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Looking for RV-9A and lots of questions

Davy8or

Active Member
Hi all! I just sold my Mooney after owning it for 12 years and looking to replace it with an RV-9A. My flying has changed quite a bit and I think the -9A would fit the bill nicely. I need to learn about all of the quirks, gotchas and things to look for when buying and owning.

I have done my own annuals and repairs on my Mooney for the last 6 years, so I'm no stranger to airplane wrenching and intend to do the work on the Vans too. I assume the annuals are pretty straight forward?

I'm open to any of the usual engine options from the O-235 to the O, or IO-320. I just really want an aircraft engine and not a conversion. I am on a budget, so it doesn't need a full IFR glass panel and all the bells and whistles. The 235 engine intrigues me for the slightly lower operating costs and maybe lower acquisition price?? Anybody here have one built with this engine? Real performance numbers?

Also, I will be looking for somebody to do a pre-buy inspection hopefully and also transition training. I live in Northern California and have been an EAA member for for over a decade.

Any help would be awesome and thanks in advance!!
 
I have done my own annuals and repairs on my Mooney for the last 6 years, so I'm no stranger to airplane wrenching and intend to do the work on the Vans too. I assume the annuals are pretty straight forward?

I'm open to any of the usual engine options from the O-235 to the O, or IO-320. I just really want an aircraft engine and not a conversion. I am on a budget, so it doesn't need a full IFR glass panel and all the bells and whistles. The 235 engine intrigues me for the slightly lower operating costs and maybe lower acquisition price?? Anybody here have one built with this engine? Real performance numbers?

!
Hi from LVK.
Unless you are an AP/IA, I assume you meant ‘owner assisted annuals’ on your Mooney. For an EAB (Experimental Amateur Built), any AP (IA not needed) can do the annual ‘condition inspection’. You or, with your permission, anyone can work on the airplane.
I think you’ll find the 0-235 engine less common. Everyone wants more power!
EAB insurance is a bit specialized. I suggest calling Gallagher agency, ask for Leah Ringeisen and have a chat about dual requirements, if any, costs, etc. The call is free, owning an airplane, as you know, is not!
Edit added: I have a -10 at LVK, but there are several -9’s here. Try to get a ride in one. Fun airplanes to hand fly. But relatively low wing loading makes for an uncomfortable ride in turbulence, IMHO
 
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The -9A is pretty quirk-free. Very honest airplane. No surprises or bad habits, but very precise. It will do exactly what you tell it to do...no more, no less. I assume aerobatics don't interest you. You can do your own maintenance to your hearts content, and if you're an AP/IA you can sign off your own annual condition inspections. The checklist for that CI is readily available online, so you can familiarize yourself with what's involved. However, coming from a Mooney, I'd certainly recommend getting an RV expert to do a thorough pre-buy.

I have an IO-320 D1A with CS prop in my -9A and that would be the lower end of my propulsion choices for that plane.


ETA: I have never found my -9A to be a rough ride at all.
 
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Hi from LVK.
Unless you are an AP/IA, I assume you meant ‘owner assisted annuals’ on your Mooney. For an EAB (Experimental Amateur Built), any AP (IA not needed) can do the annual ‘condition inspection’. You or, with your permission, anyone can work on the airplane.
I think you’ll find the 0-235 engine less common. Everyone wants more power!
EAB insurance is a bit specialized. I suggest calling Gallagher agency, ask for Leah Ringeisen and have a chat about dual requirements, if any, costs, etc. The call is free, owning an airplane, as you know, is not!
Edit added: I have a -10 at LVK, but there are several -9’s here. Try to get a ride in one. Fun airplanes to hand fly. But relatively low wing loading makes for an uncomfortable ride in turbulence, IMHO

Yes, you are correct. I work with an IA on my field. He signs me off. Thank you for raising the issue of insurance. I forgot to mention that but it is definitely on the list of what-abouts. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be lower than the Mooney. Every year it goes up no matter what and this year they wanted over $1700. Bonus points for adding a company and contact name!! I will call.
 
The -9A is pretty quirk-free. Very honest airplane. No surprises or bad habits, but very precise. I will do exactly what you tell it to do...no more, no less. I assume aerobatics don't interest you. You can do your own maintenance to your hearts content, and if you're an AP/IA you can sign off your own annual condition inspections. The checklist for that CI is readily available online, so you can familiarize yourself with what's involved. However, coming from a Mooney, I'd certainly recommend getting an RV expert to do a thorough pre-buy.

