I don't post often, and for that I'm sorry - I just haven't had a lot to contribute in the last few decades. I'm thinking that I want to build another RV, but I'm not sure of the direction I want to take. A little background is in order...
I started building my RV-6 in 1989 when I was just 26 years old. Four years later I made the first flight. The airplane was a significant expense to this young lad, so I picked up a partner just before the airplane was finished. That turned out to be a mistake. The partner was clumsy and careless - I often found damage on the aircraft. The straw that broke this camels back was the day I showed up to fly my plane and the G-Meter was pegged at 6+ G's. In 2001 I couldn't afford to buy the partner out, so I sold him my half. It was gut-wrenching, like selling a child, but it was the right thing to do at the time. I had a young family and I seemed to have less and less time to fly, and when I did find time to fly I was disgusted at what I'd find. Luckily I had access to a B33 that my company owned at the time, but after flying an RV for 500 hours - I just couldn't connect with that pig and in 2003 I decided I'd just stop flying.
It's been eating away at me for 20 years, so yesterday I went for a BFR - and to my surprise I remembered how to fly. I have a fresh endorsement in my logbook and a desire to get involved again. But flying the Cherokee 140 reminded me how uninteresting Piper/Cessna/Beech aircraft are. In the last 20 years I've thought about building another aircraft dozens - hundreds - of times but now it is something I can seriously consider again. And just like 30+ years ago when I decided to build an RV-6, it comes down to "what's your mission profile". Back then it was x-country/transportation, sportsman aerobatics and light IFR. Now, it may not be any of those with the exception of some x-country flights. My wife doesn't like to fly, and that limits the amount of travel I'd do in the airplane. I'd be flying mostly for my own enjoyment, taking friends for local flights. Travel would probably be limited to 100-200 mile trips to see family. But I'm just addicted to the control feel of an RV-6 (I also have quite a bit of time in the -4).
For the mission profile I've provided the RV-12 certainly makes sense. I also like the fact that the wings can be easily removed if winter storage at home is possible. My concerns with the -12 are its "total performance" and control feel. Also, I really enjoy aircraft with conventional gear. It's a skill-set that I'm proud of and I believe it makes me perform as a better pilot (like a manual transmission in a car).
I think the RV-9 is also an aircraft that meets the needs of my use case. While the control feel is just slightly less responsive than what I enjoyed in my -6, for the way I intend to use the aircraft the control feel just may be perfect.
Lastly, the natural successor to the -6 - the RV-7 - would certainly make me happy. But it seems to me I'd be heading down the "make it better-powerful-faster" rabbit hole. That project may turn out to be too expensive.
Another piece of info that may make this choice interesting. The gentleman who purchased my RV-6 from me, would like to give (not sell) it back to me. For the same reasons I sold it 20 years ago, I would not fly that aircraft today (I have not seen it since the day I sold it, but I'm told by friends that it's in rough condition). But I could scavenge it for parts. The engine is due for an o/h (O-320) but that is a better option then buying new or buying a core for o/h. I don't think I'd use the prop, but items such as the exhaust, autopilot (Navaid Devices), elevator trim, lighting, circuit breakers, switches...could be reused. I don't think the instruments are of any value (I'd go glass) nor are the Narco Avionics. The other option is I could bring the old girl home and re-build her - but that may be more work then starting from scratch. I wouldn't know until it was in pieces. I like the idea of building another, but dread fiberglass work and building another canopy....
Enough background. Have any of you other RV old timers built a second RV and did so because your original RV no longer met your needs, or it was just time to build another? If any of you built a -12 or -9, how do they fly compared to a -6? Can you help talk me into, or out of this endeavor?
I started building my RV-6 in 1989 when I was just 26 years old. Four years later I made the first flight. The airplane was a significant expense to this young lad, so I picked up a partner just before the airplane was finished. That turned out to be a mistake. The partner was clumsy and careless - I often found damage on the aircraft. The straw that broke this camels back was the day I showed up to fly my plane and the G-Meter was pegged at 6+ G's. In 2001 I couldn't afford to buy the partner out, so I sold him my half. It was gut-wrenching, like selling a child, but it was the right thing to do at the time. I had a young family and I seemed to have less and less time to fly, and when I did find time to fly I was disgusted at what I'd find. Luckily I had access to a B33 that my company owned at the time, but after flying an RV for 500 hours - I just couldn't connect with that pig and in 2003 I decided I'd just stop flying.
It's been eating away at me for 20 years, so yesterday I went for a BFR - and to my surprise I remembered how to fly. I have a fresh endorsement in my logbook and a desire to get involved again. But flying the Cherokee 140 reminded me how uninteresting Piper/Cessna/Beech aircraft are. In the last 20 years I've thought about building another aircraft dozens - hundreds - of times but now it is something I can seriously consider again. And just like 30+ years ago when I decided to build an RV-6, it comes down to "what's your mission profile". Back then it was x-country/transportation, sportsman aerobatics and light IFR. Now, it may not be any of those with the exception of some x-country flights. My wife doesn't like to fly, and that limits the amount of travel I'd do in the airplane. I'd be flying mostly for my own enjoyment, taking friends for local flights. Travel would probably be limited to 100-200 mile trips to see family. But I'm just addicted to the control feel of an RV-6 (I also have quite a bit of time in the -4).
For the mission profile I've provided the RV-12 certainly makes sense. I also like the fact that the wings can be easily removed if winter storage at home is possible. My concerns with the -12 are its "total performance" and control feel. Also, I really enjoy aircraft with conventional gear. It's a skill-set that I'm proud of and I believe it makes me perform as a better pilot (like a manual transmission in a car).
I think the RV-9 is also an aircraft that meets the needs of my use case. While the control feel is just slightly less responsive than what I enjoyed in my -6, for the way I intend to use the aircraft the control feel just may be perfect.
Lastly, the natural successor to the -6 - the RV-7 - would certainly make me happy. But it seems to me I'd be heading down the "make it better-powerful-faster" rabbit hole. That project may turn out to be too expensive.
Another piece of info that may make this choice interesting. The gentleman who purchased my RV-6 from me, would like to give (not sell) it back to me. For the same reasons I sold it 20 years ago, I would not fly that aircraft today (I have not seen it since the day I sold it, but I'm told by friends that it's in rough condition). But I could scavenge it for parts. The engine is due for an o/h (O-320) but that is a better option then buying new or buying a core for o/h. I don't think I'd use the prop, but items such as the exhaust, autopilot (Navaid Devices), elevator trim, lighting, circuit breakers, switches...could be reused. I don't think the instruments are of any value (I'd go glass) nor are the Narco Avionics. The other option is I could bring the old girl home and re-build her - but that may be more work then starting from scratch. I wouldn't know until it was in pieces. I like the idea of building another, but dread fiberglass work and building another canopy....
Enough background. Have any of you other RV old timers built a second RV and did so because your original RV no longer met your needs, or it was just time to build another? If any of you built a -12 or -9, how do they fly compared to a -6? Can you help talk me into, or out of this endeavor?