Purchasing Considerations

[Tonard Bales]

If I were to build an RV it would definitely be an RV8. However, time and money currently stand in the way. Therefore I have decided to purchase an RV4. My budget will be $50,000. I will have a "partner" who is an A&P with experience restoring and rebuilding everything from Cubs to a Republic Sea- Bee (he also earned a living fixing the Concorde). He has no kitplane experience. He is certainly capable of assessing the engine and avionics. We live on Long Island and fly my 1972 Cessna 150 as often as possible. My concern revolves around making sure the airplane is structurally safe, sound and has been built according to the designer's specifications. I want a plane I can confidently fly my wife and children in.

Please make recommendations on how to best proceed.
Thanks in advance...
Tony

 

[brayski98]

My experience

I purchased a flying RV-6A last October. So far so good, but here is what I learned.

I had someone very familiar with RVs do a pre-buy inspection and I listened to his recommendations. (Wally from Synergy Air). My own thoughts were also that it started in life with a new engine which made me feel better after some of my own experience in having an engine overhauled. It was 15 years old and flown regularly, with conditional inspections each year. I may be flawed in my thinking, but knowing that it had been flown for 600 hours with some aerobatics made me feel better about the structural integrity of the plane combined with the log book entries for repairs that were made.

Take your time, do your homework and be prepared to say no thanks.

 

[Low n Slow]

I was in your shoes last year, this is the thread that I started;
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=15204

I don?t doubt your partners knowledge, but I would suggest finding someone in the area who?s familiar with RV?s to help with the inspection. Also, I spent a lot of time looking for a CFI and getting my initial checkout, so if you don?t have someone lined up, I?d start looking.

You will love it.

 

[Tonard Bales]

excellent

This is exactly the info I am looking for. Thank you for including your thread. I will take your advice regarding transition training in the -4. I have trained in a 180HP C/S Husky but I am sure the -4 is much different. I raced Formula Ford a few years back and when strapped in you became one with the car. I get the feeling it is similar to this in the -4. Am I wrong?

 

[smokyray]

Questions?

Tony,
I inspect and locate RV4's for friends as a very small sideline. I put 1500 hours on my own RV4, I built and maintained it for 12 years. I am an A&P and learned quite a bit about pre-buy inspections looking at other RV4's. If you have any questions, email me off-line and maybe I can help.

Rob Ray
[email protected]

 

[Dangerous Dan]

not too far behind you

Tonard,

Thanks for this string. I should have the coin to follow in your trail next year.
Hope you wont mind sharing some dos and dont's in your search and purchase. I love to read and learn from all that are kind enough to share RV experiences.

To those that have offered me RV 4 rides - I have not forgotten, just have not made it back to the USA yet..

We are so lucky that hard work, saving, and patience can earn us the rare privalage of flying and aircraft ownership!
May God bless and keep our American way of life!

Thanks again, Dan

 

[Low n Slow]

?I raced Formula Ford a few years back and when strapped in you became one with the car. I get the feeling it is similar to this in the -4. Am I wrong?

No, you are right! You pretty much wear the small cockpit.

For me, its small size is one of its nicest features and one of its worst. I came from the roomy interior of an old Champ, so getting used to the close confines of the RV took a few hours.

But flying an RV is so much fun, it more than makes up for it! Mine is the first plane I?ve flown that has control rods rather than cables and it makes handling a real joy. Just rolling from left to right is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, yet it?s very stable.

I would also agree with Bryan, be prepared to look at and walk away from a lot of planes. I think my partner and I were a little too eager and paid a higher price than we should have. Probably due to the general state of the economy, prices seem to have come down a little from last year.

Mine flys straighter, without tabs, than any other certified plane I?ve flown and my first (what I consider) high performance plane. Considering its long safety record, huge user base and readily available parts, I can?t think of any other plane that offers more bang for the buck.

 

[larryj]

purchasing an RV-4

I looked to buy an RV-4 also; ended up with a Super Decathlon until my Rocket is finished. After looking at several -4's and wasting a bunch of time, my wife came up with the idea of asking the seller for photos of what they considered the worst parts or aspects of their aircraft. This enabled me to make better early decisions on whether or not to go look. Another thing I noticed was that higher-time airframes really tell a story: most all RV's look good when they are new. But the real subtlties of the build come out over time; cracks, wear spots, etc. A friend built a very (very, very) nice -8 that now has 700+ hours and it looks as good now as it did new - a testament to his build quality. I saw some -4's with less than 100 hours on them that looked trashed - to me, evidence of poor build quality. Good luck finding your airplane (really, I mean that !)