I have an IO-320 D1A with CS prop in my -9A and that would be the lower end of my propulsion choices for that plane.


ETA: I have never found my -9A to be a rough ride at all.

Correct. Zero interest in aerobatics other than watching other people do it. I definitely want to find an expert for the pre-buy. I will look up that CI list and check it out. On the Vans site I imagine?

I thought Vans didn't recommend anything bigger than the 320? Is that not so?
 
That's correct, Van's recommends 160HP or less in the 9.

Real men put 200+ HP in 'em. Cause it's EXPERIMENTAL and ya can do anything ya want! After all we're sure there's plenty of design margin beyond what the factory says, eh?

I have a 160HP fixed pitch RV-6A (probably making 170HP) and am very happy with my engine choice. I know multiple people with 6's and 7's with larger engines... let me say their experience hasn't convinced me that I need to upgrade.

BUT: I don't own a V8 powered 1 ton 4 WD truck. I don't own a V8 powered 10 passenger SUV. Nor a 40' long 'toy hauler'. IOW, clearly I'm odd :) Possibly communist!
 
The -9 is only recommended to have at max a 320, but some have put a 360, and I imagine that’s a great choice. The 320 flies great but I wouldn’t want a 0-235.. the 0-235 is just as expensive to overhaul, weight is very close to the 320.. yet has only 2/3 the power..
 
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You’ll love it

I tell people my -9A is like a two-seat Mooney. Not quite a two-seat Acclaim Ultra, of course… 😃

You will have zero problems transitioning. Insurers know this and seem to be happy with the -9A. All else being equal, your insurance could very well go down, even in this market. I transitioned from a Warrior I owned for 8 years, and they wanted one hour of dual (!) and a lower premium (!!). I think it’s hard to get smooth coverage for experimentals, but others here will know more about that. I insure through Scott “Sky” Smith’s agency and have been very happy.

I think the IO or O-320 is sort of the sweet spot for the 9, but I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up at the right bird with an O-235 (unless I lived in Denver or something and really needed the extra climb performance). There aren’t a *ton* of used 9As out there, and the -235 install is not especially common, so you may not see many O-235s.

I have not flown one with an O-360. Vans recommends against it, but many reasonable people here seem to operate them safely. I’ll leave that debate to others. I’m certainly with you on using aircraft engines instead of conversions. I always try to imagine the auto engine designer’s face when someone tells him they’re going to use it to power an airplane.

I love my CS prop but actually could live without it, especially now that I know more about overhaul costs. 🤣

Speaking of costs, you’re going to love the cost of using tractor alternators, landing lights from off-road vehicles, experimental avionics, etc. etc.

If the plane you’re looking at is anywhere within range of Vic Syracuse at Base Leg Aviation in Georgia, get him (or someone he recommends) to do the prebuy. This is not even a close question. His videos on YouTube will give you a good idea of his philosophy. His book is a gold mine for buyers and owners of RVs.

Good luck!

Hi all! I just sold my Mooney after owning it for 12 years and looking to replace it with an RV-9A. My flying has changed quite a bit and I think the -9A would fit the bill nicely. I need to learn about all of the quirks, gotchas and things to look for when buying and owning.

I have done my own annuals and repairs on my Mooney for the last 6 years, so I'm no stranger to airplane wrenching and intend to do the work on the Vans too. I assume the annuals are pretty straight forward?

I'm open to any of the usual engine options from the O-235 to the O, or IO-320. I just really want an aircraft engine and not a conversion. I am on a budget, so it doesn't need a full IFR glass panel and all the bells and whistles. The 235 engine intrigues me for the slightly lower operating costs and maybe lower acquisition price?? Anybody here have one built with this engine? Real performance numbers?

Also, I will be looking for somebody to do a pre-buy inspection hopefully and also transition training. I live in Northern California and have been an EAA member for for over a decade.

Any help would be awesome and thanks in advance!!
 
The biggest advantage of the constant speed prop is deceleration on landing. It also helps in climb, of course. Also, the Sensenich metal props have a 2600 RPM limitation which means you can't get all the power out of the engine in cruise at altitude.

