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Do your spouses like the RV-4???

S

steve91t

Well Known Member
Hey guys. Just wondering how the RV-4 does as a cross country airplane. My dad just got a beautiful RV-7 with a 180hp IO-360 with a 3 bladed CS prop. I am blown away with this airplane. And being side by side seating, with room in the back for a couple of duffle bags is great. But I keep reading that the RV-4 is the best flying 2 place RV. I know the back seat is small, but I also know that a lot of people take their wives. The other advantage is that the RV-4 is much cheaper than the 7. I've seen them for sale for less than $50,000, and that's for a relatively low time plane in beautiful shape. I also have read that the 160 hp with a CS is the best combo over a 180 hp.

So, my wife is 5'2", and 107 lbs. Would we be able to every now and then take the plane somewhere, with a small duffle bag, a few hours away? Maybe 1.5 hour legs if we are really trying to go somewhere. How do your wives do in the back seat?

Thanks guys!
Steve
 
Steve

My wife liked the traveling part but didn't like sitting in the back very much. Yours may not mind. We have sat in the RV-7 that I'm finishing and she appears to like the side by side configuration a little better, time will tell.

Hope this helps
 
steve91t said:
So, my wife is 5'2", and 107 lbs. Would we be able to every now and then take the plane somewhere, with a small duffle bag, a few hours away? Maybe 1.5 hour legs if we are really trying to go somewhere.
Thanks guys!
Steve
Click to expand...

Easily......
 
The back seat is comfortable

I have flown my -4 coast to coast 3 times, and my wife goes with me. She thinks the back is comfortable, and we generaly do 2 1/2 to three hour legs. I moved my battery into the engine compartment and so have some forward baggage space up front to help with weight and balance. Sounds to me like you would have no problem unless your wife likes suitcases that weigh 75 lb.
 
Ask her!

Probably depends on the wife :D

After seeing both 8s and 7s on the airfield, my wife told me she was super glad I was building a side by side... no way would she want to sit all alone in the back for hours.

Maybe find a 4 to try on....
 
My Wife 5’6” and 120 lbs has enjoyed 2.5 hour lags for a total of 5 hours a day on several occasions, she has even taken the boy in a snuggy along on round trips totaling two hours, she loves the plane and says “he is a family member”!!! Make sure the rear seat bottom is wedge shaped (taller at the front then the rear buy almost double, this spreads the load to both the butt and lags, a flat seat bottom means sitting on her tail bone and that’s over in about 30 minuets.
 
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Had a -7 before and now a -4. My wife preferred the side-by-side much better. She is about 5'3" 110lbs and will full baggage in both planes we have made a few trips to OSH (4.5 hr trip - 2 legs one way). She likes sitting next to me and the ability to see forward. The other thing to consider is that the -4 is a little bumpier in turbulence.
 
My wife and I max out the -4 but love it. She is 5'7" 145lbs and we still put 30-35 lbs of luggage in the back. We typically limit the day to 1, 3 hour leg but I'm fine with that as she is not a flier and is usually exhausted from a 3 hour flight. Footwells are a must though.

She even asked where we were going in the airplane this weekend. I may keep her.
 
You guys are CRAZY to post your wives' heights and weights on the internet!!!!:eek:

Question - is sleeping on the couch more or less comfortable than an RV-4 backseat?
 
IFR??

The 4's panel would be a bit of a challenge to get all the IFR gear ond have enough room to work.

Then again I'm a bit of a low time IFR pilot and like the space (and often passenger to help me with charts etc).

I'm thinking that you probably want a VFR only airplane though.

Frank
 
JDRhodes said:
You guys are CRAZY to post your wives' heights and weights on the internet!!!!:eek:

Question - is sleeping on the couch more or less comfortable than an RV-4 backseat?
Click to expand...

I have to force my wife to look at pictures of airplanes. There is no way I could ever get her to read about them. :)
 
My "Baby" on board

Guys,

I flew my RV4 for 13 years and my 105 lb wife rode with me many times during the last few before I got my HR2 going. I gave alot of rides prior to that and learned some small secrets to RV4 trunk comfort.

