Dumb question: What do you do with your RV?

[RVIV]

I'm presently considering purchase of a RV. My expected uses would be:

1. Local VFR fun flying

2. Formation flying, if I can find the right group

3. Occasional XC trips to visit family/friends - IFR if equipped

4. Occasional recreational (non-competition) aerobatics

My questions to you experienced RV owners are:

A. What do you do with your RV?

B. Are you doing pretty much what you expected, or have you found unanticipated uses?

Thanks!

 

[texdog]

RV use

We are travelers, but never on the airline. Texas to Key West, to Bar Harbor, to Reno, to Anchorage and that is just since May, 2019. Lots of fly-ins, OSH, Petit Jean two folks, man and wife RV6A.

 

[Foghorn]

snip

1. Local VFR fun flying

2. Formation flying, if I can find the right group

3. Occasional XC trips to visit family/friends - IFR if equipped

4. Occasional recreational (non-competition) aerobatics

I do all of the above. First flight was Aug 22 and I now have 195 hrs on the plane. My wife loves it too. On Thursday I flew her to Greenville, SC from the Memphis area for a girls weekend. Yesterday I gave a few rides. Tomorrow I’ll head back to Greenville for the wife pick up. Very capable aircraft, you just have to use it.

 

[jbDC9]

1. Local VFR fun flying

2. Formation flying, if I can find the right group

3. Occasional XC trips to visit family/friends - IFR if equipped

4. Occasional recreational (non-competition) aerobatics

Yep! All of that.

My wife and I have used it a good bit for traveling in the past, but, it seems like she's over it and hasn't flown with me in a few years. Fine, so be it. I still use it for travel and exploring on my own; in the past three years I've made numerous trips from Houston to Maine, San Diego, up to Seattle, Idaho, etc. A few months ago I flew with buddy in his -6A up to Fairbanks and the Arctic Circle, just because it's there. I also fly some CAF warbird stuff on the side; the RV is a huge help in getting around to the various Texas CAF hangars.

With an RV, you'll come to the realization that airline travel kinda sucks, and I say that being an airline pilot... love my RV, it's a keeper.

 

[Capt]

My 4 is part of my 4 A/C fleet, they have different missions. The 4 is the best bang for buck, but like ALL planes it’s a trade off.

 

[planenutz]

in the words of Lord Flasheart...

"...I get inside her five times a day and take her to heaven and back!"

Or everything you listed.

Touring
Aeros
Formation Flying
Pure fun
Occasional work-related trip
Visiting friends and relatives
$100 hamburger runs
AOPA flying events


No unanticipated uses... it does exactly what I built it to do.

 

[jliltd]

I'm presently considering purchase of a RV. My expected uses would be:

1. Local VFR fun flying

2. Formation flying, if I can find the right group

3. Occasional XC trips to visit family/friends - IFR if equipped

4. Occasional recreational (non-competition) aerobatics

My questions to you experienced RV owners are:

A. What do you do with your RV?

B. Are you doing pretty much what you expected, or have you found unanticipated uses?

Thanks!

A. Everything except rough and short bush landings
B. Yes and Yes

I currently own or have interest in 9 aircraft, two of which are turbine. Froom a hand-start 65hp Luscombe to a 1600hp turbine Fire Boss. With a smattering of the likes of Comanche 260B, Cessna 180, RV-8, 200hp Husky, Cessna 140, Tri-Pacer and Nanchang CJ6. I am not trying to impress, I just want you to know from where I speak. I have also built a small bush plane (Avid Flyer) and owned a Rutan canard Vari-Eze, Pitts S1C, Cessna 150, RV-3B and antique Rose Parrakeet. With experience in many make and models that I did not own. My point is this: The Vans RV series are one of the best all-around aircraft I have ever owned or flown. The performance and flight envelope of the RVs never ceases to amaze me. Not to mention how well designed the Vans kits are. I am also an aerospace engineer and worked many years as an airframe designer for some of the largest aircraft manufacturer's in the World. I have consulted on kit aircraft designs and performed test flying on a contract basis for avionics and airframe companies. Every time I work on the RV I appreciate the level of engineering and detail that quite frankly is at a higher level than most type certificated designs. Van is a genius. And that has flowed through to all the Vans Aircraft designs. Again, not to try to sound like a type A know it all here by throwing out what looks like a resume. I have made many mistakes and it's been the school of hard knocks for the most part. I honestly should not be alive with some of the bonehead stuff I have done.