As for bigger engines, that's sort of like boasting about having the world's largest midget. More weight, more fuel burn (less reserves on trips), negligible performance gain.

It's an experimental and you can do what you want... but the laws of nature don't care what you want.
 
Here’s a sample RV checklist. https://vansairforce.net/downloads/InspectionChecklist.pdf.

and here’s one that Walt Aronow has published http://www.expaircraft.com/PDF/RV-Cond-inspect-Checklist.doc

I’d recommend Vic Syracuse’ book “Are Your Nuts Tight?”. Expensive, but lots of valuable info and pictures. Also helpful would be his pre-buy book. You’re going to want that done by an expert in RV’s, but the book would be helpful in understanding what your pre-buy expert is talking about. https://baselegaviation.com/store/

I am completely satisfied with the performance of my RV-9A. Great mix of power and economy. I don’t think I’d be happy with the 235 and I would hate to give up my constant-speed prop. One could put a 360 in it…it’s a common engine in the RV-7 which has the same fuselage…but in no way would it be worth it to re-power a -9A from a functional 320.

Insurance? I’d recommend a good broker, like Gallagher or BWI….they both have a lot of experience with Experimental airplanes and RV’s in particular. Everyone here will likely recommend their broker. Not sure how much that matters as I’m sure they all shop the same companies, but it’s great having a broker that will look out for you, and will answer their phone or emails. I’ve had good experience with Leah Ringheisen at Gallagher (she posts here on VAF a lot). They’ll shop the best deal for you among several of the insurance companies. I started out with AIG, but last year they raised the rates by $200 so Leah got me a better deal with Global. Same as the previous rate, but better policy. $1500 per year currently, but I’ve already received an email from them warning me that, in general, insurance rates across the board were going to go up with next renewal. Most insurance companies will require transition training…for me AIG wanted 2 hours dual before solo and 1 hour solo before passenger. They usually express the desire that that training be in the same make and model but there appears to be a little wiggle room in that requirement (with a little arguing by Leah they approved my CFI whose experience was with an RV-6A). The transition itself isn’t a big deal…the -9A is pretty straightforward to fly and coming from a Mooney, you won’t have any trouble.

Right now…airplane prices are crazy. I’ve had out-of-the-blue offers even from strangers on the ramp to buy my plane for more than 50% above what I paid for it a few years ago. No clue how that will change when stagflation is in full-swing and the recession finally hits, but I suspect prices will drop. When I was looking to buy, looked a lot of places and posted a lot of “want-to-buy” on aviation forums. From this site I had 6 different responses in the “I haven’t listed this plane yet, but I’m willing to sell” category.

Experimental aviation is very cool from a pilot-owner’s perspective. Many people who fly/own them love the Experimental aspect of it and love to experiment. Me…? I’m not that guy. I like to fly, not a builder or tinkerer. I pull the plane apart for my IA at CI time to save some money, and I’ve done a few oil changes etc…even completely replaced and rewired a dead EFIS (don’t want to do that again), and GPS navigator, but I’m more likely to just call my AP/IA, even for an oil change (time constraints), and I won’t diagnose or repair anything forward of the firewall (knowledge constraints). But that’s just me. If you like to wrench on your airplane, Experimental aviation is for you.
 
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In earlier threads on 180 HP engines on RV-9(A), Scott M. ("rvbuilder2002"), a long-time Van's employee, indicated that there are NO structural design reasons that would preclude the installation of a 180 HP engine on RV-9(A).

However, the pilot must respect the RV-9(A) Vne of 210 MPH TAS, and Vno of 180 MPH IAS, as they can be more easily exceeded with the higher HP engines. But respecting these airspeed limits is no different than with other airplanes.
 
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That's correct, Van's recommends 160HP or less in the 9.

Real men put 200+ HP in 'em. Cause it's EXPERIMENTAL and ya can do anything ya want! After all we're sure there's plenty of design margin beyond what the factory says, eh?

I have a 160HP fixed pitch RV-6A (probably making 170HP) and am very happy with my engine choice. I know multiple people with 6's and 7's with larger engines... let me say their experience hasn't convinced me that I need to upgrade.

BUT: I don't own a V8 powered 1 ton 4 WD truck. I don't own a V8 powered 10 passenger SUV. Nor a 40' long 'toy hauler'. IOW, clearly I'm odd :) Possibly communist!

