Why buy a tip up?

[Mel]

In comparison, the tip-up only gives you access to the first 6" behind the panel, which is only helpful for "short" instruments.

This is true only of the RV-6. The RV-7 & 9 give you much more room to work back there.

 

[NickAir]

Tip-Up vs. Slider

I have owned two sliders, RV6 past and presently a RV7. I have also flown tip up RV's. When it rains, (often in NW Oregon,) there is the canopy wipe off of water, prior to raising it, a pain although no real big deal.

Access to behind the dash from above with the slider would have been nice a few times, but I have no real need since my dash is easy to, and completely able to just fold out. This is a good idea to do on any slider RV giving better access than a tip up. It does take some pre-planning.

Never even realized the better visibility while flying the tip-up RVs compared to my slider. Realistically we move our head/eyes an inch regularly which eliminates the blind spot, therefore the blind spot is not an issue. When wanted you can move your eyes behind the roll bar on a slider to avoid the direct sun in your eyes.

When landing in SoCal's inland 115 degree summer heat I love to throw back the canopy the second the wheels touch and get that blowing wind on our bodies avoiding any sweat issue. Then head for the air conditioned building, ahhh. Then leave early in the morning when it is only 90.

When I saw the great mod to tip up the rear of a slider for storage access, (http://www.aircraftextras.com/Tip-Up2.htm) I knew it was the most versatile option available. After two slider RVs I still feel that sliders are the most versatile and safe. Also, sliders can be removed completely in 5 minutes.

The slider enhances safety with the huge advantage of the stout triangulated roll bar close to your head. It is in front of you where it needs to be as your are G-forced forward before landing on your head on a flip over. I have seen a RV flip over and there was barely enough room even with squeezing to get him out. Also, a slider roll bar will help protect your neck and back from being broken/compression fractured in a flip over, like has happened to others in RV flip over accidents.

Tailwinds...

 

[Ron Lee]

I had about 500 hours on my 7A slider when my friend let me fly his 6 tip-up. About a week later I suddenly realized I had a flown a tip-up and not even noticed the "superior" visibility!!

Interesting. I flew a 7A tip-up this year and the view out the front was very obvious compared to my 6A slider.

(Real men fly slider canopies. Tip-ups are for toddlers.)

 

[L.Adamson]

Interesting. I flew a 7A tipup this year and the view out the front was very obvious compared to my 6A slider.

(This space reserved for a quote mocking tip up pilots. It may take a while. I fly a slider.)

Hope it had those nice sun shades, that I've got attached to my slider's center bar.

 

[Ron Lee]

Hope it had those nice sun shades, that I've got attached to my slider's center bar.

It was new so I bought one of those suction cup sunscreens. I had to add paper on top of the sunscreen at times. I don't think that was really a big difference since the sun angles that really bugged me were low and in my eyes.

I also initially had issues getting in and out trying to avoid hitting the canopy. That may be because I am clumsy.

With about 39 hours in a tip-up and beaucoup in my slider, if I bought another it would be a slider (hopefully with instrument access panels. Has anyone retrofitted a RV-6(A) slider to have instrument area access panels (in the skin forward of the canopy but behind the firewall? (There it is...post #46)

 

[sailvi767]

I agree with with Doug and Mel said!

I sat in a slider and had to look under the "bow" and then saw a picture taken from inside a tip-up. I ordered the tip-up that week and have been very happy with it, even in the heat of a North Carolina summer.

I agree with Bill, We had a scalding summer in NC. I survived quite fine with a tip up. You get a surprising amount of ventilation with the canopy cracked.

George