Ed_Wischmeyer
Well Known Member
So here’s the deal – I’ve owned an RV-4 (350 hours, sold to get a 1959 Cessna 175 family plane), an RV-8A (acquired in a trade, flown about 50 hours, sold when I moved for a new job) and the current RV-8 (about 50 hours so far, including a coast to coast flight to bring her home). But the Cessna never sold, despite numerous attempts – till now.
The Cessna’s a real sweetheart, a strong contender for nicest Cessna 175 in the country, maybe in the world. She’ll even do 250 knots – takes two flights. I didn’t do more long flights in her because she was slow, but she was super easy to fly IFR, easy to land on the very middle of the centerline, even in gusty crosswinds, everything. But since the wife left and I had to send my wonderful black Lab home to her maker, I really don’t need a big family plane any more.
With the Cessna moving to Idaho, I’m now looking for my “last airplane,” as I’ll turn 66 shortly. And with the recovery from spinal fusion surgery taking every bit as long as the doctor predicted, despite overachieving at physical therapy, I’m thinking that my last airplane should be a long wing RV. One reason is so that I can have an instrument trainer / stable instrument platform fast enough for real X-C. Another reason is that I can land a nosewheel airplane extremely well, even when I’m having a really bad day and the weather is ugly. (Six months after surgery, I still don’t have the energy reserves to solo with a risk level that I’ll accept, and that means that regaining full tailwheel proficiency is even farther off). And also, nosewheel airplanes are lots safer on the ramp because of the better visibility.
Since my day job is designing futuristic concepts and procedures for jets, I have strong (and extremely well-justified!) opinions about what a cockpit should have and should look like. Translation – I’ll put 40 grand of new avionics into whatever plane is next. (Of the five airplanes I’ve owned, I redid the panel in three). And there are few paint schemes that I really like, especially boring white base with trim, so that’s another ten grand for paint.
RV-9A slider with constant speed prop? Sure, that’s a nice flying plane but 150 knots (at reasonable propeller RPM) is a touch slow for really long cross country, and it’s only adequate in terms of room and payload. I’d be real happy to find one already flying, beautifully built, that I could affordably upgrade to my specs, or to find one of those rare but really do exist projects for sale for a song and very well along.
RV-14A? Probably the best fit for my requirements, but there’re none flying yet. I love the extra room and the lower cockpit sides, but after my back surgery, I’d have to find a project well along at a really good price. It will be a long while before I can assemble aircraft parts like a normal person, and some spinal flexibility is gone for good.
RV-10? Sure, another great choice. The only problem is that the prices are way high because they’ve been expensive to build and everybody puts a ton of stuff in them. Realistically speaking, I can’t justify paying very much for two seats that would rarely get filled, and slaking the thirst of two more big cylinders is not a plus, either. The baggage door is a bonus, though, and I’d think real hard about ways to add a baggage door to a -9A or a -14A.
Non-RV contenders? I like the Pipistrel Virus SW (short wing) motorglider, and it can fly 147 knots with a 100 HP Rotax. Not sure that I could fit an IFR panel in it, though, they’re not cheap, and I don’t know how well my surgically repaired back would fit. There’s the GlaStar Sportsman 2+2, but that plane will only do about 140 knots, and they are pricey! For local flying, the AirCam can’t be beat, and the SeaRey is wonderful if you live in seaplane country, which I don’t.
So help me out please and keep your eyes and ears open -- I’ve got cash for the right opportunity, and patience to wait for it. And in the mean time, what a great topic for hangar flying!
The Cessna’s a real sweetheart, a strong contender for nicest Cessna 175 in the country, maybe in the world. She’ll even do 250 knots – takes two flights. I didn’t do more long flights in her because she was slow, but she was super easy to fly IFR, easy to land on the very middle of the centerline, even in gusty crosswinds, everything. But since the wife left and I had to send my wonderful black Lab home to her maker, I really don’t need a big family plane any more.
With the Cessna moving to Idaho, I’m now looking for my “last airplane,” as I’ll turn 66 shortly. And with the recovery from spinal fusion surgery taking every bit as long as the doctor predicted, despite overachieving at physical therapy, I’m thinking that my last airplane should be a long wing RV. One reason is so that I can have an instrument trainer / stable instrument platform fast enough for real X-C. Another reason is that I can land a nosewheel airplane extremely well, even when I’m having a really bad day and the weather is ugly. (Six months after surgery, I still don’t have the energy reserves to solo with a risk level that I’ll accept, and that means that regaining full tailwheel proficiency is even farther off). And also, nosewheel airplanes are lots safer on the ramp because of the better visibility.
Since my day job is designing futuristic concepts and procedures for jets, I have strong (and extremely well-justified!) opinions about what a cockpit should have and should look like. Translation – I’ll put 40 grand of new avionics into whatever plane is next. (Of the five airplanes I’ve owned, I redid the panel in three). And there are few paint schemes that I really like, especially boring white base with trim, so that’s another ten grand for paint.
RV-9A slider with constant speed prop? Sure, that’s a nice flying plane but 150 knots (at reasonable propeller RPM) is a touch slow for really long cross country, and it’s only adequate in terms of room and payload. I’d be real happy to find one already flying, beautifully built, that I could affordably upgrade to my specs, or to find one of those rare but really do exist projects for sale for a song and very well along.
RV-14A? Probably the best fit for my requirements, but there’re none flying yet. I love the extra room and the lower cockpit sides, but after my back surgery, I’d have to find a project well along at a really good price. It will be a long while before I can assemble aircraft parts like a normal person, and some spinal flexibility is gone for good.
RV-10? Sure, another great choice. The only problem is that the prices are way high because they’ve been expensive to build and everybody puts a ton of stuff in them. Realistically speaking, I can’t justify paying very much for two seats that would rarely get filled, and slaking the thirst of two more big cylinders is not a plus, either. The baggage door is a bonus, though, and I’d think real hard about ways to add a baggage door to a -9A or a -14A.
Non-RV contenders? I like the Pipistrel Virus SW (short wing) motorglider, and it can fly 147 knots with a 100 HP Rotax. Not sure that I could fit an IFR panel in it, though, they’re not cheap, and I don’t know how well my surgically repaired back would fit. There’s the GlaStar Sportsman 2+2, but that plane will only do about 140 knots, and they are pricey! For local flying, the AirCam can’t be beat, and the SeaRey is wonderful if you live in seaplane country, which I don’t.
So help me out please and keep your eyes and ears open -- I’ve got cash for the right opportunity, and patience to wait for it. And in the mean time, what a great topic for hangar flying!
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