Advice on buying a completed RV

[boswell]

I'm a low time private pilot (about 250 hours) who used to fly 2-3 times a week until life circumstances took over back in 2000 and caused me to stop flying. I ready to get back into the cockpit, but this time I don't want to rent for a variety of reasons. So, I've been looking for something to buy with about a $100,000 budget. After carefully considering everything, a completed (I wouldn't trust anything that I built) RV seems like the plane that gives me everything I want. I'm very attracted to the performance (for short xc trips), price, and ability to get into light aerobatics (I'd love to get some instruction). I've never been in a RV but have always been very attracted to them.

It will mainly be used for local pleasure flying, some xc trips from Scottsdale, AZ to Vegas, SoCal, Denver, and Texas, and like I mentioned, I would love to get into some basic aerobatic flight.

Right now, I'm considering the 6A, 7A, and 9A. I would love to get some advice from the community about why one of those would be better for me than another and also what to look for in a completed RV. Logic tells me to look for one from a builder who is at least on his/her second RV (learned from the mistakes of the first).

Any advice for this first time plane/RV buyer would be very much appreciated.

[sslayden]

The RV's are great planes. I would definately hunt out someone in your area for a ride. Most RVers are happy to drag another poor sole into ther addition.

You'll have many choices at the 100k range. Other things to consider that influence price are avionics, engine and p&i. If you don't want IFR, you'll save a bundle. If you don't want max performance, you can save some on a FI engine w/ fixed pitch prop (can't say that this setup is not performant after flying piper/cessnas). Otherwise, find the best bang for the buck.

The 7A is Vans newer side-by side model. It's wings are about 6" longer on either side and it's rudder is larger than the 6A. I'd assume this'd help it be a little more stable and controlable (still not a very stable platform... not supposed to be Also, the 7A is pre-punched, so I'd assume the workmanship would be better on average.

Another consideration is the 9A platform. It's wings are designed more for cruising than sport flying. Also, max engine is 180hp. If you want to do light aerobatics, I'd discount this model. Otherwise, it's typically configured to be a little more efficient platform for x/c.

If you got the bucks, want to do some loops and roles now and again, the 7A is hard to beat. You can get a great deal on a 6A. Fantastic plane for the price. However, all of them are fantastic planes.

The rest is just goodies... avionics, engine, p&I...

Another note, get an experinced RV builder, preferabley an IA even an EAA tech counselor to inspect the plane before you buy it. They'll see a lot of things that you'd miss. They'll see a lot of things that even a typical IA would miss simply because they know the planes well.

I would not get too hung up on how many planes the person has built before. Many first time builders are *very* anal and will continue to re-do the work until it's just right. Conversely, some repeat offenders are not anal and like to crank out a plane and don't sweat the details. And visa-versa. Just get an experienced RV builder to check it out for you.

Where are you located. Maybe someone in the area would chime in and volenteer to give you your first dose... er, ride

[osxuser]

For whatever it's worth the 9a's max HP is 160, and it's not an aerobatic aircraft. Sound like you could probably pick up a decent 7a, with VFR equiptment, 180HP and fixed sensenich for your budget without much problem. The 6a's are cheaper, but also older, with a bit more involved on a workmanship level.

[Brian130]

Here's an article from Van's directly:

SO YOU?RE CONSIDERING BUYING A FLYING RV

[Mel]

Whichever way your go, Be sure to get a professional pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic who is familiar with RVs. Darrell Morgan (Firebird Aviation) in Mineral Wells, TX, and myself both do quite a few pre-purchase inspections on RVs. We both charge $400 plus expenses if the airplane is not brought to our shop, and $300 if you bring it to us.
Mel...DAR

[szicree]

Mel is right, right, right! Every time I attend a fly in I am absolutely floored by the variation in workmanship level. That being said, even the crappy ones are still pretty neat planes. My point is that if I had only seen the not-so-good ones, I would probably not know the difference.

On the first versus second built thing, I wouldn't place too much stock in that. The main difference between my first plane and my second (hypothetical) would be speed of build. It would probably have a few less rivetting dings but that's about it. In any case, get somebody who's looked at lots of RV's to check it out for you and you'll do fine.

Steve Zicree
RV4

[Captain Avgas]

I would have to agree with previous posters who suggested the difference in build quality between RVs is enormous. It truly is. Many people tend to think that Vans supplies a slo-build kit that just goes together like meccano so there can't be that much difference in quality. Most prospective builders who come out to see my project are quite amazed when they realise how many parts actually have to be fabricated by the builder.

In the end only an experienced RV builder can pick the difference between a good plane and a not-so-good plane.

Can I give an example: Before I started on my RV7A empennage I went and checked out 3 local RVs very carefully and concluded that they were all really well built. After I finished my tail I went back and checked out their tails again...oops, none of them were that good. After I finished my wings I went and checked their wings again...now all the gaps, dings, non spec rivets and generally poor workmanship was apparent. As it turns out none of the 3 planes were much chop. When you build a particular plane you come to understand where the difficult parts are...and where the crucial parts are.

It is certainly not necessary to look for an RV built by a repeat builder. On the contrary, in many cases the showstoppers are built by once-only builders who spend endless years perfecting their planes and consequently only have one in them. On the other hand probably the worst RV I've ever seen was an RV8 that was built by a former RV4 builder. If you don't have an innate personal need for craftsmanship, elegance, and quality on the first plane then it is unlikely you'll acquire it on the second.

So get an RV builder to inspect any intended purchase...and better still, get a really good RV builder to do it.