If I could only keep one aircraft it would definitely be my current RV mount. Any RV, although my current one is an RV-8. I would miss the other birds for their unique attributes. But nothing could efficiently do as much in a well rounded and forgiving manner as an RV. You might know a mechanic or two who every time they go to their tool box they always come back with the same screw driver or pair of dykes despite having a half dozen of each type. Because they know what works the best. On a personal note my father, a farmer, would always go get his favorite old John Deere to do maintenance around the farm and forgo all the other tractors in the yard. And so the RV would be like that favored tool or tractor the person would choose if they could only have one.

 

[StuBob]

I'm presently considering purchase of a RV. My expected uses would be:

1. Local VFR fun flying

2. Formation flying, if I can find the right group

3. Occasional XC trips to visit family/friends - IFR if equipped

4. Occasional recreational (non-competition) aerobatics

My questions to you experienced RV owners are:

A. What do you do with your RV?

B. Are you doing pretty much what you expected, or have you found unanticipated uses?

Thanks!

Six months and 60-some hours into RV ownership, I’m doing all 4 of your points above. I’d like to do more formation but it isn’t easy finding other people to do that with.

I wish it would carry a guitar, a dog crate, or a shotgun, but it’s otherwise doing what I want it to do.

What am I doing with it? Having a lot of fun while spending about 20% of what it cost me to own a Skywagon!

 

[uk_figs]

Not just a $100 hamburger

In the RV, the $100 hamburger run turns into the ability to hang out with like minded friends who live hundreds of miles away just for breakfast or lunch
To me this is a big part of the fun factor. The community is great.
All the other stuff on your list is fun as well.
Figs

 

[Roadjunkie1]

What can a pilot do with an RV....?

A. Everything except rough and short bush landings
B. Yes and Yes

.....My point is this: The Vans RV series are one of the best all-around aircraft I have ever owned or flown. The performance and flight envelope of the RVs never ceases to amaze me. Not to mention how well designed the Vans kits are.

If I could only keep one aircraft it would definitely be my current RV mount. Any RV, although my current one is an RV-8.

The RV series of aircraft, regardless of which model you chose to build/buy, will open a segment of aviation you never realized was there. And regardless of what you have flown before, as stated above, it will become your favorite airplane. Many of the reasons are listed in the above posts. They are responsive without being twitchy. Stable in flight; stable slowed down. Thanks to the amazing choice of airfoils used, they fly well fast but also fly well slowed down. I have flown formation in SuzieQ (an RV-4) with an 85hp J-3 Cub! I secretly think the pilot was trying to get me to drop out but I stayed right with him, even in turns. All flaps, of course! I had to throttle back when we were loose formation flying, him in his C 185, going cross-country. I love sneaking up on Mooneys or Bonanzas and drift past them (at a distance, of course). I love going 175 mph (152kts) sipping 7 gph. Will she go faster? Oh, yeah! But will pull down 10gph while doing 200 mph. It is amazing how quickly things just keep coming over the horizon at you! Denver to OSH: 5.5 hours! Leave after breakfast; get there for lunch! Try to do that in the airlines!

You can do rolls feet on the floor. Does she do them better with a little rudder input? Well, yeah. But the fact that she can maintain a decent roll without any says something about how well designed she is. I love the way I fit in the front office. Feels like a fighter! Why do so many former jet jocks from the military build an RV? Doug Rosendaahl has access to many different aircraft. When he had his -4, I remember him saying it was his favorite airplane. (He now has an F-1 Rocket!). He said at the time that the RV-4 flew more like a Cosair than anything on the civilian market. (I don't remember the source and may have not gotten that exactly right but the sentiment is the same.)

What is the drawback about owning an RV? You can't stop thinking about the airplane and flying! You will want to be flying everywhere all the time! You will want to share your passion with people who might not want to get into an airplane that you build. Wait....You mean....YOU built that airplane? Fine: there are plenty of others who will.

Bottom line: It will be one of the most amazing machines you will encounter in your lifetime! They do many things very well. Now just TRY to wipe off that grin!

 

[Prepperpilot]

Any excuse I can use to go fly my RV-8 is justified!

 

[PandaCub]

I live west of Denver but do business in Cody, Wyoming (an 8-hour drive but only two hours in the RV-8 or -14A). It's generally fly to the job on Monday, work all week, then come back to the family on weekends.

Besides the practical reasons for flying, I get a lot of pleasure crossing the sparse, rugged, and historic country where not so long ago 500,000 intrepid pioneers began forging their way along the Oregon Trail.

Even more so, the RV lets me experience firsthand how our aviation community works. In my mind, it harkens back to how America used to be: the proverbial high-trust environment where you could leave doors unlocked, rely on a handshake, and see a fellow go out of his way to lend a hand when needed.