1. Seal air leaks. Have her feel for drafts, identify them and fix them! Common places are the rear canopy skirt, floorboard where flap pushrods exit, rear stick well.
2. Good seat cushion height and comfort. Have her strap in, close canopy and check her height, the better she can see the better off YOU are.

3. HEAT! If you fly high, even in summertime, make sure you duct some heat aft. I used a temporary 2" Scat for long trips routed to the back. Don't leave home without one of THESE:
http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-IN9738-...OUHQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1290209254&sr=8-2

4. Headrest: make a pad to go over rear canopy frame where it crosses top of rear seat!

5. Ditto Steve Sampson, Footwells are a must!

6. Rear GPS: A nice option that helps answer the "when are we gonna be there" questions.

Wives that fly are Gold, take care of them!

Smokey
HR2
PS: Whatever you do, don't let her ride in an HR2, your 4 will be GONE! Or dare I say, let her:)
 
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Smokey, how does your wife like the rocket? And how does it do on long trips?

Btw, my brothers is flying Vipers for the 169th in SC right now! Block 52s. I love hearing his stories!
 
My wife refuses to sit "in that hole back there!"

....as do a lot of my friend's wives. One of them sold his F-1 Rocket because she wouldn't fly back there.

Mine has ridden in an -8 and a -4 but she loved my -6A so much, she's the one who suggested the -10! She says that she loves being able to look in my eyes while we're talking....something that a mirror in either a -4 or -8 just doesn't cut....she says.

Love her,

Best,
 
steve91t said:
Smokey, how does your wife like the rocket? And how does it do on long trips?

Btw, my brothers is flying Vipers for the 169th in SC right now! Block 52s. I love hearing his stories!
Click to expand...

There's far more room in the Rocket then in the 4. Especially in the front, even bigger then the 8.
 
pierre smith said:
....as do a lot of my friend's wives. One of them sold his F-1 Rocket because she wouldn't fly back there.
Click to expand...

Same here. Three planes that travel together & side by sides.
IMO--- If I always flew alone, the tandem would be great. But I prefer flying with "active" company............as in NOT just sleeping or reading.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
smokyray said:
Seal air leaks....floorboard where flap pushrods exit.....
Click to expand...

Speaking of that... how have others dealt with this? Using a rag to fill the holes during flight works great until you have to remind the passenger to remove them BEFORE lowering the flaps. :eek:
 
smokyray said:
Guys,

1. Seal air leaks, 2. Good seat cushion height and comfort 3. HEAT! 5. footwells are a must! 6. Rear GPS: A nice option that helps answer the "when are we gonna be there" questions.

Wives that fly are Gold, take care of them!

Smokey
HR2
PS: Whatever you do, don't let her ride in an HR2, your 4 will be GONE! Or dare I say, let her:)
Click to expand...

Fully aggree with the above !
I'm finishing my RV-4 cockpit at this moment and my wife asked for confortable heated seat and electrical connections for her goodies (Laptop, camera, MP3). I'm adding a USB connection and a small 12Vdc/110 Vac, small price to have my passenger comming along.

Remy
 
GIB...."Girl(s) in Back"

My wife liked my 6A, but likes my 4 just as well. The 4 does have a Harmon Turtledeck that gives more headroom including the ability to lean your head back...way better. I'd also suggest Termperfoam (Conforfoam), in the seat bottom and, as pointed out in other threads, a 12v outlet for GPS, DVD, etc.