Yes, I'm not buying this plane to go as fast as possible. I would choose a different brand for that. I live basically at sea level and I don't do mountain flying, so I don't need the power to get in the air. I am interested in fuel efficiency and low cost.
 
The -9 is only recommended to have at max a 320, but some have put a 360, and I imagine that’s a great choice. The 320 flies great but I wouldn’t want a 0-235.. the 0-235 is just as expensive to overhaul, weight is very close to the 320.. yet has only 2/3 the power..

I am open on the engine size. Cost of the plane is more important to me. If the Vans site is accurate about the performance numbers with the 235, I will be OK with that if it saves me money. If the seller wants the same price as a 9 with a 320 in it, then I'll pass. My thinking on the 235 is, the purchase price may be lower and the fuel burn will be less.

I am well aware of the argument that one can always throttle back a bigger engine and get similar fuel burn as a smaller engine, but nobody ever does that. I know I never did in the Mooney. The 235 would force me to save money. :D
 
If the plane you’re looking at is anywhere within range of Vic Syracuse at Base Leg Aviation in Georgia, get him (or someone he recommends) to do the prebuy. This is not even a close question. His videos on YouTube will give you a good idea of his philosophy. His book is a gold mine for buyers and owners of RVs.

Good luck!

I will check out Vic Syracuse and likely get his book. If the prospective plane ends up being in that part of the world, I will definitely call on him for the pre-buy.
 
The biggest advantage of the constant speed prop is deceleration on landing. It also helps in climb, of course. Also, the Sensenich metal props have a 2600 RPM limitation which means you can't get all the power out of the engine in cruise at altitude.

I'm ambivalent on the prop. I've owned a CS prop for the last 12 years and it was nearly trouble free and maintenance was simple and easy. It gives you the best overall performance. Yet I like the simplicity of the fixed pitch and I'm not too worried about climb performance, so a cruise prop would do me just fine. Is there another brand prop without the RPM limitations?
 

I checked out the CI list and it's similar to the Mooney only lots less. I also expect the Vans to be a lot easier to work on. Mooneys are a notorious PITA to work on and most mechanics hate them. Everything is hard to access and nothing is designed with maintenance in mind. A huge part of why I'm trading planes is because I want an easier annual to do.

I’d recommend Vic Syracuse’ book “Are Your Nuts Tight?”. Expensive, but lots of valuable info and pictures. Also helpful would be his pre-buy book. You’re going to want that done by an expert in RV’s, but the book would be helpful in understanding what your pre-buy expert is talking about. https://baselegaviation.com/store/

I'm definitely going to check out the pre-buy book!

IInsurance? I’d recommend a good broker, like Gallagher or BWI….they both have a lot of experience with Experimental airplanes and RV’s in particular. Everyone here will likely recommend their broker. Not sure how much that matters as I’m sure they all shop the same companies, but it’s great having a broker that will look out for you, and will answer their phone or emails. I’ve had good experience with Leah Ringheisen at Gallagher (she posts here on VAF a lot). They’ll shop the best deal for you among several of the insurance companies. I started out with AIG, but last year they raised the rates by $200 so Leah got me a better deal with Global. Same as the previous rate, but better policy. $1500 per year currently, but I’ve already received an email from them warning me that, in general, insurance rates across the board were going to go up with next renewal. Most insurance companies will require transition training…for me AIG wanted 2 hours dual before solo and 1 hour solo before passenger. They usually express the desire that that training be in the same make and model but there appears to be a little wiggle room in that requirement (with a little arguing by Leah they approved my CFI whose experience was with an RV-6A). The transition itself isn’t a big deal…the -9A is pretty straightforward to fly and coming from a Mooney, you won’t have any trouble.

Thanks for the insurance recommendations. I've had Global and AIG in the past and used a broker that was a Mooney specialist. I want to do the same with the Vans.

Right now…airplane prices are crazy. I’ve had out-of-the-blue offers even from strangers on the ramp to buy my plane for more than 50% above what I paid for it a few years ago. No clue how that will change when stagflation is in full-swing and the recession finally hits, but I suspect prices will drop. When I was looking to buy, looked a lot of places and posted a lot of “want-to-buy” on aviation forums.