I'll never forget the day I took a Chinese national up in the RV for a $100 Montana hamburger, but discovered the airfield's courtesy car was in the shop.

"Take my truck," insisted a local ag pilot, "I don't need it until 5:00."

As we drove to the café I offhandedly noticed his rope, saddle, and rifle resting on a horse blanket in the rear seat. My Chinese friend was astonished.

"This never, ever happen where I come from!" he exclaimed in broken English, "No one ever trust like this!"

In addition to being flying machines, our RVs sometimes act like time machines as well.

 

[Paul 5r4]

I've been flying my 7A for 11 years. I do pretty much what I expected. No acro for me. If you EVER see me upside down it was an accident!!! Just not an acro kind of guy. Local VFR flights and the occasional cross country. I'm in South Alabama. I've flown as far as Massachusetts to visit family. Flew the Hudson river corridor on the way back. Awesome experience. Of course Petit Jean several times. SunNFun several times. And just a couple days ago to Texas to visit a HS friend I had not seen since 75! And many other places as well. Most are less than 500 miles from where I live.

The plane still performs like a champ. All the way there and back burning 7.5-8 GPH with TAS of 150+ knots.

How can one not love these wonderful RV's?

 

[Taltruda]

Travel, formation, Acro, pleasure, business.. all of the above! I’ve flown across the country for a birthday party with it, flown to neighboring airports to perform maintenance or Prebuy inspections, almost every flight I go upside down in it. If you haven’t learned how to do a great big, slow, 1G aileron roll, you are missing out!

 

[YellowJacket RV9]

Depending on where you are in life, the missions may change. Finished my 9A as a newly married guy with no kids. Did trips to the Bahamas, up the east coast, and Key West for the weekend sometimes. Now with two little kids, a lot of flying is just flying for the sake of flying, even if it is only 15-20 minutes and some pattern work. In a few years, I'd like to start taking my son up for rides and then hopefully on some longer trips and doing some camping. And one day, when they are grown and gone, hopefully it's back to traveling and exploring with the wife again...

Just know that as great a travel machine as they are, if you HAVE to be somewhere, have an airline ticket as a backup, or time to drive.

Chris

 

[avrojockey]

I use mine mainly for commuting to work but also recreational trips with wife. RVs are extremely economical traveling machines. I really look forward to commuting now, and when the weather is bad (icing), and I'm required to drive, it puts me in a really bad mood

One thing to consider when looking at RVs, my mission was mostly solo with the occasional passenger, and I like working and tinkering on my own airplane. If you're mechanically inclined, the latter may provide as much satisfaction as the flying itself.

 

[StuBob]

. . . and I like working and tinkering on my own airplane. If you're mechanically inclined, the latter may provide as much satisfaction as the flying itself.

Hip-deep in my first Condition Inspection, I agree completely.

 

[RV8iator]

Normal airplane usage plus

I’ve been flying my 8 for 17 years this month. Put north of 3,0l0 hours on her traveling, formating, airshowing, more traveling, burning holes in the sky from Georgia all the way to Los Angeles, Acapulco, Dominican Republic, Canada, travel to Texas to visit family numerous times a year, spent thousands on hundred dollar hamburgers, mechanicing, making lifelong friends, making new friends, spending money, the list just keeps on going..
I’ve owned a half dozen planes over the years and all were fun, but our little 8 is the best.
It’s mission can be so broad you just have to decide what you want to do that day. Whatever that is, it will probably do a good job of it..

 

[DeltaRomeo]

My journey, and welcome to VAF.

A. It changes from year to year, and has been an unexpected, unplanned journey.
- I started just trying to stay alive.
- Then $100 hamburger runs.
- Then Van’s Homecoming.
- Then formation.
- Then IFR training and ticket (done in the RV)
- …and Commercial.
(done in the RV)
- (enter new part time work in sim which lead to right seat work in jets. And ATP.)

Last weekend I used the RV to travel to Waco for my 40th HS reunion. I was the only one who flew in my own plane <g>.

B. I had absolutely no idea having an RV would lead to all this. I wouldn’t have forecast it in 100 years. It just turned out to be a natural progression.

 

[Pixair]

RV Use

For the past three years I have used my 8 mostly to get to and from work.

Two years of down on Monday back on Friday, Northern California to CMA. Almost always about 2 hours, plus or minus a .1. About 20 gals each way. Often less sometimes one more. Was cheaper than driving, which I never did again after the first flight to CMA.

For the past year, daily to CCR, down and back. Forty mile flight each way or 50 mile drive each way. About 14 minutes in the 8 or one hour+ drive each way.

Working at the airport in both cases makes it easy.

The 8 is a great traveling machine.

