T

Tom Maxwell

Well Known Member
It is interesting to me that so many current and ex military fighter pilots build and fly RVs. After flying high performance military aircraft for so many years, I wonder what it is about an RV that they find satisfying. Seems to me that after flying around at 600+ miles per hour and going from sea level to 15K in less than 30 seconds that flying an RV (or any GA aircraft) might just be a little bit...well...boring. Is it just the drive to "fly something / anything," or is there something else about flying an RV that could be considered "even better" than flying one of Uncle Sam's finest.

What say yea military pilots? What attracts you to RVs?
 
Need a ride

Just like us, they need a ride to go someplace. Since they can't take the F-15 to Mom's house for Mother's Day in Yuma, from Pensacola, go by RV. :D On military officer's pay, they can't afford a P-51 or turbine Lancair!
 
A roll is a roll and a loop is a loop. Everything is relative.

When I flew for the Air Force I flew their required mission profiles.

When I finish and fly my RV, I will fly the missions I want, when I want.

Besides, now that I'm out, the military option is gone and I can't afford a T-38!

MikeJ (B-52, T-38 IP, B-1B)
 
Stick & Rudder

I'm not a military pilot, but from what I gather, the military pilots who regularly fly GA aircraft are stick & rudder pilots. Whether it is an F-16 or an RV, it is still flying. I knew a pilot who flew F-16's in the Air Force and flew a Piper Cub on the weekends.

I think that the RVs are particularly attractive to these people because they have good stick & rudder (handling) characteristics.
 
Military RV builders

I'm building a -10 for the interior room, speed, and relative cost. You can't get anywhere near the performance of an RV for less than double the price in anything maufactured! Unfortunately, with near 2000 hrs in F/A-18s I'm ruined speed wise (my rear end is only good for 1.5 hrs!) but, I can build an entire RV-10 with a full glass cockpit and new engine for less than the price of a Super Hornet horizontal stabilizer...
 
Fly low

tnelson said:
... Unfortunately, with near 2000 hrs in F/A-18s I'm ruined speed wise ...
Click to expand...
Just fly your RV really low, and it will feel faster. :)
 
bang for the buck, need transportation, and want a stick (no yoke). I miss the first plane I flew in (T34). At the time I was just learning to fly, but now I wish I could fly it for fun. I figured an RV would get me close. Your right about low, at alt being fast doesn't seem fast, but when your low you can tell your moving along rather quickly.
 
You can't buy that type of performance for a regular GA plane without spending lots of money. The -8 fits me because it feels like a fighter when I sit down in the front cockpit (well minus all my gear). The visibility is extremely good. It looks good and fast just sitting on the ramp. All the spam can driver envy your sexy little Experimental (you have to look cool). But the best part of it all, is when you can take your significant other flying and showing them the passion you have for flight. The same passion that got you flying in the first place. Can't really take a family member flying in uncle Sam's aircraft. Well guess you may be able to do it just once. Don't know what would happen after that :rolleyes:
 
Wow! Where do I begin. I can summarize all the reasons why many miltary pilots fly RVs in one word...

FREEDOM

which is why we're in the military to begin with.

Freedom to fly when I want where I want at a cost that is reaonable, in an airplane that is a delight to fly, is attractive, gets in and out of almost any kind of strip, and has the speed and range to make it useful.

The ultimate aircraft would be one that flies at Mach 2.5+, has 8000 mi legs, is fully aerobatic (including lomcevaks, snaps, and torque rolls), can get into 600' grass strips, has sexy lines like the T-38, F-16, or B-1, and costs $10/hr to operate. No one has come up with it yet... but, Vans comes close.

JERRY ESQUENAZI, Maj, USAF
C-130E, T-37B IP, T-1A IP, C-17A, T-6A IP
 
late this afternoon at Chino,CA--

"RV174MM, cleared for take off 26R, caution wake turbulence-- flight of two F-18 Hornets departing."

THANKS FOR THE FREEDOM
 
No Guns or bombs

I have never flown aluminium with guns or bombs attached, but for what it is worth, here is a list of some of the machines I have flown, in order of preference I would like to fly tomorrow morning:

RV (any)
DC-9
B777
A330
Libelle Sailplane
F27
Tiger Moth
Pawnee
B747-200.
Pete.

PS. I hope I never have to fly a B737 again.
 
My Friend flew the F 18, F 101, T 33 , Canadair Tutor ( CAF Snowbirds )
and a number of other high performance types with the Canadian Air Force. He now flys an airliner and has a kolb ultralight for his fun airplane. He visits my shop often to help me pound rivits on my RV 8 . We sit in the ejection seat that he gave me and talk aviation, believe me I am humbled by his experience.The one thing that strikes me though is that is that he not only loved to fly fighters but like the rest of us just love to fly period .
 
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