Great plane. Take the time to really get to know the plane, and tweak it to meet your needs.
Here is from my 4 hour flight back from oregon.
Hope you can figure out where it is.
I flew my RV9A today for the first time, yes I bought it from a friend who built it. I did training with Mike Seager to transition to this from a Cessna 182, WOW everything he taught was spot on as was my flying because of it! Fly at speed it's perfect.
Walt
I agree with what John is saying. The 9A is a very straight forward airplane - no surprises. I did some stall practice today - down to 46k, buffet, then slight drop in left wing. Recover in about 100 feet. Then on the way back to the airport I was in cruise mode at 150k. They are quite a bit slicker than a Cessna so you do have to think about what you are doing when you want to land but go-arounds are just plain fun!
What a fun place. We used to ride our bikes from Placerville to Yosemite. Did the John Muir Trail from Tahoe to Whitney one year. Beautiful.
My transition CFI had owned an RV-6A with fixed-pitch prop. He initially warned me about how slick this RV-9A would be and that it would require some pre-planning in order to get it down to appropriate speeds in the pattern. So initially, I slowed it down and was dragging that thing in from 10 miles out. It was boring. I have since found that with its constant speed prop, I can enter the pattern at pattern altitude and only then throttle back to 15/2300. I'll be at approach speed as I turn base even if I'm doing an overhead break. The CS prop makes all the difference relative to speed management in the pattern.
I have a CS prop and also have zero problems slowing down in the pattern. Which is good because the flap extension speed on the -9 is relatively low (the airplane’s only real quirk, IMHO, and it’s pretty minor).
Actually, having done a few no-flap landings for practice, I’m beginning to think a 9 with a constant speed prop could do without flaps entirely, like a Cessna 120.No-flap landings in the 9 are a total non-event handling-wise, and the effect on landing distance doesn’t appear to be massive. Obviously with flaps installed it’s better to use them, but I really don’t think they’d be missed all that much if the plane didn’t have them.
No flaps, I'm usually over the fence at 65 knots. Full flaps, 60 knots.
My speed and flap decisions usually depend on the runway and wind. On two of the runways at home, it's rare that I can't make the first turn-off. From the other directions, I either have to fly more than a mile down the runway, or have a very long taxi.
I practice short/soft field landings, but it would be pretty rare for me to land at an airport that would require them.
So for the -9/9As, the flap limit speeds are 100 MPH/87 Kts up to 15 degrees, and 90 MPH/78 Kts to full flaps (32 degrees).
I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking for an answer on this, including calling and emailing Vans. I’ve been specifically asking for VFE on the initial flap settings. Every time “we only publish full flap speed limit and you should use that for all flaps”. This has become more of an issue now that I’m training for IFR. Difficult in the 9 to lose speed an altitude without any flaps in, and I really don’t like flying slow early in an approach.From the Van’s construction manual.
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So for the -9/9As, the flap limit speeds are 100 MPH/87 Kts up to 15 degrees, and 90 MPH/78 Kts to full flaps (32 degrees).
In my experience the only way to slow the 9 down is to pitch up slightly, once I see less than 100kts, I will just touch some flaps in which starts the slowing down process even further where I can put more flaps in.I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking for an answer on this, including calling and emailing Vans. I’ve been specifically asking for VFE on the initial flap settings. Every time “we only publish full flap speed limit and you should use that for all flaps”. This has become more of an issue now that I’m training for IFR. Difficult in the 9 to lose speed an altitude without any flaps in, and I really don’t like flying slow early in an approach.
THANK YOU!
Do you recommend programming the flap position toggle to momentary/push and hold for movement? Mine is currently programmed for a flap 1,2,3 position. Recently I’ve noticed that the positions cycle just fine on the ground, but I have to hold the switch down after selecting flaps 3 position to reach full flaps while in flight. Hoping it’s not a sign that the flap motors are on the way out.In my experience the only way to slow the 9 down is to pitch up slightly, once I see less than 100kts, I will just touch some flaps in which starts the slowing down process even further where I can put more flaps in.
Flying an approach, it is hard to get it to slow down, while in a descent. Full idle, and just a small touch of flaps will start the process. Slips are also a tool I use often to decend, without going faster.
Yep, Mike is like that.I did training with Mike Seager to transition to this from a Cessna 182, WOW everything he taught was spot on as was my flying because of it!
Walt
I had this problem with my original flap motor from PH aviation (Never used the ones from Vans)..... Recently I’ve noticed that the positions cycle just fine on the ground, but I have to hold the switch down after selecting flaps 3 position to reach full flaps while in flight. Hoping it’s not a sign that the flap motors are on the way out.
