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yank&bank

I'm New Here
Hello all,
I am dreaming about being able to pick me up a RV sometime next year and was wondering pro and cons of both. For example how much baggage can a RV4 carry ie: two dufflebags etc, aerobatic abilities of both. Personally I will be flying solo most of the time but would like to take passengers. Does the 4 have good leg room comfort for the "gib"(guy/girl in back). I am just looking for real world opinions of those who fly or ride in these two models. Please help me out. Thanks all.

Yank&bank
 
RV-4, 600 hours

I assume you mean, "pick up" as in a finished RV.

If you are inclined to buy used than there are still deals on the RV-4, at $40,000. The current ones for sale $42K, $48K and $52. The RV-6 tend to go for more $$ (I assume is an indication of what the market dictates) and the RV-7,8,9,10 forget it, people want vital organs and first born for them. A good used RV-6 base price, with some nice features go for about $60,000. Some "Show planes" go for over $100,000. So if money is an issue than this might help you. RV-4's are going up also, but still represent the better value for the buyer on the used market from what I see.

I flew my RV-4 for +600 hours and loved it, before selling it. I am building a RV-7 for more room. If the RV-7 were not around I would build the RV-6, because I want more room. Even solo the extra room next to you is nice to have. They both fly well and the difference is so small and performance so close it is not a real factor. The top gun center seating is cool but has the obvious draw back of less elbowroom. The RV-6 shines here.

I am not high up on the Bubba scale, and the RV-4 was a good fit. Once I flew out to Oshkosh with camping gear** and the girlfriend in the back. We camped at Oshkosh for the better part of a week, and Johnson Creek, ID, on the way back to the West cost after the show. I also took many long X-C's from the North-West to Arizona.

**Camping gear: Light weight two person tent, light weight sleeping bags/ bed rolls and mats, small backpacking single burner stove, two duffle bags with clothes and personal items, folding camp chairs, soft collapsible cooler, some food. You have the aft baggage compartment. In the cockpit small soft bags can go under the legs of the passenger. It was amazing how much we got into the plane. CG and weight was OK because the passenger was a lightweight and the camping gear was towards the exotic light weight backpack end of the scale and not the car camping Colman end of the scale. We got supplies on the ground at Oshkosh. At J-Creek, supplies are a short flight away at McCall, ID or a short drive to Yellow Pine, ID.

The RV-6 is going to be easier to load (and has a little more room). You will also have less of a CG issue with passenger and bags in the -6. The RV-4 handling at the aft, aft end of the CG range is very different than when solo. In fact when landing you have to be careful not to over flare with aft CG. The first landing with a passenger may surprise you if you where not ready. You will have full nose down trim when landing, and if you normally have some back pressure on landing solo, with a passenger you may need natural or even slight fwd pressure to keep the tail wheel from touching first. Not a big deal, but the RV-6 is not going to have such a large pitch feel change with a passenger. Not a big issue for some one who fly?s solo a lot, which most of us do. On a X-C the RV-6 is a little plusher.

The passenger is fairly comfortable in the RV-4 and can stretch their legs out on each side of the pilot. The view for the passenger forward at best is poor. As far as interaction you might as well be flying in formation in two different planes. You can twist around and look at the back-seater but it is not easy. It is like talking to a person thru the crack in a partially opened door with the security chain still on.

The RV-4 fly?s like a RV, meaning it is fun. I have flow RV-6's and it is also a hoot. If you going on the used market it is going to be hard to get any deals on any RV. Be ready to pay at least $50,000-$60,000 for a nice basic RV. That number for a well equipped one is closer to $70,000-$80,000 and on up. It is a matter of getting what you pay for.

If you are going to buy used check the archives of on the older RV's problems. They are study, but some week points have been corrected over time. So depending on the vintage of your used RV, you want to know what level of revisions the RV is at. (tank slosh sealant, 0.16 elevator skins, rudder pedal weldement, filtered airbox or non-filtered, engine mount firewall fittings, short edge margins on rear spar attach). All the usual cautions on engine and prop apply to a RV as any plane. If you never owned a plane get a A&P mechaninc to check the engine out and log books for AD's. Also a long time RV builder (who built that model) would be nice to have on hand to inspect and fly it.

