Hope You Enjoy Your Road to the Private Pilot License
Understand why you would want a RV. They are fantastic airplanes!
To learn to fly in an Experimental means searching for a CFI that will instruct in one.
About the only thing an instructor can't do is out brake you, still most like to see a set of brakes on the right side, or in the back if a tandem.
I bought my RV-6 last year. I hired someone to do a pre-buy inspection. Best to do the same, no surprises that way. After buying it and before going down to take possession, had to do some tail wheel training.
Insurance will want major money to protect your experimental, since you will be training in it, best to ask ahead of time to verify you can afford the rates along with maintenance.
For me the purchase was after spending 1-1/2 years learning about which homebuilt I actually wanted. Asking questions here at Vans Airforce is a great step.
I read through the service bulletins, and the great "on-going maintenance issues" threads as well. What about tail wheel vs., nose dragger? Thread for that as well. Avionics? Read what the differences were for Ipad/phone vs actual GPS too. Lots of info here, best to read it all!
After deciding which one I wanted, now the year long search for one that I could afford began. I sent plenty of emails asking different sellers about their RV. One kept catching my eye on barnstormers website. Then the add ended.
Within two weeks it showed up again, I immediately contacted the seller. We hit it off, he answered all of my questions, explained the difference between the RV-6 and his other plane, C182.
I sent a deposit of $5000. pending pre-buy inspection approval, meaning if it had to many issues, the money would be refunded. Fax and email backed up in writing before I sent the money. I used USPS Priority Mail just in case it was Fraud-Federal Crime might be investigated by the Feds-best to have a solid paper trail when spending hard earned money!
Once the pre-buy was complete and a couple of squawks were fixed, I sent the whole purchase price, by bank transfer.
I was lucky, I had an honest seller, and he could tell I was serious about the purchase. Previously had two buyers who either didn't show, or just wanted to go for a ride with no interest in purchasing.
Now that I had the RV-6, next step was meeting insurance requirements, must be signed off as PIC, by a CFI with at least 50-hours in same model. This took a solid 5-hours, never flew anything like a RV before.
Finally a bigger RV grin took place as I left the Jackson, CA airport on my way to Phoenix, AZ leg of my first cross country.
Lots of things you will need to do, research being the most important! Check to verify you can even get insurance to begin with, then a CFI, finally taking the steps to purchase.
Good Luck! I hope you find what you're looking for! Enjoy the experience of learning to fly, hopefully something you will get to enjoy for many, many years into the future.
Almost forgot: Be sure to check out the tail number on-line with the FAA and NTSB for history, shows owners and accidents. Not all sellers are honest. A couple wouldn't let a pre-buy inspection happen.
Best regards,
Mike Bauer