Impossible
future-RV-owner said:
Silly question, but I am a 5000TT, ATP/MEI, with two turbine types, and looking to buy a already-made RV-7 or RV-8.
With that said, I have ZERO tail wheel time. Can a tricycle driver like myself learn? thanks
No you can't you are beyond hope, as what's his name Ted said; Airline pilots and guys with type ratings suck?
With 3-5 hours of dual I am sure we could get you comfortable. The issue is insurance if you are planning to get insurance.
It's not a skill thing, you will learn it. RV's are like fast Piper Cubs, very docile. It's like when you had 50 hours in your log book, pick your days to fly. You will have no problem. Get some dual in a taildragger. A Citabria is fine, but a RV is better. Check Van's web site for instructors who have planes to give dual in. This is highly recommend and will have insurance advantages.
There is no min training for the taildragger endorsement, but 2 to 5 hours is a reasonable number. Like all training it is to proficiency. It's totally reasonable and legal to get X hours at a local FBO in a Citabria and than fly your newly purchased RV. Legal but may be not the best scenario. It has been done this way before no doubt 100's of times successfully, but would recommend some RV time, even if its a joy ride with another RV, logged or not.
I had about 100 hours taildragger time with no real previous RV time when I first flew my RV. It was anti-climatic, as has been for the last 1000 hours plus of RV flying since. BTW I am a brain dead airline guy and got my TG endorsement in 2 hours. 13 years ago they did not have RV training as they now do. However I did have the advantage of flying in a RV once or twice. Once with Van the Man himself on a short demo ride and another time in a friends RV-4, so I was not without a clue. It was not training but at least I has some experience.
If you are willing to fly without insurance you can gain time and than apply for insurance with time in type. With your total time and lets say 10 hours of dual in type you can expect full meal deal insurance to be around $1,800/yr. (dependant on haul value insurance of course). Other wise they want to see (more the merrier) at least 50-100 hours in type if you did not go thru type spacific training.
If you buy a plane I can give you dual, sign you off in your plane possibly, if the logistics work out. However two turbine guys in one RV, hmmmm.
Seriously you really should look into the insurance requirements (call them, Falcon's Texas office) and find out what they need, just as a data point. Than consider getting dual from one of the instructors listed on his web site. They train spacifically in RV's.
If you are going for haul insurance your "underwriter" will want time in TYPE. Now there are not any dual RV-8's for hire (training) I know of. Even if you plan on getting training in the RV-8 you buy, many (most) are not suitable for dual (lack of dual controls-rudder pedals, throttle, brakes, instruments). I would not fly with a new (to RV's) pilot with out stick, rudder and throttle.
Most insurance companies will buy off on dual in a RV-6 or RV-7 for the RV-8. You may have to argue with them, but they will eventually relize that you are not going to get dual in a RV-8. They know (or should) original wing RV's (dash 4 thru 8) have similar flight characteristics. Some will negotiate and say no passengers for 25 hours as an example.
This who insurance thing is further complicated if its a new plane flying off the flight time. Many insurance companies will not even insure first flight unless you jump thru more hoops. Since you plan on buying a flying bird this should not be an issue. If you don't buy insurance or at least at first all this is moot. That is your business and willingness to expose yourself to risk and loss. I would highly recommend liability and haul for ground not in motion or in motion. This is about 1/2 as expensive, but if you ball it up flying, you are out of luck and eat the loss. Worse case is flying into someone or something, I am not sure what they will cover. Enough on insurance, but check it out. Again Falcon is a good place to start. Call their headquarters in Kerrville, TX, contact info on their web site:
http://www.falconinsurance.com/index.html