That is my hope. That I get lucky and the market falls. That way I'll sell high and buy low like they always tell you too. Unfortunately the clock is ticking. I officially have six months to get a new plane in my county owned hangar or they want me out. There is also a possibility that if I plead my case, they might extend that another six months. So I can't wait too long. I will likely start a WTB thread here. What other forums are good for Vans? EAA? AOPA? Pilots of America? I'm on all of those although haven't been to them in a long time.

If you like to wrench on your airplane, Experimental aviation is for you.

I think experimental is for me. It's not that I like working on planes so much, but rather it's one of the ways I can actually afford own a plane. I was born and bread a DIYer and have a very strong background in mechanics and fabrication. I have a million other projects I'm always working on, so being able to toss the keys to somebody else and pick it up later would be awesome, but I really need to watch where the money goes and also I'm way too anal to just blindly trust other people's work when my life is on the line. I have to be involved.
 
In earlier threads on 180 HP engines on RV-9(A), Scott M. ("rvbuilder2002"), a long-time Van's employee, indicated that there are NO structural design reasons that would preclude the installation of a 180 HP engine on RV-9(A).

However, the pilot must respect the RV-9(A) Vne of 210 MPH TAS, and Vno of 180 MPH IAS, as they can be more easily exceeded with the higher HP engines. But respecting these airspeed limits is no different than with other airplanes.

I won't reject a prospect just because it has a 360 in it, I expect those planes probably command the higher prices and I really don't need the extra power. For the last 12 years I've been caring for and feeding an IO-360, so I am pretty familiar with them. It would be awesome to have an injected motor though because I am a big fan of running LOP, but not necessary.
 
I'm ambivalent on the prop. I've owned a CS prop for the last 12 years and it was nearly trouble free and maintenance was simple and easy. It gives you the best overall performance. Yet I like the simplicity of the fixed pitch and I'm not too worried about climb performance, so a cruise prop would do me just fine. Is there another brand prop without the RPM limitations?

http://www.cattoprops.com/
 
I have been flying my 9A for several years with an 0-320 160HP engine and a fixed pitch cruise prop and it is the perfect combination for my mission. Density altitude is not a problem where I live but it has been exposed to only as much as 6K conditions (so far) with no problems. It performs exactly according to Van's published performance specs except for takeoff/landing distances.

Gallagher Insurance has been my choice for years but when I transitioned from my RV-8 they required a CFI checkout/endorsement as I had no previous time in any Van's nosewheel models. I am not an A&P but I have a Repairman Certificate and perform my own maintenance and inspections but I highly recommend a pre-buy from a reputable IA familiar with RVs such as Vic Syracuse before you purchase.
 
1. You seem to have a good grasp of insurance. One good broker is all you should need - all the good ones solicit quotes from all the companies, as there aren’t that many. You’re choosing a broker based on their service. The sole exception is Avemco, which has its own in-house agents. But for the last decade plus, they’ve been absurdly over-priced.
2. Not sure you’ve grasped the crazy market place. Buyers are lining up to try to outbid each other when an RV comes on the market. If you’re serious about a six month time-line, you’re going to have to monitor for-sale places including VAF daily, be ready to overbid, be ready to be not too particular about engine, prop, avionics, including paying a lot more because it’s an ifr IO-320 with CS prop.
Just my two cents.
 
Gallagher Insurance has been my choice for years but when I transitioned from my RV-8 they required a CFI checkout/endorsement as I had no previous time in any Van's nosewheel models. I am not an A&P but I have a Repairman Certificate

I also use and recommend Gallagher but note that they are a ‘broker’, like an independent agent. They are not the insurance company, and they don’t set requirements - the insurance companies do that.
Also (for the OP), the repairman certificate is a great deal - but it is only available to the original builder, so doesn’t apply to you.
 
2. Not sure you’ve grasped the crazy market place. Buyers are lining up to try to outbid each other when an RV comes on the market. If you’re serious about a six month time-line, you’re going to have to monitor for-sale places including VAF daily, be ready to overbid, be ready to be not too particular about engine, prop, avionics, including paying a lot more because it’s an ifr IO-320 with CS prop.
Just my two cents.

It is what it is. I only have so much money to spend on this and if it isn't enough, I'll have to pick something else. I don't have to have a Vans. I see some advertised and the ads have been there awhile, so I guess either they don't bother taking ads down, they're way over priced, or there are some things seriously wrong with the planes I guess. Anyhow just hoping rising interest rates will cool the plane market. Might be really wrong though.
 