 

[Carl Froehlich]

Depending on where you are in life, the missions may change. Finished my 9A as a newly married guy with no kids. Did trips to the Bahamas, up the east coast, and Key West for the weekend sometimes. Now with two little kids, a lot of flying is just flying for the sake of flying, even if it is only 15-20 minutes and some pattern work. In a few years, I'd like to start taking my son up for rides and then hopefully on some longer trips and doing some camping. And one day, when they are grown and gone, hopefully it's back to traveling and exploring with the wife again...

Just know that as great a travel machine as they are, if you HAVE to be somewhere, have an airline ticket as a backup, or time to drive.

Chris

Chris - it sounds like you need to build an RV-10 and fly with the whole family! After that you have room to take grandkids for a ride. This is one of the main reasons I’m building a second RV-10 (I should have never sold the first one).

Carl

 

[alcladrv]

........My wife and I have used it a good bit for traveling in the past, but, it seems like she's over it and hasn't flown with me in a few years. Fine, so be it.....

I can relate to that, but it hasn't kept me and my -7A on the ground.

You won't find me upside down either, unless it's by mistake. My plane is a traveling machine. I still have about 6 states to go to touchdown in all of the lower 48. All of my grandkids live 8 to 12 hours away by car, but only 3 to 4 hours by RV, so I've been able to get to know them and have them see me as a friendly face with more frequent visits. 18 years of RV flying and counting!

 

[RV8Squaz]

I'm presently considering purchase of a RV. My expected uses would be:

1. Local VFR fun flying

2. Formation flying, if I can find the right group

3. Occasional XC trips to visit family/friends - IFR if equipped

4. Occasional recreational (non-competition) aerobatics

My questions to you experienced RV owners are:

A. What do you do with your RV?

B. Are you doing pretty much what you expected, or have you found unanticipated uses?

Thanks!

Many, many years ago, I was speaking with a company rep, Ken Scott at OSH or SNF. I probably had been flying my RV-8 less than 5 years at the time. He asked how many hours I had on the plane. I told him. He replied, "Wow, you fly a lot! What are you doing with it?" I looked him straight in the eye and I said, "Everything you guys designed it to do!" I've done it all with my RV-8.

I've done:

1. Local fun flights with no particular plan, low and slow.

2. Many many lunch outings (mostly BBQ), solo, with wife, with kid, with friends, and even with strangers. Sometimes close by and occasionally very far: TX for BBQ with my friends and even an impromptu 3+ hour leg each way for Maryland crab cakes.

3. Long trips all over the country and out of the country. I have flown down low to enjoy the countryside and up high at FL 190 enjoying 220+ kt ground speeds.

4. Serious, no kidding transportation back and forth to S. FL when my parents needed me. I would hop in it at a moment's notice and be with my parents in less than 3 hours.

5. Formation, lots of it: 2 ship, 4 ship, 30 ship and everything in between for game day, 4th of July parades and Memorial Day flyovers.

6. Gentleman aerobatics which led to competition aerobatics.

7. I fly day, night, VFR, IFR. I've been into 1500' grass strips and Class B airports such as Atlanta and Midway.

8. As far as unanticipated uses go, the prize goes to the countless hours of fun and bonding with my son Max. When I drove that first rivet in 1997 I didn't see that coming. He was born in 2004, The airplane first flew in 2007 and he's been flying with me since he was 4 years old. He's flying the RV now! He goes to Riddle and is a Commercial Pilot with Glider, SEL, and MEL ratings.

9. Like others have said, the RV has led to other things such as my partnership in an awesome F33A Bonanza for some serious traveling with the whole family and the purchase of my Extra 300S which has opened up an entire world of competition aerobatics.

It's almost limitless what you can do with your RV!

 

[bruceh]

A variety of trips in the RV-9A documented here.

Our family is up in the Los Angeles area, so many trips back and forth. A 35 minute flight sure beats 2+ hours in traffic from San Diego.
I've done lots of breakfast/lunch flights, and have flown lots of Young Eagles.

I've done the formation flying, but have slacked off with COVID. Still need to get my Instrument rating and Commercial certificate. Now that I've finally got my A&P, those can move up in priority.

The RV-9A fulfills my mission very well. Fast and efficient cross country cruiser. I like going to new places.

 

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

What do I do with my RV?
* Instrument proficiency, including both hand flying and automation. And there's lots to learn about the avionics
* Flight research -- Expanded Envelope Exercises®, base to final turn dynamics, flight envelope exploration
* Shoot video for presentations on safety topics
* Occasional trips. There are lots of trips that are easy IFR that would be nail-biting VFR. And although I train for hard IFR, I avoid those conditions
* Sometimes give rides to friends

 

[RVIV]

A variety of trips in the RV-9A documented here.

