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RV4 Checkout....

Hey everyone, I'm new to the site and would like to say thanks for having me! I'm purchasing an RV4 in the next 2 weeks, I have a couple in mind, but I have not flown one. I do have a fair amount of recent tail wheel time, and owned a citabria previously. Is there anyone on here that can help me find an RV4 check out or transition training in the Tucson AZ area? I will be in AZ for the next 6 months for work. Thanks in advance, I'm looking forward to meeting some of you and when I purchase my aircraft getting to become a more contributing member to the vans air force.

Nelson
 
It's highly unlikely that you'll find anybody who will give you training in an RV-4 as the visibility from the back is poor and there are no rudder pedal kits available for the -4. If your tailwheel skills are really good and you've flown any RV-series airplane, that may be as good as you can do.

What does your insurance company say?

When I bought my -4, my skills were really good and I flew it well with no transition training. Not bragging, but that was before all the transition training folks were in business.

Read up on flying the -4. It's great solo, but with somebody in the back seat, the same stick pull that gives 2 Gs solo will give you 5 Gs. Pay attention to the aerobatic CG limits -- many folks have won Darwin awards when they ignored them.

Ed
 
I've sat in a 4 but no actual flight time. One I'm looking at had rear pedals, the other does not. I have Citabria and cub time, flown handful of other aircraft and fly light twins commercially. I haven't fully bought the transition training idea yet. An rv is just another airplane and I don't think the transition is really necessary, but I would like to have someone ride along for a few trips around the pattern. As for my insurance they are fine with a cfi ride along for 2 hours. No transition or anything required. They don't really care if the cfi has any rv time as long as he/she has 150 hrs tw time. Glad to hear not everyone thinks rvs require 747 type training. Lol I've been told you actually don't have to dance on the rudder as much with the rv4 as you would a Citabria. Any truth to that?
 
I've been told you actually don't have to dance on the rudder as much with the rv4 as you would a Citabria. Any truth to that?

I'll vouch for that. Had 1 hour in a Citabria prior to flying my RV4 for the first time. The -4 lands and handles much easier on the ground...
 
You can get rudder pedals for an RV4, mine has them. There won't be brakes back there though which would give most people some pause :)

I did my transition training in an RV7, and aside from sight picture it flew just like my RV4 (to my new-to-RV self). There is somebody in CA that does that. A day or so with him and you'd be all set. All my previous time was in a Citabria as well, and the RV4 is easier to fly on all counts :)
 
Checkout in a RV-6 or RV-7

My insurance company wanted a sign off from a CFI in a RV-6. I went to Jan Bussell in Central Florida.
 
Yeah, they're all just another airplane. Sort of.

If you're a gifted pilot, fly with pressures on the stick, can adapt to a new airplane in the first three seconds, and your skills are current, no problem -- like Bob Hoover did when he rolled a Russian airplane on takeoff on his first flight. The rest of us, to some degree, benefit from getting at least a little bit of a feel for new handling characteristics.

You have a good variety in your flying background, but I didn't see anything with light control forces, like an AA-1 or gliders. Yes, if you're up to speed, you can explore the rest of the flight envelope yourself. I had to do that with the -9A because there was no training available in it. I had 500+ hours in other RVs, so I was able to teach myself.

If you ever make it to Savannah, I'll take you around the patch in the -9A. We might both learn something. :)

Ed
 
I've been told you actually don't have to dance on the rudder as much with the rv4 as you would a Citabria. Any truth to that?

I don't relate to the comments that the RV is easier. IMO the Citabria is virtually the easiest most forgiving tailwheel airplane ever. You can land them with sinful slop that the airplane just shrugs and soaks up. You can practically take your feet off the rudder on rollout. Unless there is something wrong with it, any pedal pumping dancing on the rudders in a Citabria is just pointless hyperactivity on the part of the pilot. The RV is about as easy and stable as they come as well, just more responsive and with lighter rudder pressures on the ground compared to the Citabria. You should have no trouble with the RV if you are a current and basically competent tailwheel pilot. Your insurance requirements may be the biggest question mark for you. You will probably overshoot some power off approaches initially because the airplane is so clean with a low descent rate at 1.3Vso and doesn't slip well compared to the Citabria. Much more floaty on landing if you carry a few un-needed KTS.

My only caution to you about the RV which has bitten some pilots new to the design is that the RV has one of the lowest aspect ratio wings of anything out there. Quick and high drag build at high AOA. If you get into a situation where you're power off, too slow, with a high descent rate, and try to arrest it with elevator only (bad move in any airplane), you can slam through ground effect in a way that's less forgiving than some other airplanes. You can bend/break something even with those flexy spaghetti gear legs. Super straightforward airplanes.
 
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Not Arizona... but the experience is well worth a trip to Houston (south).

Bruce Bohannon is approved by Gallagher Insurance (and others) for RV -3,-4, and -8 transition training, he'll sign you off when you're ready, and he won't milk your pocketbook. Bruce uses an RV-8 (LODA) with rear seat rudder and brakes. Quality transition training is priceless, and Bruce will treat you right. Search the forums for "Bohannon" for testimonials.

Have fun with your new bird!
 
RV4

When I purchased my 4 I had 20 min stick time in a 6 from a few years earlier and the 20 min flight from the back seat of the plane I was buying. My limited TW time consisted of 20 hrs on a PA18-150 Supercub and 10 hrs on a Citabria. My only other flying time was in Cessna 150 and 172's (about 400 hrs). Probably not the smartest thing I ever did, but 450 hrs and 3 years later the 4 and I are still around, although the 4 has been sold and I am now flying a 7 I built.