Why oh why?I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking for an answer on this, including calling and emailing Vans. I’ve been specifically asking for VFE on the initial flap settings. Every time “we only publish full flap speed limit and you should use that for all flaps”. This has become more of an issue now that I’m training for IFR. Difficult in the 9 to lose speed an altitude without any flaps in, and I really don’t like flying slow early in an approach.
THANK YOU!
I’m assuming the flap area on the 9 is quite a bit larger than that of the shorter-winged aerobatic variants, which is likely the reason for the lower full flap Vfe. What I couldn’t understand is why they wouldn’t openly publish Vfe for different, common flap angles. Descending and bleeding speed down to 78 knots takes an awful long time in my plane (IO-320 fixed pitch prop). By the time that happens I have to dump full flaps. Hard to fly a “stabilized approach” at a reasonable speed when you don’t have the ability to step the flaps in gradually. A nightmare for an RV pilot has to be a Cessna calling you during an approach asking you to speed up!Why oh why?
Why cant we make 15 degrees 90Kts / 104 mph?
Please tell me the math is OK so i can fly IFR approaches at 90 kts.
Or can I make partial flaps for the 9A at 10 degrees and upper speed limit at 95 kts / 110 mph?
I’m beginning to think reprogramming my flap switch as a momentary switch without preset flap positions would give me more control to ease them in as you described. Being able to put in a touch of flaps at 100kts would be a huge help.In my experience the only way to slow the 9 down is to pitch up slightly, once I see less than 100kts, I will just touch some flaps in which starts the slowing down process even further where I can put more flaps in.
Flying an approach, it is hard to get it to slow down, while in a descent. Full idle, and just a small touch of flaps will start the process. Slips are also a tool I use often to decend, without going faster.
With a constant speed prop, I've found that throttling back to 15 inches with prop set at 2300 RPM as I enter downwind will have me at 80 knots by the time I turn base. If I'm high as I'm approaching the pattern, I will throttle back sooner and point the nose down a bit to get to pattern altitude. As I pitch back up when I get there, the speed fall off rapidly to 80 knots. On most runways, I use flaps more for pitching me forward enough to see better over the nose.In my experience the only way to slow the 9 down is to pitch up slightly, once I see less than 100kts, I will just touch some flaps in which starts the slowing down process even further where I can put more flaps in.
Flying an approach, it is hard to get it to slow down, while in a descent. Full idle, and just a small touch of flaps will start the process. Slips are also a tool I use often to decend, without going faster.
I have 250 hours in the 9A. it doesnt get easier.I’m assuming the flap area on the 9 is quite a bit larger than that of the shorter-winged aerobatic variants, which is likely the reason for the lower full flap Vfe. What I couldn’t understand is why they wouldn’t openly publish Vfe for different, common flap angles. Descending and bleeding speed down to 78 knots takes an awful long time in my plane (IO-320 fixed pitch prop). By the time that happens I have to dump full flaps. Hard to fly a “stabilized approach” at a reasonable speed when you don’t have the ability to step the flaps in gradually. A nightmare for an RV pilot has to be a Cessna calling you during an approach asking you to speed up!
Full disclaimer: I am a 145.5 hour pilot with only 45 in the 9, so it is absolutely possible that my challenges are pilot induced. However, it is not uncommon to see threads on VAF with people discussing this exact topic as it pertains to the 9.
From the Van’s construction manual.
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So for the -9/9As, the flap limit speeds are 100 MPH/87 Kts up to 15 degrees, and 90 MPH/78 Kts to full flaps (32 degrees).
You’re welcome. It is disconcerting that Van’s Support seems to be unaware of what some of the Limit Speeds of their airplanes are or what they publish in their construction manuals. I wonder if it is because of the outflow of experienced Van’s employees, many of whom derived those numbers and wrote the manuals.I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking for an answer on this, including calling and emailing Vans. I’ve been specifically asking for VFE on the initial flap settings. Every time “we only publish full flap speed limit and you should use that for all flaps”. This has become more of an issue now that I’m training for IFR. Difficult in the 9 to lose speed an altitude without any flaps in, and I really don’t like flying slow early in an approach.
THANK YOU!
That seems to be the case. Multiple people there at Van’s went by the figures posted on the website for full flaps and stated that if that’s what the engineers said to stick to it and that they’re unable to make any other recommendations. I get it from a liability standpoint, but doesn’t really jive with the experimental spirit especially when the engineers have, in fact, provided more information and they’re simply unaware of it.You’re welcome. It is disconcerting that Van’s Support seems to be unaware of what some of the Limit Speeds of their airplanes are or what they publish in their construction manuals. I wonder if it is because of the outflow of experienced Van’s employees, many of whom derived those numbers and wrote the manuals.
There is a plethora of good info in the plans and construction manuals, as well as other stuff published by Van’s Aircraft and by Van himself. It just takes a little time to familiarize oneself with those.