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FNG. RV4 questions

PJ Mc

I'm New Here
Good day,

I few weeks ago, I helped a gentlemen push his beautiful RV4 into a hangar. After looking at it closely, he was kind enough to allow me to sit inside. I believe I have been smitten with these very cool airplanes. I’m 6’2, 220 lbs, the guy was a bit tight , my shoulders touched each side and I had to push them forward a bit but believe I would be okay, my head cleared the canopy fine and leg room was good.

I’m a 400hr pilot, commercial, IFR. Most time in Arrows and Bonanzas, about 10 hours in Citabria and about 4 in a CJ3. I would probably knock out another 10 in the Citabria and seek an RV check out if I buy one.

I tend to break off bolts so I do not have the talent to build, so I will look at buying one already built.
Questions …

Am I crazy?

Will this aircraft seem smaller after time?

Can I fly this aircraft well given my experience?

What will try and bite me while flying this?

What should I look out for when looking for one ?

Best way to transition to an RV4?


Thank you and good evening

PJ
 
Do it!

If your bitten, and you "think" you like it, seek someone with an RV of any type and and get some hands on stick time to solidify your thoughts. I have a -4 that I built, and I'm 6'1'', 205, very comfortable. Cushion changes and minor seat adjustments can make things more fitting . The RV-4 is not the best platform for a 200 plus backseater (my personal max PAX weight), but some 250ish PAX have been carried in an RV-4 with a heavy FWF. The RV's are one of the easiest TW aircraft to handle on the planet. If you can fly the Citabria and the Cub, you can handle the RV as far as the TW portion , but the transition of speeds justifies proper transition training. Your pattern speed will be similar to the Bonanza but the control response will be magical in comparison to the others. RV's don't really have any particular flight quirks that one should be afraid of, and are very predictable. As any aircraft, if flown in the design envelope there are no worries. Pointed downward, an RV gets fast, really fast and learning to slow down may be the most difficult task initially. Transition training in any RV series TW will be adequate for a -4. Searching for the right one would be best with an experienced RV pre-buy to be performed and the braintrust of this site for Q&A. Keep in mind, the -4's are truly hand built and there are a spectrum of minor differences and build quality. Welcome to the "Bitten" club!
 
I can help with part of your question, specifically transitioning to a -4. I had very similar avaition experience when I purchased my -4 this summer. 500hrs, commercial, instrument, and a newly minted tailwheel endorsement after 10 hours in a J-3. It was recommended to me to seek out professional transition training in a similar side by side tailwheel model (-6 or -7). I talked to a few of the Vans approved transition trainers and settled on one that fit my schedule and geography. I expected to spend a week and 10-15 hours at it, but after meeting my insurance-required 5 hours, was deemed safe and skilled enough to go home and fly. Flying right seat in a -7 (throttle in left hand) was amazingly similar to the experience of flying the -4, at least for me. My first flight in my -4 was a non-event. Good luck and welcome!
 
I bought an older RV-4 last year. I have a few more hours than you but only 10 hours of taildragger time. So after purchase I got a 10 hour checkout from Mike Seager in an RV-7 and when I got in my plane I felt very well prepared to take it out.

I’ll affirm what others have said regarding a comparison with the Citabria which is what I got my TW endorsement in. The Citabria is a good aircraft but for me the RV-4 is much easier to handle during takeoff and landings. My opinion is that the responsiveness of the RV makes it much easier to make the corrections necessary to stay aligned as required.

Do I wish it was a little bigger inside? Sure. But it’s not so I just keep tinkering with iPad placement, cushions and such. Anything bigger is typically a lot more money.
 
Am I crazy?

oh yeah! And so are we :D

Will this aircraft seem smaller after time?

naah, rather the other way round, as you will use thinner cushions or pads, and learn where to load your stuff in a better way. And don't forget that people tend to get shorter past a certain age...

Can I fly this aircraft well given my experience?

absolutely, the controls are super responsive and precise, the visibility is top, and as a taildragger has no break-out tendencies

What will try and bite me while flying this?

showing off, trying aerobatics by yourself, flying outside design or weather limits

What should I look out for when looking for one ?

too many things to list. Better pay or bribe someone knowledgeable for a proper pre-buy inspection

Best way to transition to an RV4?

excellent advice given in the previous posts. Over here in EU we don't have those insurance requirements, so most people with tailwheel experience just jump in and go enjoy themselves. Speaks very well for the -4 :cool:
 
Yes.

Am I crazy?

Yes

Will this aircraft seem smaller after time?

Most likely. Most humans weigh more with time.​

Can I fly this aircraft well given my experience?

Yes

What will try and bite me while flying this?

The urge to buy another. Or the snake you didn't find on your preflight.​

What should I look out for when looking for one?

Normal airplane buying stuff. Having a prebuy done by a professional is never a bad idea. Like:
MonksCard.jpg

Best way to transition to an RV4?

Ten hours in a Citabria is enough.​

...and welcome to the jungle. ;^) v/r,dr
 
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RV-3

If you're not planning on taking a passenger, consider an RV-3. My RV-4 felt a bit cramped after being used to my RV-3s. By cramped I mean distance to instrument panel.

Finn
 
Van's RV-4 info webpage, including links to specs and performance, in case you haven't seen it yet:



Good info from Van's on buying a flying RV:



And here are four articles by Van himself that may be of interest to new RV pilots. I included the nose gear-related article for completeness.



Van's webpage on transition training:


Ten hours in a Citabria may be enough, but with transition training. Transition training in an RV-6, -7 or a -8 will suffice. Virtually no RV-4s have rudder pedals and brakes in the rear seat. There are only a couple of RV-8s that are set up with brakes and rudder pedals in the rear seat and offer transition training.

Some folks will argue that transition training is not a "must". That may be true for a small segment of the pilot population. But consider this information from Mike Seager (who has given the most transition training in RV's, bar none) when questioned by Van himself:

i-sHbtCB9-M.jpg
 
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Thank you all for the welcome and thoughtful replies, I will most likely look for a suitable RV 4 this spring. I’m sure I will continue have questions and very much appreciate the wealth of knowledge already shared.

Fly safe and thank you !
 
Am I crazy?

No crazier than anyone else here on VAF.

Will this aircraft seem smaller after time?

Probably yes. But I mean that's true of anything.. car, boat, airplane, whatever. Initially you feel like it's a good size, or "huge." Then you get used to it and it seems normal. Then you realize what it can't do.. and how it's too small to do xyz, and therefore you need to buy an RV-8, or RV-14, or RV-15, or whatever.

Can I fly this aircraft well given my experience?

Sure, why not? Just approach the airplane with respect and don't worry about how long it takes you to master it. Go on every flight with the desire to learn, and be open to trying different things. It'll click one day...

As others said, look into transition training. Don't sweat training in a -6, -7, -8, or -14.. they're all close enough! An -8 would be ideal, but it isn't key to you learning how to fly the airplane well. Transition training in any RV is better than no transition training.

What will try and bite me while flying this?

Your mind, most likely. Flying the airplane is actually pretty simple. It only does what you ask it to do.

Best way to transition to an RV4?

Hmm.. Don't worry about where the transition training is. A trip to see Mike in Oregon, or Alex in Dallas, or Bruce in Houston is well worth it. They're easy airline flights away, and you're sure to get good training and a huge confidence boost. I haven't flown with Alex, but I've flown with Mike and Bruce, and they're both great. Personally, I like Bruce, but that's because he's a character, but he's not for everyone.. Mike is probably the best RV instructor that there is, though.
 
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