My question for you is do you have some tools, desire and basic skills (working on cars, motorcycles, building or wrench turning) to work on you RV. The reason I ask is RV's are amateur build planes, as you know. Also the placard on the panel states, "It may not meet FAA airworthiness standards." What that means is you will need to consider that your RV will need to be worked on, repaired, rebuilt and maintained. Think of the RV as a sports car and not a mini van. They take a little maintenance and fiddling. The chances are the local A&P has never built a RV. Having him work on it will cost a lot; Part of the deal in owning an experimental is working on it. Really that is the advantage. It is fun and you will learn a lot. That is what it is about. Depending on how well built the plane is, which there are no guarantees (standard), determines how reliable and the level of maintenance it will need.

Pick wisely. I have seen beautiful used RV?s and real problem children. Some down right scary stuff. I think the pre-punched kits have improved the average quality, but the RV-4 and RV-6 are pre pre-punched kits. Consider building your own RV.

G
 
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This question is one which highlights the exceptional offerings of Van's. The choices are such that with few exceptions, one can find the aircraft best suited for his specific needs and feel assured the model will perform in explemary fashion.

That said, my personal requirements were based upon my wanting center-line seating since I was accustomed to T-34s and Citabrias. I like being on center for numerous reasons and the pax just has to be able to sit in the glass tunnel and adjust. I have had few complaints from those who have ridden in back. I did pick up a Garmin 196 to occupy the backseater on long rides, tho.

Since you mentioned that most of your flying will be solo, you might also really like that center-line business-- It's great for 'recovery from unusual attitudes', etc., plus (and this is a personal view) I think the -4 is the best looking of all Van's offerings.

Good luck in your decision and your search.
 
thanks alot all,
the information you have shared is pretty through. As far as tinkering goes I have built RC models frequently. Everything from helicopters to turbine powered scale jets. So I would think some tinkering would be okay. As a matter of fact the only reason I dont build one is my girl hates it when I am on a building binge spending whole nights putting planes togethter so I couldnt even imagine how she would feel if I had a 1k hour kit plane to complete sitting in the garage. she might have to go, just kidding. looking at the current avg price of rv I am leaning toward the 4, I am 5 10 and 160lbs after eating at a las vegas buffet haha I am thinking a 4 should be roomy enough. my girls wt is well she says classified go figure. anyone got photos of inside the rear pass and baggage area, or with a person sitting inside the cockpits. for xc i think a 6 would be the ticket but for the majority of flights i would be solo so i would like to see what the elbow room for the two is. thanks again. ps any RVers near kvgt, aka North Las Vegas.
Yank&bank
 
-4 vs -6

I have a -4, and have about 85 hrs in a -6A. I MUCH prefer my -4 for space. You sit in the middle of the -4, but are squeezed over to the side in the -6. The owner of the -6A isn't a large person, but the two of us on a trip from Colorado to the Watsonville fly-in was not comfortable at all. The shoulder on one side was up against the top longeron, and the other shoulder was against the other person. I have plenty of room on both sides for shoulders and elbows in my -4.

In the -6, with the left hand on the stick, and the right hand on the throttle, I have to curl my hand in to get full stick back, as the elbow room is limited. This is partly due to the odd pocket arrangement as I recall. I'm 5-9" and 185lbs and fit into the -4 with room to spare. I have had a 220 pounder in the rear 'pit and he said he was comfortable. (I do have a metal prop and 180hp up front, still the 220 pounder is the limit for aft passenger.)

The -6 has bigger tanks, that is a change that I should have made during construction of my -4...shucks, didn't know about the possibility of that during construction.

One final comment, just last week, after takeoff, I glanced over to the right tank cap, and saw fuel streaming from the loose cap. I never would have seen that in the -6.
 
[QUOTEOne final comment, just last week, after takeoff, I glanced over to the right tank cap, and saw fuel streaming from the loose cap. I never would have seen that in the -6.[/QUOTE]

You'd smell the fuel, then know. I know from experience!

But wait............ it was a nine instead of a six, but I'd say it's close enough for comparison. :)

Happily, fuel does not exit all that fast, even without a cap.
Just a nice atomized spray.
 
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