I've done the formation flying, but have slacked off with COVID.

Well... I'm impressed! I've done some "tight" formation, but always stayed at least six feet away from the other pilots!

 

[RVIV]

Thanks Everyone!

I'd like to thank all of you for your thoughtful replies. There is so much fun described in the responses that this thread probably should be moved to the RV Grin section.

I'm searching for hangar space now while I keep an eye out for the right aeromachine. I hope this works out.

Thanks again, folks. Keep those posts coming - I have certainly enjoyed reading about the joys of the RV world!

Tim in SC

 

[catmandu]

When you fall in love, you find ways to be with your love.

I need to see a specialist, and was on a conference call with two scheduling assistants trying to make sure I could get the right consult at the proper facility. Place A was proposed, but then they found a time at Place B for me because "it will cut your drive time down to 3 hours vice 5, given traffic, etc."

"No thanks, Place A has a nicer airport, and both places are under an hour's flight time."

They were dumbfounded by the efficiency, and we spent the idle time on the rest of the call talking about the joy that the RV brings.

 

[rph142]

I flew my 3b all over the country for nearly a decade. Eventually flying solo got old so I sold it for an aerobatic plane. A little while later, a flying buddy and startup employee that knew of my -3b build recommended I apply for an integration position at a rapidly growing VTOL startup. I was able to leverage my build experience into some of the coolest work I’ve ever done. Fast forward a few years and im wrapping up my -7. This time I’ve been able to share the build with my kid and all of his little friends. Ive had a dozen kids in the plane pushing buttons, slamming the sticks left and right, and calling for backup. Who knows, maybe it will light the fuse in one of them.

 

[ronrapp]

I use my RV6 for many things.

Maintaining proficiency (the work plane doesn't do much to help in that department), tooling around just for fun, flying to & from work, occasional aerobatics, formation flying, taking friends for rides, etc.

It's also proven to be a wonderful place to put all my money... as long as I don't have any plans of getting it out again.

Most importantly, the plane has provided an avenue for sharing something special and memorable with my 8 year old son. That makes it worth every penny.

--Ron

 

[PilotjohnS]

Just because

9) fly to the ends of rainbows to pick up gold to pay for gas..... you all see the pot of gold down there?

 

[rv6n6r]

Short answer

The short answer is, look at all the What did you do with your RV this weekend? threads.
Of course it's not only weekends. For example, I commuted part time in my RV (50 miles) for many years. And now with retirement, "weekend" is a full-time gig.

 

[Biggiesauls]

As the builder/pilot of a newly minted RV-9A, I’m inspired by this thread and deeply moved! While I’m just about done with phase 1 and can already look back on some very “laugh out loud” moments.

I made sure the 2023 Petit Jean fly-in was in my 75 mile test “zone”. At ten hours of flight on this bird an “lol” moment was at take-off for the return to home on Sunday…. Clearing the tree line at Petit Jean, seeing the Arkansas River valley below, and having the auto pilot make the turn to the south for home. Laughing and clapping and a tear at that very moment! A little campfire smoke weekend does wonders for the soul.

This is possibly the best thread on VAF. Thank you!

 

[Jaypratt]

RV use, it’s the mission

Home base T67. Hicks Airfield, Ft Worth, Tx
Building RV s since 1995.
Flying RVs since 10-1996
2500 + hours logged flying RV
Built 2, RV6. 3 RV8. Building a RV6.
Current Ride RV8.
Use over the years ;
Local, Lunch and breakfast flights.
Traveling, destinations that require hotels
Vans Home Coming
Fly ins,
Beach trips.
I own a C180J and an EXP Super Cub. Use those for different missions. Camping and back country trips.
Over 6,000 logged hours so far, never had a flying job. Just personal flying.
Your aircraft needs to fulfill your mission!
My passion is Aircraft camping in Idaho, Montana, west Texas Big Bend .The RV15 ,,, for Me needed to be out in 2000. It’s probably too late for me use it,,
Most hours logged, for me, are in the C180j,, year after year. My RV8 is a great burger run plane. Easy to push out, easy to clean.. but, doesn’t haul camping gear for 2 to the back country..
define your mission. Or just own 2 or 4 airplanes so you don’t get left behind.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

How many airplanes...?

Or just own 2 or 4 airplanes so you don’t get left behind.

You can't have too many airplanes.....or guitars.....or books....

 

[mike newall]

Well......

Here you go from Old Blighty !!


This is British RV flying !!!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UlaAHdcRMg