 5500 MSL, lean of peak, 56% power and 9.8 gph.

Every time I stick a landing on my turf strip and put the -10 away for the evening, I'm wearing the RV grin - which has lasted through 950 RV-6A hours and still going strong. I think to myself: "I built this plane as a safe cross-country comfort-cruiser, but it's real purpose is evidently to make me look like a better pilot than I am."

What's not to love about these 10's! Awesome machines. Enjoy yours, and safe flying, OP.
 
Hey Tom,

Love that idea! I should have my RV10 @KRUT between May 7-10. I'll send you a message once I'm settled.

Ryan

Welcome to the club. I am based at Middlebury with my Rv-10 have two friends at Franklin Co with 10's We can do a fly in of 10's when you get to Vermont.
 
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