I?ve looked for similar threads, but couldn?t find any. My apologies if this has already been discussed.
My father was co-builder and ?owner of a RV-6A a little more than 10 years ago. Helping him build that airplane, as well flying it, was my introduction to RVation, and what continues to motivate me to make preparations to build an RV of my own.
I thought I had pretty well decided on an RV-9. The main factors in that decision were economic ? namely that a less expensive (and somewhat more readily available) 160HP engine gets you the same performance in an RV-9 that a 180HP engine gets you in an RV-7.
Then I watched one of Doug?s videos. Toward the end of the video, Doug performed an overhead approach?..and the memories came flooding back. One of the main reasons I have RV Fever is because of the handling of my dad?s -6A. I loved how you could flick the thing around the pattern with just your thumb and forefinger on the stick. I loved flying overhead approaches that made me feel like I was in a fighter, not a dirigible. Plain and simple: I love to yank and bank. It makes even the most mundane parts of flying (like a traffic pattern) fun.
While I?m sure that the -9 is WAAAAY more responsive than the typical general aviation airplane that most are used to flying, it obviously can?t be as responsive as a -7 or my dad?s -6A was. I?m somewhat afraid that with a -9, I won?t have that yank and bank ?fun factor? that really got me started in all this. Also, I wonder how the -7 might be different from the -6, since the -7 has a slightly longer wingspan. Aerobatics aren?t really a factor; I wouldn?t mind doing a roll or two every now and then if I had a -7, but I wouldn?t miss them at all if I had a -9. All I really want is that nice, responsive, ?the airplane almost does what you think?, handling.
So I?ve got two questions. I?d like input from anyone who?s had a chance to fly either the -6 and -7, or the -7 and -9. Specifically, I?m interested to know:
1. If the -7 has lost any responsiveness as compared to the -6.
2. If the -9?s yank and bank ?fun factor? is anywhere near that of the -6/-7.
I?ll post this in the -7 and -9 forums, too. Just to make sure I catch everyone.
My father was co-builder and ?owner of a RV-6A a little more than 10 years ago. Helping him build that airplane, as well flying it, was my introduction to RVation, and what continues to motivate me to make preparations to build an RV of my own.
I thought I had pretty well decided on an RV-9. The main factors in that decision were economic ? namely that a less expensive (and somewhat more readily available) 160HP engine gets you the same performance in an RV-9 that a 180HP engine gets you in an RV-7.
Then I watched one of Doug?s videos. Toward the end of the video, Doug performed an overhead approach?..and the memories came flooding back. One of the main reasons I have RV Fever is because of the handling of my dad?s -6A. I loved how you could flick the thing around the pattern with just your thumb and forefinger on the stick. I loved flying overhead approaches that made me feel like I was in a fighter, not a dirigible. Plain and simple: I love to yank and bank. It makes even the most mundane parts of flying (like a traffic pattern) fun.
While I?m sure that the -9 is WAAAAY more responsive than the typical general aviation airplane that most are used to flying, it obviously can?t be as responsive as a -7 or my dad?s -6A was. I?m somewhat afraid that with a -9, I won?t have that yank and bank ?fun factor? that really got me started in all this. Also, I wonder how the -7 might be different from the -6, since the -7 has a slightly longer wingspan. Aerobatics aren?t really a factor; I wouldn?t mind doing a roll or two every now and then if I had a -7, but I wouldn?t miss them at all if I had a -9. All I really want is that nice, responsive, ?the airplane almost does what you think?, handling.
So I?ve got two questions. I?d like input from anyone who?s had a chance to fly either the -6 and -7, or the -7 and -9. Specifically, I?m interested to know:
1. If the -7 has lost any responsiveness as compared to the -6.
2. If the -9?s yank and bank ?fun factor? is anywhere near that of the -6/-7.
I?ll post this in the -7 and -9 forums, too. Just to make sure I catch everyone.