Transition training, why?

[Vern]

RV-9A vs Diamond DA-40

I've flown both and even though the 9 with it's longer wing and different airfoil sets it apart from the other short wing RV' s with a more stable roll axis, the Diamond seemed much heavier and actually sluggish in roll to me. In fact,I was surprised at how sluggish it felt for such a modern and expensive plane.

It has a different mission than my RV, but would not be on my list of 'fun' airplanes except for that Garmin 1000 which could keep my mind occupied for a long while and my eyes inside the cockpit where they don't belong!

 

[RV7Guy]

Missing the point

I did not see it mentioned here but the Transition Training has a couple of objectives. 1) get you familiar with the aircraft. 2) Teach you emergency procedures.

Virtually anyone can probably get into an RV and work it into the air and get it back down in one piece. The RV is its own animal. The nose gear versions MUST be landed with proper technique or the gear is going to fold. Ever wonder why Ol Blue in Scapoose hasn't had a nose gear failure? Mike Seager will be the first to tell you that the vast majority of the nose gear problems are a result of poor technique.

I digress. The important thing is, do you know what to do when fit his the shan? Engine out procedures are worked on, slow flight, stalls etc.. Those are the things that kill people if you don't know it and practice it.

Of the circle of people I know that now have flying RV's and those still building, only a couple are currently flying small planes. Even still that is not enough to prepare you for the RV experience. Heaven forbid that something would happen on that first flight w/o transition training. Give yourself a chance.

In the scheme of things, a couple of grand is small money to give you confidence to handle your first flight.

 

[Tom Muller]

Don't be scared, be (and stay) trained

I built a -9A and was a low time pilot. My insurance company insisted on 5 hours training, which I did on a -6A that was a bit hotter than my -9A, so I should be able to handle it. I still had a more experienced pilot do the first flight and then got little sleep the night before my own first flight. I found it to be a great airplane to fly, but the wide operating envelope allowed me to be much less consistent in my take-offs, climb outs, decents and approaches. I could come in hot, grab a little extra altitude, a slip or more flaps and usually get to the right speed over the numbers. This also meant it is so easy to fly that I could spend more time sightseeing, not always a good thing.

Two weeks ago it caught up with me. I came in close, high and a little hot. A hard slip got me onto the runway, but with more than enough speed left to rotate again. Not paying attention, I pulled the stick back to hold the nosewheel off a bit longer and the airplane rotated. With no power it immediately stalled, and I did not have the good sense to firewall the throttle for a go round. On the third or fourth bounce the nosewheel collapsed and trashed the prop.

Now the airplane is stuck 1,000 miles from home and I won't have it back for 8-10 weeks. I had not spent any time with a flight instructor in the 12 months since transition training. Had I done so, I might not be groundbound right now. Flying an RV is different and can lead to some sloppy habits that need to be cleaned up now and then. I not only recommend transition training, but regular visits to an instructor to bring back some of the discipline we had to learn just to keep spam cans in the air.