grubbat
Well Known Member
Thinking about a Maule?.
After enjoying the RV-3 for a while and now soaking up the RV-6a, I find myself looking over at my hanger pal?s Maule 180C. Yes we can both take off in ~400ft but he is able to do it with a passenger and still clear the trees. Yes we both can land in ~400, but he can do it with a passenger with a load of cargo and stuff.
When we go on trips looking for a grass field to land or pancakes to eat, either I back it down to 110mph or head on alone and wait for them to show up. Flying at 110mph is ok but my -6a is begging for the magic Carson number. I brag on how fast I can get there and eat up all the pancakes before they get there and he tells me he is tired of going fast and enjoys going slow and soaking up God?s creation along the way. He gets to go fast during his day job. I change the subject.
When debating safety stuff, he is quick to remind me that being upside down on the ground is difficult in a RV vs a Maule. I quickly come back that I don?t intend to be upside down but his point is made deep in my brain. Vern?s friend had an upside encounter a couple of miles north of me at KFFC in a -6 so I concede that my tip-up may not be better upside down than his high-wing truck. My Maule friend points out that Maule?s don?t have in-flight break-ups at the same frequency of RV?s. I am quick to come back that my nose-wheel insurance is ~$800.00 per year and his tail wheel Maule is around twice that. He changes the subject.
At the end of the day, my current mission is a two-place-almost-do-everything RV6a, but a pickup in the sky is temping.
Looking around I see on one side of the hanger that ready-to-fly-low-and-slow-pickup truck-Maule. On the other side of the hanger, on a lonely table all by itself, I see those Bearhawk plans begging for attention along with 2000hr - 3000hr plus building time. At my age, 2000 hr is eternity.
And then I look at my RV and I wonder out loud when Van?s going to get in the low-and-slow-utility game. After pondering this for a while and dozing off staring at the bearhawk drawings, I put those drawings away and climb in the -6a for an evening of smooth flying. I?m glad I?m flying instead of building. The thoughts of selling my -6a for a Maule fade away as I get lost high above the trees and admire the sunset one more day at 6000ft.
Thanks for a great design Van?s. Now, get started on that high-wing-pickup-truck so I can sell my bearhawk plans?..
After enjoying the RV-3 for a while and now soaking up the RV-6a, I find myself looking over at my hanger pal?s Maule 180C. Yes we can both take off in ~400ft but he is able to do it with a passenger and still clear the trees. Yes we both can land in ~400, but he can do it with a passenger with a load of cargo and stuff.
When we go on trips looking for a grass field to land or pancakes to eat, either I back it down to 110mph or head on alone and wait for them to show up. Flying at 110mph is ok but my -6a is begging for the magic Carson number. I brag on how fast I can get there and eat up all the pancakes before they get there and he tells me he is tired of going fast and enjoys going slow and soaking up God?s creation along the way. He gets to go fast during his day job. I change the subject.
When debating safety stuff, he is quick to remind me that being upside down on the ground is difficult in a RV vs a Maule. I quickly come back that I don?t intend to be upside down but his point is made deep in my brain. Vern?s friend had an upside encounter a couple of miles north of me at KFFC in a -6 so I concede that my tip-up may not be better upside down than his high-wing truck. My Maule friend points out that Maule?s don?t have in-flight break-ups at the same frequency of RV?s. I am quick to come back that my nose-wheel insurance is ~$800.00 per year and his tail wheel Maule is around twice that. He changes the subject.
At the end of the day, my current mission is a two-place-almost-do-everything RV6a, but a pickup in the sky is temping.
Looking around I see on one side of the hanger that ready-to-fly-low-and-slow-pickup truck-Maule. On the other side of the hanger, on a lonely table all by itself, I see those Bearhawk plans begging for attention along with 2000hr - 3000hr plus building time. At my age, 2000 hr is eternity.
And then I look at my RV and I wonder out loud when Van?s going to get in the low-and-slow-utility game. After pondering this for a while and dozing off staring at the bearhawk drawings, I put those drawings away and climb in the -6a for an evening of smooth flying. I?m glad I?m flying instead of building. The thoughts of selling my -6a for a Maule fade away as I get lost high above the trees and admire the sunset one more day at 6000ft.
Thanks for a great design Van?s. Now, get started on that high-wing-pickup-truck so I can sell my bearhawk plans?..