Desert Rat
Well Known Member
Good morning everyone. I'v been researching RV's for a while and google always keeps bringing me back here, so I thought I might as well register.
I've wanted to build an RV for years, and it seems like for me, the timing isn't going to get any better; I'm 51 years old, semi-retired, and most importantly, a kid just left for college, thus freeing up valuable garage space.
My default position was to build an RV7/7A, but a week or so ago, I discovered a partially completed empennage and wing kit for an RV9 that a guy is selling about 1/2 hour from my house.
Empennage built, wings at probably around 80%, big price break over new, no wait time, no shipping, no sales tax....you get the idea.
Everybody says that the 9 is a better x/c platform, because of it's slower roll rate. I've never flown either one, but I've got over 2,000 hours of flight time, with a bit of it in some pretty fast prop twins, and I've found that with practice, I've always been able to make peace with an airplane, no matter how twitchy it might or might not be, so I don't know if that's really a consideration.
Is there anyone in or around Wichita KS or Scottsdale AZ who would be willing to offer up a ride in an RV7/a or an RV9/a? I'm happy to cover expenses, up to and including the $100 hamburger for a chance to get a little stick time in your airplane, and talk about your experience.
Also, just a tack on question here; Everybody says that if you build a straight airplane, Vans numbers are spot on, but are the ones on the performance page of his website IAS or TAS?
In other words, If I built an RV9A with a 160 hp and a fixed pitch prop, at 8,000 DA and max gross weight will I really get a 75% cruise at somewhere in the ballpark or 186 mph? This seems high to me, so I'm wondering if maybe that's a TAS number.
Thanks in advance for your help everybody, I look forward to diving in, one way or the other
Terry Shortt
Wichita KS/Scottsdale AZ
A&P, MEI, CFII and janitor.
I've wanted to build an RV for years, and it seems like for me, the timing isn't going to get any better; I'm 51 years old, semi-retired, and most importantly, a kid just left for college, thus freeing up valuable garage space.
My default position was to build an RV7/7A, but a week or so ago, I discovered a partially completed empennage and wing kit for an RV9 that a guy is selling about 1/2 hour from my house.
Empennage built, wings at probably around 80%, big price break over new, no wait time, no shipping, no sales tax....you get the idea.
Everybody says that the 9 is a better x/c platform, because of it's slower roll rate. I've never flown either one, but I've got over 2,000 hours of flight time, with a bit of it in some pretty fast prop twins, and I've found that with practice, I've always been able to make peace with an airplane, no matter how twitchy it might or might not be, so I don't know if that's really a consideration.
Is there anyone in or around Wichita KS or Scottsdale AZ who would be willing to offer up a ride in an RV7/a or an RV9/a? I'm happy to cover expenses, up to and including the $100 hamburger for a chance to get a little stick time in your airplane, and talk about your experience.
Also, just a tack on question here; Everybody says that if you build a straight airplane, Vans numbers are spot on, but are the ones on the performance page of his website IAS or TAS?
In other words, If I built an RV9A with a 160 hp and a fixed pitch prop, at 8,000 DA and max gross weight will I really get a 75% cruise at somewhere in the ballpark or 186 mph? This seems high to me, so I'm wondering if maybe that's a TAS number.
Thanks in advance for your help everybody, I look forward to diving in, one way or the other
Terry Shortt
Wichita KS/Scottsdale AZ
A&P, MEI, CFII and janitor.