Didn't know if this belonged in the TW v. NW section or the -8 section, but I'll give it a try here..
Like many I've read countless discussions on how RV taildraggers handle. I've heard mostly good reviews, but also the occasional horror story that drive many low time/low tw time pilots away from these airplanes. This thread is not to start a debate between tw or nosewheel models. However, just overview my experience as a 20 year old, 250 hour pilot. I've had time in a Supercub, and recieved my endorsement in a Decathlon, totaling around 15 hours in tw aircraft before taking on the RV8.
First time I was ready to fly the RV, I sat strapped in the front seat wondering if I would be able to 'tame this beast'. My flight instructor (Bud Pinkston, owner of the Piranha airplane seen in a thread) didn't think it was gonna be 'no big deal', so I trusted his judgement and taxi'd out onto the bumpy grass strip we keep the -8 at. I don't think I have seen my dad more nervous in his life than he was that morning seeing me get ready to take his 'baby' up for my first time. My instructor coached me as I was taxi'ing out mentioning how the airplane was going to feel on the first takeoff run. After run-up I pointed the airplane down the runway and smoothly advanced to full power, feeling the control pressures as I accelerated (rather quickly) down the runway. The first thing I noticed was how amazingly responsive it was, and it was very easy to over-pedal, as the -8 didn't require much movement, just pressures to keep it headed strait down the runway. We were off the ground in no time, and off the the next airport where I would try out my first -8 landings.
We did some slow flight on the way to the next airport with a long, wide, paved strip to help me get the feel of the slow flight characteristics and stall of the -8. I was amazed how well it did fly at the slow speed, and how minor of control movement it took to maveuver the airplane. As we entered the downwind leg to landing I had my first experience at how hard these things are to slow down! Even with power off, nose up, in a heavy slip, the -8 did not want to slow down. This will take practice. I applied full flaps and flew the rest of the pattern getting a feel of comfortable speeds to fly at, then slowing to a suprisingly easy 3 pt landing. Once on the ground, my instuctor kept reminding me not to overpedal, which was exactly what I was doing, since I was not used to an airplane with this much control. We did a couple -3 pointers, then transitioned to wheel landings. I was suprised how this airplane seemed to 'land itself', as long as you stay with it and let it land when it was ready to. I don't have much to say about the following landings, as they were very similar. The -8 was not difficult to land at all, as long as you stay ahead of the airplane. I realized quickly if I got behind the airplane, it will let me know. But if it started to sway back and forth on me, I had plenty of rudder authority untill I got the airplane slowed to a stop. We experimented with both 3 pt. and wheel landings in a crosswind, and I was again amazed at how light of control pressure it needed to keep strait.
Fast forward a few days! I now have 5 hours of dual instruction in the -8. We repeated the above landings at different airports, different crosswinds, etc. This airplane is not a difficult airplane to fly, as long as you stay with it and get the right training and experience. I am glad I got the time in, and am much more comfortable with the thought of flying an tw RV. The hardest thing I noticed was the habit of wanting to over-pedal the airplane. Once I started, it didn't want to stop, but I never felt I was in the situation where the tail was going to come around on me because of the large amounts of rudder authority these airplanes have. I will eventually get better at this as I build time.
So take it from a young'in. Van designed a great airplane! And I encourage anybody with doubts about flying the -8 or other tw RV, find a good instructor, get some tw time, and get to it! You won't regret it.
Like many I've read countless discussions on how RV taildraggers handle. I've heard mostly good reviews, but also the occasional horror story that drive many low time/low tw time pilots away from these airplanes. This thread is not to start a debate between tw or nosewheel models. However, just overview my experience as a 20 year old, 250 hour pilot. I've had time in a Supercub, and recieved my endorsement in a Decathlon, totaling around 15 hours in tw aircraft before taking on the RV8.
First time I was ready to fly the RV, I sat strapped in the front seat wondering if I would be able to 'tame this beast'. My flight instructor (Bud Pinkston, owner of the Piranha airplane seen in a thread) didn't think it was gonna be 'no big deal', so I trusted his judgement and taxi'd out onto the bumpy grass strip we keep the -8 at. I don't think I have seen my dad more nervous in his life than he was that morning seeing me get ready to take his 'baby' up for my first time. My instructor coached me as I was taxi'ing out mentioning how the airplane was going to feel on the first takeoff run. After run-up I pointed the airplane down the runway and smoothly advanced to full power, feeling the control pressures as I accelerated (rather quickly) down the runway. The first thing I noticed was how amazingly responsive it was, and it was very easy to over-pedal, as the -8 didn't require much movement, just pressures to keep it headed strait down the runway. We were off the ground in no time, and off the the next airport where I would try out my first -8 landings.
We did some slow flight on the way to the next airport with a long, wide, paved strip to help me get the feel of the slow flight characteristics and stall of the -8. I was amazed how well it did fly at the slow speed, and how minor of control movement it took to maveuver the airplane. As we entered the downwind leg to landing I had my first experience at how hard these things are to slow down! Even with power off, nose up, in a heavy slip, the -8 did not want to slow down. This will take practice. I applied full flaps and flew the rest of the pattern getting a feel of comfortable speeds to fly at, then slowing to a suprisingly easy 3 pt landing. Once on the ground, my instuctor kept reminding me not to overpedal, which was exactly what I was doing, since I was not used to an airplane with this much control. We did a couple -3 pointers, then transitioned to wheel landings. I was suprised how this airplane seemed to 'land itself', as long as you stay with it and let it land when it was ready to. I don't have much to say about the following landings, as they were very similar. The -8 was not difficult to land at all, as long as you stay ahead of the airplane. I realized quickly if I got behind the airplane, it will let me know. But if it started to sway back and forth on me, I had plenty of rudder authority untill I got the airplane slowed to a stop. We experimented with both 3 pt. and wheel landings in a crosswind, and I was again amazed at how light of control pressure it needed to keep strait.
Fast forward a few days! I now have 5 hours of dual instruction in the -8. We repeated the above landings at different airports, different crosswinds, etc. This airplane is not a difficult airplane to fly, as long as you stay with it and get the right training and experience. I am glad I got the time in, and am much more comfortable with the thought of flying an tw RV. The hardest thing I noticed was the habit of wanting to over-pedal the airplane. Once I started, it didn't want to stop, but I never felt I was in the situation where the tail was going to come around on me because of the large amounts of rudder authority these airplanes have. I will eventually get better at this as I build time.
So take it from a young'in. Van designed a great airplane! And I encourage anybody with doubts about flying the -8 or other tw RV, find a good instructor, get some tw time, and get to it! You won't regret it.
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