Which RV?

  • 3

    Votes: 13 2.4%

  • 4

    Votes: 31 5.7%

  • 7

    Votes: 67 12.2%

  • 7A

    Votes: 62 11.3%

  • 8

    Votes: 146 26.6%

  • 8A

    Votes: 19 3.5%

  • 9

    Votes: 15 2.7%

  • 9A

    Votes: 64 11.7%

  • 10

    Votes: 130 23.7%

  • 12

    Votes: 1 0.2%
  • Total voters
    548
DeltaRomeo

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
I'm curious as to the most favored model of RV as seen by the readership.

Q: Assuming someone handed you the keys to a completely finished, painted and phase 1 flown off RV of your choice - perfect condition - which one would you choose? You don't have to build it or pay for it, just enjoy it.

Remember, you don't have to build it!
 
I'd take a 10 because it would be worth more. I'd fly it for a while and then see if I want to trade it for another one :)
 
9A is my favorite

I built and fly a 6A and it is great, but since I work at Van's and get to fly all the demo planes, the 9a is the hands down winner for me.


Bruce Reynolds, 450 hours on my -6A
 
Choose ONE?

Hmmm... that is hard... SUV (-10) or sports (-8A)... 10 or 8... 10 or 8... or wait... maybe a 9A?

Maybe this is why I own a car and a truck!:D
 
Q: Assuming someone handed you the keys to a completely finished, painted and phase 1 flown off RV of your choice - perfect condition - which one would you choose? You don't have to build it or pay for it, just enjoy it.

Remember, you don't have to build it![/QUOTE]

Doug,
are you volunteering yours? ;) (lol)

For me the 8 is what I'm looking for....now, if I could just have Ironflight drop his off for me.......

Jeff
 
Harmon Rocket or his little brother the RV4

You left off the Harmon Rocket. Everything a 4 is and more. If it has to be an original RV design, the 4 wins hands down. The 8 just went way off track. Maybe he was trying to distance himself from the farmer from Bako.
 
Humvee27 said:
snip...Doug, are you volunteering yours? (lol) ...snip
Click to expand...
Absolutely! I voted for the RV-4. I've often said if I ever build again it will be a simple RV-4, it's more nimble than the 6/7/8/9/10 and I'll stand a chance at waxing Scorch and Sky's tails for once. They didn't teach a lot of dogfighting at Baylor <g>.

I want the back seat for cargo and the occasional (small) pax. I find most of the time I'm flying solo and in formation or yanking and banking (90% of the time).

b,
d
 
New RV model coming out!!!

Have you heard about the new RV-10X that they are going to build?

I would pick the RV 10-X; that is the new stretch RV 10 with 18" of extra length, and 150 more pounds of weight it can carry. Should be out sometime in 2007!!!
 
My grandpa built a 6a.. and between me and him we flew quite a few hours (before i got my ticket) and i have thought and thought and thought about this same scenario... It would have to be a 7 w/ a 200hp 0-360.. :D I would want my wife sitting next to me and not behind me.. I love how they fly and how they look.. :D

If anyone has seen or knows the owner of this plane let me know wouldnt mind dropping him an e-mail...

normal_DCP_0053.JPG


Last rumored to be around the washington state neigborhood! That was my grandpas and we loved flying it... But i grew busy w/ school and put on a few extra pounds and he didnt like to fly by himself so he sold it... It sucks to know that i was one of the reasons he built it.. i didnt learn about this till after the fact!
 
No intrest in it

Having a plane handed to me has absolutely no appeal - no more fantacies at this stage of life. If the question were which do you think is the best I would say the straight "8" with all the power it can handle and the best prop and accessories.

Bob Axsom
 
I chose the 10 only because I'm assuming that we don't have to buy the gas either. Otherwise it's the 9A all the way.
 
-7 with a big motor. -10 takes too much gas, 8 is nice but has more W&B issues. I like the Acro... If I had a #2 it'd be a -3.
 
Turn & Burn.... or cruising.

The horse power fans are all going for the nimble and the aerobatic models. The Van's employee and I both agree. My RV-9A "Enterprise" now has 208.5 hours on it since June 9, 2005. My pilot log book has over 400 hours in it. Twelve Young Eagles have "beamed up" with me. Think I have been having fun seeing America? Yep!

Jerry K. Thorne
East Ridge, Tennessee
(Chattanooga area)
RV-9A N2PZ
www.n2prise.org

The whole story of my RV-9A experience is online there.
Oshkosh 2006 flight arrival and departure videos online.
 
Pie in the sky, so to speak. RV8 with the Inodyne turboprop. To quote Stimpson J. Cat, it makes the coolest noises.

Charlie Springer
 
Why not the 6A?

