Taildragger Insurance

[jrsites]

You all have been a great help as I've been working my way through the "planning kit". I'm back for more advice and input.

I'm looking for information about insurance rates, specifically taildragger rates for relatively low time pilots who have little (read "no") taildragger time.

It's looking more and more like our airplane will be built by a partnership of three individuals. I'm the most experienced pilot of the three of us, and have about 275 total hours. My only tailwheel time is my first five hours ever. My very first lessons were in one of Wally's old T-Craft at Evergreen Airport in Vancouver, Washington (RIP). That's it. I don't have a tailwheel endorsement, and I've never had any tailwheel PIC time beyond those first few lessons.

One of the other partners has about 100 hours, and has a tailwheel endorsement (he soloed at Wally's operation), but is not tailwheel current and hasn't flow a taildragger since his early lessons. The third partner has about 75 hours, and all of his time is in 172s.

So how hard would it be for us to get insurance if we decide to build a taildragger? How much more could we expect our premiums to be? Any special requirements the Insurance company is likely to require?

Thanks again for all the help. This is an invaluable resource.

[AntiGravity]

Hi Jeff,

at first this concerned me too. I don't even have a license yet, so insurance for me will very likely be expensive which ever way. I was originally building an -8A but for various reasons when I ordered the fuse kit I made the decision to go with the -8 taildragger. I decided that even if my insurance was a little expensive the first few years, compared to the thousands of $$$ and hours of building it really wasn't that big a deal. I plan to 'ease; the situation by seeking to complete my PPL in a taildragger aircraft, and then fly over to the US and get some bona fide transition training prior to jumping into my completed RV (several years from now). I've been told by an insurance broker that there won't be a minimum hrs requirement, but if there is, then I'll go do it. Also, I won't be doing the first several hours flight testing: I'll be hiring a willing and experience individual for that, hopefully.

Obviously I can't make comment on insurance rates, but the point I'm trying to make is not to lose sight of what it is you really want in your aircraft. I really did want an -8, and not an -8A. I wrestled with the decision and eventually came to the conclusion that a few extra thousand (maybe? who knows?) over the first few years really isn't that big a deal given the overall scale of what I've undertaken. Part of that decision was a comment I saw on these forums (I think). That being: "when you open the hanger door ten years from now, what do you want to see sitting there?". I know what I want to see: now I'm slowly making it happen :-)


Thanks,

[kcpgm]

I had about 150 hours total time when i finished my ry-7 with very littl tail whell time only what i picked up flying different planes with friends I got a tail wheel rating when my -7 was close to going to the airport and then befor first flight I got some transition training with Alex in texas long ways for me i'm in maine a few days later i flew my -7

Insurance it was about $200 more the first year 2004 then went up again in 05 mostly because of insurace co dropping rv planes and the 06 fee went down to belowe the 04 rates I have maintained a clean record so that helped

like the man said what do you want to see in the baarn in a few years is what you build today

ken in main

[KirkGrovesRV8]

Hello!
When I flew my 8 I had around 250hrs total and 125 in a citabria,
I insured my bird for 80,000 hull and the premium was 2200.
Now when I renew I will probably up the hull value because my rate will be less.
Oh by the way I had around 13hrs in RVs when I flew my bird
Best of Luck you will LOVE your plane!!