Tandem vs. Side by Side

N200PF · #1 02-27-2006, 08:56 PM

OK my wife Beth and I have all our tools, (from Isham) the shop is done and we we're about to mail the order form for our -7A emp when we looked at each other and thought...huh...I wonder what the 8A is like to travel in? ...boy center line seating would be COOL (for me!/for her?)...what's the view really like for her back there...we've only flown in a -7A and I guess that's why we're ordering one...right?!?

So we set the brake and want to hear from all of you about the -8(A) as a x-country machine. I've never flown a tandem airplane and don't doubt I would love it as a solo weekend ripper (vs. the -7A) but can it work for a couple who like to travel?

(Flight data: she flies about 1 flight for every 8 I fly solo)

So lets hear it -> and don't be shy about giving BOTH positives and negatives about tandem or side by side seating!

Thanks for your thoughts!

- Peter

PS - She currently flies somewhere with me about every month or two and we like being able to see each other enroute. (she's kinda cute!)

JohnR · #2 02-27-2006, 09:01 PM

Not that I'm any kind of authority but I went with the 7 so that we would have the side-by-side seating. We will be empty nesters next year and plan on traveling a fair amount as we have relatives all over the U.S. I was probably a little like you and never thought about it too much, just ordered a 7 kit. It will be interesting to see the replies form those who have already finished and are flying.

I don't think you can go wrong with either one actually!

Phyrcooler · #3 02-27-2006, 09:02 PM

On a personal basis, I have always preferred tandem seating for its visibility - IE: sightseeing - which is a big part of flying for me. And you must admit it is more sporty. I hear comments that the -8 is almost like a mini-fighter.

But having a wonderful wife, who's company I truly enjoy - I can't help but wonder if we will be happy with her "bringing up the rear" - out of sight and touch (no comments here).

Sorry if this isn't any help. I am in the same thought evolutionary process - just much earlier on... as it will probably be a while before I make a commitment to build anything.

jcoloccia · #4 02-27-2006, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phyrcooler

But having a wonderful wife, who's company I truly enjoy - I can't help but wonder if we will be happy with her "bringing up the rear" - out of sight and touch (no comments here).

Ditto...I want to be able to share the experience with my better half. I'll save the tandem seating for the Pitts (yes, I'm planning ahead a bit....gonna build the Pitts after the Bearhawk...lol).

Also, we'd like to be able to travel with our dog. I tried talking Ellen into letting me cut him into a front-baggage-compartment half and a rear-baggage-compartment half....no sale, thus the -7

I've mostly flown Citabrias, so I know what I'm missing everytime I step into a 172 or something. If I were building the plane just for myself, I would have probably built the -8.

One more thing re: taildragger vs. nosedragger. I don't know how true this is, but I hear the taildragger -8, and the nosedragger -7A have the gear supports right through the cockpit in a most annoying place and I suppose the nosedragger -8A and the traildragger -7 don't. Maybe someone who knows what they're talking about could chime in here.

skelrad · #5 02-27-2006, 09:52 PM

I've never flown in a -7 before, but I just flew as a backseat passenger in a friend's -8 not too long ago. I was only up for about an hour, which isn't long enough to get tired of any plane that fun, but I could definitely see how it would be a bit of an issue on a long trip (thinking of my wife at least). While there's plenty of room for short jaunts, over a number of hours, I think my legs would start to get a little wrestless since they're pretty much stuck in the wells alongside the pilot's seat.

I have to say though, even from the back, the view is great. There's just something cool about being able to simply turn your head and see on either side of the plane. I'm used to having to lean way over to the side or bank hard to be able to see out the passenger window of most planes. From what I've heard, the view in a -7 is fantastic as well though, so probably not a big deal one way or the other. I was having so much fun flying my friend's -8, it honestly didn't even cross my mind that I was staring at the back of his head for the whole flight. I was too busy looking outside and yankin' and bankin'! Again, for a non-flying spouse, this may be more of an issue.

That probably doesn't help much I suppose. Personal opinion - as much fun as the -8 is due to it's fighter plane feel, I'll be starting on a -7 shortly. Having sat in the back of the -8 for a short while was enough for me to know that my wife would be much more inclined to fly with me on long trips if she were sitting right next to me. I know there's not A LOT of room in a -7, but it's at least open enough to allow the passenger to wiggle around a bit and change positions somewhat. For my wife, that's key.

MSFT-1 · #6 02-27-2006, 10:13 PM

Positives:

- Excellent visibility
- Centerline pilot view -- excellent especially on final
- Best looking of the RVs (my opinon)
- Superb for aerobatics
- Lockable storage up front is a nice feature

Negatives:

- poor to non-existent heat in the back seat
- air comes in under the back edge of the canopy
- CG is generally too far forward and thus you need a bit of ballast in the rear baggage if you fly alone
- limited panel space
- difficult to teach / demonstrate

If you fly alone a lot, the RV-8 is great. If you fly with a spouse, I would recommend the RV-7. I have flown my -8 to FL (from VA) and to Wisconsin Michigan and Pennsylvania. Always with a backseater. Generally they don't complain, but I think that's because I have a really good looking head (from the back anyway).

Bottom line, I am keeping my -8 for the foreseeable future, but I think the 7 is a better plane for most people.

I have the tailwheel. I like it and whatever plane I might have in the future is likely to have a tailwheel.

bruce
N297nw

avaviat · #7 02-27-2006, 10:58 PM

I'm building the -8A... my most likely passenger's big concern was that she would be left "alone" in the back seat and unable to talk over the engine noise. Once she understood that she'd have an ANR headset and there would be an intercom, she said either type would be fun. We both like the equal visibility to either side.

osxuser · #8 02-27-2006, 11:01 PM

I'd just build a -7 THEN start a -3 for solo flights

pierre smith · #9 02-28-2006, 03:21 AM

The wife and I took a short hop on Saturday and looked at a friend's brand new, freshly signed off-8A. Her first comment on the way home was that it
'sure is so much nicer to sit next to my baby!' Kiss..kiss..hold hands...
Ive owned tandems (AT-6, Super cubs) and fly taildraggers for a living but would rather have a nosegear, side-by-side for company and ease of communications. Methinks wifey should try on both and let her decide!!
2 cents,
Pierre

Highflight · #10 02-28-2006, 04:58 AM

And there 'ya go, put all these posts together and you can condense it all down to wanting, or not wanting, to interact with your wife during trips.

I also will probably be flying by myself in a ratio of about 8 to 1, with 8 being solo. However, since this aircraft has as it's most important mission of being a cross country aircraft for my wife and I to use all the way up to and through retirement, there never was a question that she'd sit next to me rather than behind me.

Next time you two go to church, ask your wife to sit in the row behind you and see what she says.

She may be OK with the 8 at first, but eventually, she'll start having these internal, subliminal, unconscious thoughts about your building an 8 because you can't stand to look at her and are thinking of leaving her. She can't help but think like that; she's a wife.