Doug, you phrased the question as a gift, not a build, so what difference does it make that the 6/6A is no longer offered by the factory? To my mind, that just makes it more valuable.

I had the choice of either the 7A or 6A when I bought my kit and I chose the 6A even though it was much more difficult to build. The stronger wing design was a consideration as well as the fact that it performs better on 160 hp -- which turned out to be a good thing due to the crankshaft AD's on the O-360's. It's got a much longer track record and even today there are more examples in the field. There have been far fewer gear leg failures, probably because the legs are shorter. I even prefer the more compact look -- I think it looks sportier.

Unless you specify equipment (which you didn't) the only physical advantage of the 7A over the 6A is a couple of inches of cabin space and a theoretically higher gross weight.

Other people like me might consider the 6's advantages more important to them, and both types are widely available on the market.

So how about allowing us our choice?
 
Four

I built a -7. More sociable
I have 60 hr on the -8. Nicer to land and roll.
Meanwhile, I have a deposit in my pocket, waiting for a -4QB.
Come on Van. Let's have it.
Pete.
 
RV-10

I'm building a 7 and I'm sure I'll like it, but when we toured the Van's factory last year, my wife asked me why I wasn't building a 10. :rolleyes: Answer: Because it wasn't available when I started the 7 and because it costs more to build and to fly. Her eyes still light up whenever she sees a photo of a 10. When I finally finish my 7, we'll see then if a 10 is in our future.
So if it were free per Doug's offer, it would be the 10. That's how I voted... and I'm sticking to it.
Don
 
Dream On...

Doug,
As stated earlier, you left off the coolest RV, The Harmon Rocket 2. The Rocket is everything the RV4 is plus alot more, anything else is a pure compromise.
Now that I have an RV4 and...an HR2, I can tell you, nothing else is even on the same planet, except the F16...:)



Rob Ray

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Here's my vote...
 
I get to keep my current (almost finished) 7A, right? In that case I'll take a 4 or 8. The wife can bring the kid along in the 7A. :)
 
Bruce Reynolds said:
I built and fly a 6A and it is great, but since I work at Van's and get to fly all the demo planes, the 9a is the hands down winner for me.


Bruce Reynolds, 450 hours on my -6A
Click to expand...

Bruce,

For those of us who simply cannot keep from wavering back and forth between a 7(A) and a 9(A), can you give us your reasons for the 9(A) being the "hands down winner"?

And, yes, I do understnad that the standard "Bruce's opinions do not represent the opinions of his employer....yada, yada, yada" disclaimers apply.
:D
 
Bruce Reynolds said:
I built and fly a 6A and it is great, but since I work at Van's and get to fly all the demo planes, the 9a is the hands down winner for me.


Bruce Reynolds, 450 hours on my -6A
Click to expand...

Bruce I'd be interested in learning why the 9A is commonly cited as being favored over the -9 by Van's staff. I would have thought that the 9 would be everything the 9A is and a little more flexible?

I too recognize that this would not be any 'postion' taken or representation made by the Company.

thanks

John
 
John, I'm sure Bruce will chime in, but I've heard them all say it's because of the long wings give it a smoother ride through turbulence. They do a lot of long trips <g>.

b,
d
 
Best RV ?

I voted for the 8...but...

I have 1300+ RV 6 hours and 200+ RV 8 hours. I like both for different reasons.
My favorite RV dosen't exist. It would a RV8 with no fwd baggege door, RV4 Gear, and a smaller canopy.
 
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Rocket On!

Jay, when you fly a Rocket, there will be no doubt which is your fave...

2500fpm climb, 270MPH vne, same cost as an 8, much stronger, quicker roll rate and best of all, it's an RV4+!

RR

www.harmonrocket.com
 
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Smokey,

Email your phone number!

b,
d



smokyray said:
Jay, when you fly a Rocket, there will be no doubt which is your fave...

2500fpm climb, 270MPH vne, same cost as an 8, much stronger, quicker roll rate and best of all, it's an RV4+!

RR

www.harmonrocket.com
Click to expand...
 
9 or 9A. Unpretentious, obvious refinement with that hint of excitement. Does not try to ?show off? with silly aerobatics and the like as do some lesser RVs. The discerning gentleman?s RV.

Fin
9A (naturally)
 
Which would you take?

I own a 7A and l love it. It is my Porsche. I go 200mph anytime I want to with no speeding tickets to worry about. It is sporty, stable and I fly formation with it. I would not let it go.

But I voted for the 10. Why not it's FREE. :D I would own a sports plane and a family plane. Who cares about the gas price it's FREE. I could not think of another combination a 7 and a 10 WOW. By the way Doug made up the question and he selected the aircraft choices. Make up your own if you want.
Kudos to Doug for asking.

Tad Sargent
155 hours and counting
Giving numerous builders rides
Plane ole VFR 7A
 
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