Exactly

This combo is such a good price/performance equation that I'm mildly surprised that nobody has tried to certify it. Simple, relatively inexpensive, climbs great, goes fast, handles well when slow, highly efficient traveling machine, great performance across a wide range of altitudes, super easy to fly. Obviously I'm biased, but after flying one for a few years I really think the 9A is Vans' masterpiece.

I have been flying my 9A for several years with an 0-320 160HP engine and a fixed pitch cruise prop and it is the perfect combination for my mission.
 
It is what it is. I only have so much money to spend on this and if it isn't enough, I'll have to pick something else. I don't have to have a Vans. I see some advertised and the ads have been there awhile, so I guess either they don't bother taking ads down, they're way over priced, or there are some things seriously wrong with the planes I guess. Anyhow just hoping rising interest rates will cool the plane market. Might be really wrong though.

Right now, the market is crazy, but looming stagflation and a very likely recession may well have big impact on those crazy prices, and that's probably less than a year out. Jumping in now might put you at the very peak of the seller's market and give you the dubious opportunity of buying high and selling low.
 
Right now, the market is crazy, but looming stagflation and a very likely recession may well have big impact on those crazy prices, and that's probably less than a year out. Jumping in now might put you at the very peak of the seller's market and give you the dubious opportunity of buying high and selling low.

Agreed. So I watch and wait a little bit. As it is, about 80% of the ones I have seen for sale I can't afford. I might have to consider getting an older -6A, but it's not really the plane I want.
 
Yes, you are correct. I work with an IA on my field. He signs me off. Thank you for raising the issue of insurance. I forgot to mention that but it is definitely on the list of what-abouts. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be lower than the Mooney. Every year it goes up no matter what and this year they wanted over $1700. Bonus points for adding a company and contact name!! I will call.

Definitely...similar hull value the RV-9A will be 1/2-1/3 the insurance of the Mooney, because of historical gear issues.

I was quoted $2300 for a Mooney, $1200 for V-tail Bonanza, and $900 for RV-9A with similar hull. To give context...I have several hundred hours in the Mooney (did my commercial and instrument in it), but had 0 time in bonanzas (several hundred in barons though), and only a couple hours in an RV-12 when shopping insurance rates

RV-9A is the easiest airplane I've flow...very honest and fun to fly. Low wing loading does provide for a rougher ride, but that wing also gets you higher and out of the bumps, as long as you have more than O-235 in it.
 
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You could do a lot worse

The right -6A is a very, very good machine. I think it's the real value leader in used RVs.

Agreed. So I watch and wait a little bit. As it is, about 80% of the ones I have seen for sale I can't afford. I might have to consider getting an older -6A, but it's not really the plane I want.
 
The right -6A is a very, very good machine. I think it's the real value leader in used RVs.

Very true. They are the best value as long as they are built well and have decent panel. So many have goof ball panels. I'm not the typical Vans buyer. I have zero interest in aerobatics and no desire to play fighter pilot. I prefer a nice stable cruising machine like the Mooney was. That's why the 9 seems the right choice for me.
 
Very true. They are the best value as long as they are built well and have decent panel. So many have goof ball panels. I'm not the typical Vans buyer. I have zero interest in aerobatics and no desire to play fighter pilot. I prefer a nice stable cruising machine like the Mooney was. That's why the 9 seems the right choice for me.

Well.....guess I (and no doubt hundreds of RV owners) am not the 'typical Vans buyer' either, no interest in aerobatics or playing fighter pilot, just a lot of great cruising in my RV-6 for the past 23 years. But it does have a panel that is a little goofy. :D

Best wishes for a successful conclusion to your search!
 
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Well.....guess I (and no doubt hundreds of RV owners) am not the 'typical Vans buyer' either, no interest in aerobatics or playing fighter pilot, just a lot of great cruising in my RV-6 for the past 23 years. But it does have a panel that is a little goofy. :D

Best wishes for a successful conclusion to your search!

Does your 6 have an auto pilot, or do you only hand fly? If you only hand fly, do you find it tiresome?
 
Does your 6 have an auto pilot, or do you only hand fly? If you only hand fly, do you find it tiresome?