The 3 biggest adjustments for me were the light stick forces, small control movement requirements and the speed.

After my first TO I flew 30 min to a smaller airport with a 3900' paved runway and did some ccts. I was able to land it but found it really liked to float. I found this was due to the idle being set too high at 700 rpm and she didn't want to stop flying. It was a new plane once the idle was set to 550 rpm...easy to land, just keep it on speed. No dancing on the rudder pedals required in my experience. Just give it what you need to keep it pointed in the right direction.

As for the speed...probably not an issue for a 337 Driver...but for me, after being used to 100 kts or so IAS, at 140-150 IAS things happen a lot quicker, especially when you approach an airport for the cct. The nice thing with the RV is that you can pull the power back 8 mi out and slow down until you get more comfortable.

With the TW experience it sounds like you have I don't think you will have a problem. Try and get an hour in the back with the present owner to get the stick feel or get a ride in any 2 place RV, preferably TW, and you will eliminate the pucker factor.

Good luck! You will have a blast in the 4!!

Al
 
Blue Sky Aero at Morris, Illinois (C09) does tailwheel training in an RV4. They are also supposedly getting an RV8 for training soon. AND they also have a Citabria, and I believe a Stearman for training as well.

www.blueskyaero.com
(815) 252-1031.
Under 'contact us' - John Musgrave
 
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Wow!, This site is awesome. So many replies and some great information. I can already tell by the responses that I'm going to really enjoy it here. I will check into a few of these options as I plan on having the airplane delivered to me in Tucson AZ hopefully by the 1st of March. Anybody have any ideas of hangar space in and around Tucson? Thanks again everyone!
 
Flying the RV-4 for the first time

When I told an old Air Force T-38 IP buddy I was thinking about building an RV-8, he insisted that I fly down and take his RV-4 for a flight. He said he would let the RV-4 do all the talking. He insisted that I take it solo.

After a cockpit checkout, I started his 4 and taxied out. The 150 hp fixed pitched RV-4 surprised me by its acceleration and climb out. After a few minutes flying this beautiful aircraft, I felt as if I had been flying her a hundred hours. The controls were responsive but not twitchy and I was comfortable with this marvelous aircraft right away.

I returned for landings. The only problem I experienced was getting the 4 below flap extension speed. I remember climbing at idle power on downwind to slow this slick airframe!

I was ready for a fight as she touched down, but the fight didn't come. I heard a chirp chirp, and she rolled strait ahead. After another touch and go I did a full stop, and still the RV-4 failed to even put up a fight. I radioed the owner and ask: "Where are you hiding the nose wheel"? He radioed back: "Amazing isn't it!"

The RV-4 is the easiest taildragger I have ever flown. I totally disagree that the Citabria is easier. IMHO if you can handle a Citabria the RV-4 will be a cake walk. I have flown a total of three RV-4's of various quality, and all three flew the same.

You are going to love your new 4.
 
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Arguing about whether an RV is easier than a Citabria or vise versa is kinda like arguing about whether it's easier to hit the broad side of a barn with a baseball or a football. ;) We are splitting some stupid easy hairs here. I just can't understand any "much easier" hyperbole when the bar for both is so dang low.
 
Arguing about whether an RV is easier than a Citabria or vise versa is kinda like arguing about whether it's easier to hit the broad side of a barn with a baseball or a football. ;) We are splitting some stupid easy hairs here. I just can't understand any "much easier" hyperbole when the bar for both is so dang low.

Awesome, then I guess you don't need to post a reply then eh? ;) Nobody is arguing in here, and its not a thread about citabria vs RV4. It was simply used as a baseline for flying a "stupid easy" tailwheel for us mere mortals.
 
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When I told an old Air Force T-38 IP buddy I was thinking about building an RV-8, he insisted that I fly down and take his RV-4 for a flight. He said he would let the RV-4 do all the talking. He insisted that I take it solo.

After a cockpit checkout, I started his 4 and taxied out. The 150 hp fixed pitched RV-4 surprised me by its acceleration and climb out. After a few minutes flying this beautiful aircraft, I felt as if I had been flying her a hundred hours. The controls were responsive but not twitchy and I was comfortable with this marvelous aircraft right away.

I returned for landings. The only problem I experienced was getting the 4 below flap extension speed. I remember climbing at idle power on downwind to slow this slick airframe!

I was ready for a fight as she touched down, but the fight didn't come. I heard a chirp chirp, and she rolled strait ahead. After another touch and go I did a full stop, and still the RV-4 failed to even put up a fight. I radioed the owner and ask: "Where are you hiding the nose wheel"? He radioed back: "Amazing isn't it!"

The RV-4 is the easiest taildragger I have ever flown. I totally disagree that the Citabria is easier. IMHO if you can handle a Citabria the RV-4 will be a cake walk. I have flown a total of three RV-4's of various quality, and all three flew the same.

You are going to love your new 4.


Good stuff! I'm glad to hear all the positive feedback on owning/flying an rv4.. I'm really looking forward to it!
 
I learned to fly in a cub 30 years ago and then recently had a reasonable amount of Citabria time before transitioning to an -8. Most of my time was TW time. I've never flown a -4, but did dual in a -6 and -8 before flying my -8. I would suggest getting dual time in any RV before taking the -4 solo. It's just different (not really harder or easier than the Citabria) and you are better off finding that out with someone else. I suspect your insurance company will likely require it.
 
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