FYI, my 89 year old Mom loves flying in my 4! Always wants to go flying when she visits.
 
wife in rv-4

Wife looked at it before I bought it and said "I'm not interested in riding in that", I bought it anyhow and guess what... she still has no interest in riding back there. She WILL do it but only for a short time. On the other hand, my teenage daughter and I traveled all over the south looking at colleges. No problems and she loves it. 18 years old and packed for 6 days in a little tiny carryon bag. :)
 
do your spouse like the RV-4

My wife is 5' 5" and 130 and 65 years old. She likes her little compartment back there and reads and goes to sleep on trips. She only likes to fly 2 hours or less as she is not comfortable with flying. When I quizzed her about a side by side she said she would just as soon sit behind me. The 4 is a pilots plane. I am a CFI, MEI, CFII and fly 4-6 hrs a day sometimes but getting in to my 4 is a whole different experience. It is my very own little P-51.
 
Good Seats

Good seat cushions, for both the pilot and passenger, should be one of your top considerations. I flew uncomfortably for years until my buddy, Phil Campbell put me on to Oregon Aero seats. I thought I had a new aircraft. It really took the pain out for me and made my -4 and all day traveler. I recommend them highly. THANK YOU OREGON AERO!!

_________________________________
Deal Fair
RV-4 (being refurbished by HWA)
George West, Tx
 
2 more bits

If she has long legs you better have her try a Rocket early on or put some foot rests on top or in front of the main spar. A good comfortable and quiet head set, a proper seat and a 696 in the back will keep her happy. Good ventilation(heat, when required) is also a must. One word of caution. If you try her in a Rocket, she will want to get her license and fly it.
 
My wife likes the RV-4...It's hers and she sits in the front, now that she has attended Mike Seager's transition training.
 
Two comments:
1) Seat heaters go a LOOOONG way toward making the wife very happy. My wife doesn't really care for flying, but she was VERY happy when I showed her the seat heaters when I was building the Rocket. I told her that I was putting them in just for her. And I wasn't exaggerating. Her happiness is paramount. She is the reason that we carry seat heaters on our web store! URL below, near signature.

2) The holes where the flap pushrods go throught the floor are very easy to seal. Remove the floorboard, or do this during construction, to get access to the back side. Get a large foam paint bush and cut off the foam, throw the handle away. Cut an "X" in the middle of the foam, but don't cut it too large and definitely don't cut all the way to the edge. Slip the foam over the pushrod, which is already disconnected because you removed the floorboards. Make an aluminum ring to hold the foam in place on the floorboard. The extra holes are to give extra grip to the ring (see photo). Put everything back together. Leak problem is kaput.

flap%20pushrod%20gap%20seal%201.jpg


flap%20pushrod%20gap%20seal%202.jpg


flap%20pushrod%20gap%20seal%203.jpg
 
Engagement

Here's something to consider: If your wife thinks of flying as a way to get from point A to point B with no interest in the process, it's hard to beat a -4. But if she wants to be a copilot, go for a 6 or 7.

My wife is perfectly comfortable in the back of our -4 watching movies on her iPad, and we use the aircraft for long VFR and IFR trips, so it works great for us. However, I have a friend who would like to get an RV4, but really wants his girlfriend to be actively engaged in flying the aircraft on their XC trips. Upon discussing it, we both concluded that a 6 or 7 would fit their needs a lot better.

M
 
BIB loves the -4

My spouse loves the -4 (backseat) and she is 5'10". I have the footwells, and she is quite comfortable. We fly often, but seldom over 1.5 hours at a time. She is getting pretty good at flying it, although can't see much instrumentation. The only time she really has any issue...is when she is on the ground and I'm flying solo !
 
Louise and all;
I like the RV-4 just fine. I do fly it, but I am finishing my RV-8, very soon I'll be calling the DAR.
Marilyn is an 1100 Hr pilot & CFII, mostly in Cessnas. She selected the RV-4 and trained with Mike Seager. I did too. I believe my RV-8 first flights will be much better. Although I have a T-18, Mike adjusted me to some significant differences and I land mo-betta.
Oh! did you mean do I sit in the back? I weigh a bit too much for W&B with any baggage, and I'm tall in the backbone. I have to lean forward to clear the canopy when I sit back there. I have done it tho-.
 