I have the Trio Pro Pilot, a full featured roll and pitch system. But many, many RVs are flown by hand--I've never considered hand-flying mine 'tiresome' and that is what I do if turbulence is more than light. But I'm careful about keeping the plane in trim.

An autopilot can be added to any RV with just a reasonable amount of effort.
 
Does your 6 have an auto pilot, or do you only hand fly? If you only hand fly, do you find it tiresome?

I think you'll find any of the RV models incredibly easy to hand fly. There's tons of people on here with way more hours than me, but in the 160 hours I've put on my 6A in the last 18 months, nearly all of it was hand flying (I only installed a 2-axis autopilot a couple months ago). Hand flew all of our 4-6 hours trips last year and found it very easy. Hand flying any airplane for that long does become mentally draining, though. The ONLY reason I even installed an autopilot was for long cross-countries. It's just too much fun to hand fly otherwise.

That said, I agree with Sam and Dugaru not to discount the 6A just because it's aerobatic capable. You'll easily spend $30-50k less on a 6A than a similarly equipped 9A. You'll burn slightly more fuel, have slightly less useful load, have slightly less endurance, and a lower glide ratio, but at a fraction of the cost of initial purchase. This is why I bought my 6A - it's simply the most economical 2-seat tricycle gear GA aircraft available.
 
All good points

Also keep in mind that upgrading an old RV-6A panel (including with an autopilot), while no small undertaking, is significantly less expensive than doing so in a certified bird. Once you get past the IFR GPS navigator, there is a wide range of cool gadgets available and they can be a *lot* cheaper than comparable equipment in the certified world.

I agree with Sam and Dugaru not to discount the 6A just because it's aerobatic capable. You'll easily spend $30-50k less on a 6A than a similarly equipped 9A. You'll burn slightly more fuel, have slightly less useful load, have slightly less endurance, and a lower glide ratio, but at a fraction of the cost of initial purchase. This is why I bought my 6A - it's simply the most economical 2-seat tricycle gear GA aircraft available.
 
You'll burn slightly more fuel, have slightly less useful load, have slightly less endurance, and a lower glide ratio, but at a fraction of the cost of initial purchase. This is why I bought my 6A - it's simply the most economical 2-seat tricycle gear GA aircraft available.

I forgot to mention the glide ratio. That's another reason I really prefer the 9 over the others. I personally will trade speed for glide ratio any day of the week.
 
Also keep in mind that upgrading an old RV-6A panel (including with an autopilot), while no small undertaking, is significantly less expensive than doing so in a certified bird. Once you get past the IFR GPS navigator, there is a wide range of cool gadgets available and they can be a *lot* cheaper than comparable equipment in the certified world.

Yes, I do keep this in mind. My requirements are kind of simple, but I'm kind of picky on avionics and panel design. The good news is, I own a CNC router big enough to cut panels, so moving things around is just labor.

VFR only must haves-

Solid digital flip flop comms radio.
Mode C plus ADS-B in and out.
Solid audio panel.
Large Aviation grade moving map GPS. Portable OK, last plane had a 696 and I loved it.
Standard 6 pack primary, steam gauges OK.

Nice to haves, or later upgrades-

2 axis auto pilot. I really enjoyed the one I used to have.
Glass, or at least an HSI primary gauges.
Glass digital engine monitoring. Loved my old MVP-50.
 
RE: insurance. First year with my -7A and 100K hull coverage, mine was about 2150 as I only had a few hours from transition training. This year it came down to about 1650. I have 700 hrs total, instrument rating and am 70 yrs. old. I know that the age is part of the rating factors.
 
You might be surprised at how much you'd love building... especially for the price differences...

Bob
 
RE: insurance. First year with my -7A and 100K hull coverage, mine was about 2150 as I only had a few hours from transition training. This year it came down to about 1650. I have 700 hrs total, instrument rating and am 70 yrs. old. I know that the age is part of the rating factors.

Great data point. Sounds like my insurance will be about the same at least initially. 1200 hours, IFR rating and 58 years old. Maybe a little less because I can't spend $100,000 on a plane.
 
You might be surprised at how much you'd love building... especially for the price differences...

Bob

I might if I had nothing else going on, but I have nothing but projects. Spending 4-5 years before I can fly again is not going to happen. I have the skills. I have most of the tools. I just don't need another project. I need a turn key flyer.

I fully support people building though. Not hard, just lengthy.
 
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