Spouse flying RV4

I moved the back seat flush with the seat back bulkhead and added three inches of leg room. Also the rear passenger sits more up right. How to Instructions are in the builder tips of the RV4 section:rolleyes:
 
Side-by-side here

My wife likes to do the flying while I handle the nav and the radio, and since there's no instruments in the back seat, the side-by-side is the only config for us.

Both of us also enjoys to sit next to eachother because it's much more social.

Since the cockpit is wider, it's easier to handle charts and manuals too.

And with a wider baggage-compartment, the choice was easy for us.

As a bonus, the panel was easier to design since it's wider on a side-by-side.
 
steve91t said:
Hey guys. Just wondering how the RV-4 does as a cross country airplane. My dad just got a beautiful RV-7 with a 180hp IO-360 with a 3 bladed CS prop. I am blown away with this airplane. And being side by side seating, with room in the back for a couple of duffle bags is great. But I keep reading that the RV-4 is the best flying 2 place RV. I know the back seat is small, but I also know that a lot of people take their wives. The other advantage is that the RV-4 is much cheaper than the 7. I've seen them for sale for less than $50,000, and that's for a relatively low time plane in beautiful shape. I also have read that the 160 hp with a CS is the best combo over a 180 hp.

So, my wife is 5'2", and 107 lbs. Would we be able to every now and then take the plane somewhere, with a small duffle bag, a few hours away? Maybe 1.5 hour legs if we are really trying to go somewhere. How do your wives do in the back seat?

Thanks guys!
Steve
Click to expand...

Hi Steve,
The -4 does wonderfully X-country, especially with an auto-pilot. My better half loves it as long as she can listen to music. (I don't listen to music, my lyc humming is music to me :D) We both highly dislike driving. The -4 makes a 500 mile trip a fun outing. She prefers the backseat of the -4 over riding in the Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ series) and airline hassles for certain.

Cheers,
 
I put a garmin 296 in the back seat so that she can fly and navigate, plus the situational awareness aspect (where are we) is covered. It also makes a nice back-up if my 496 craps out.
 
It's all a matter of personal preference. My wife sat in the back seat of my hangar-mate's 8A on the ground and was very vocal in her praise for the comfort. Then she thought about it for a while and told me she would really rather sit beside me. She likes to snuggle up and hold hands as we fly. She's also found that she can just lean her head up against the side window and stare down at the earth and achieve a feeling of great personal space and inner peace. The pilot isolate feature on the intercom in our new panel will, no doubt, allow her additional freedom from radio chatter if she so pleases.
 
I thought my wife would not like the -4 but she has proven me wrong. She likes to ride in the airplane but thinks if she touches the stick, a button or radio that the airplane will fall out of the sky. She is happy in the back away from the 'action'. She handles pretty much anything in the air well but still wants no part of flying the airplane.

Some days I get down on the -4 for not being as cross country friendly as the -8 or -7 but just yesterday it reminded how great it really is at those missions. I dropped off my wife at her parents hometown airport (45 minute in the RV and a 3 hour drive), then I flew down to Panama City, Fl to meet my parents (1 hour RV and god knows how long a drive it would be). It made an impossible day possible. Yes, it was rough and 3 of the 4 landings were 60 degree crosswinds gusting in the lower 20's but the -4 handled it great and so did my wife.

I don't think the -4 can be beat in the bang for buck category. It's not the fastest, biggest, most baggage room, best aerobatic or smoothest ride but it does all of those 10 times better than the next closest non-RV at a fraction of the price.

I clicked 1010 Hobbs hours on that trip yet I am still often amazed at these little aircraft.
 
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Ditto Sid!!

Very well stated Sid. I agree with you completely; they are wonderful little work ponies. I use mine to commute; and load up the back seat with up to 200 lbs of whatever I need. It will handle crosswinds I wouldn't attempt in a Cessna.

It really provides me with great service. Like you say, it whittles down those dreaded driving miles. If for no other reason, I LOVE it for that. Then, it is so much fun to fly also. :D

Cheers,
 
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