Transition Training

Spotted in a hangar this weekend:



The line crew said the owner had about 40 minutes total time in this late model RV. No other details, and I wouldn't post them anyway even if I knew, as I don't wish to embarrass anyone.

The point is this; if you're new to RV's, get some transition training. It's just not your interests in play here. This sort of incident runs up insurance costs for everyone.

Wow. That ruined somebody's day. Feel for them.

transition training

Ditto
I just completed training with Mike M. in Oregon for my 7A. In my opinion it is absolutely necessary. I've been flying my Cherokee for 1000 hours, and fly it every week. But flying a stick, keeping the nose gear up, learning the numbers for the RV is very necessary. And there are a couple benefits. Not only do you learn how to fly your RV the "right" way, but you also gain confidence so you can do the first flight in your own RV. Oh, and one other benefit: it made my spouse feel better.

Biting The Bulllet

I've run across a number of people over the years or read posts here where people seem to try really hard to avoid getting transition training from a reputable instructor. It just seems crazy to me to invest the time and money (well over $80K for many) to build or purchase one of these machines and then not invest in the $2K-$3K to make the trip to Oregon, Texas, Minnesota, Idaho etc. and spend time with reputable and experienced transition trainers to learn how to properly fly these machines. This is definitely what I call penny wise and pound foolish!

Skylor

Wow, that looks like the plane was not even rolling/moving. i.e. no rear curvature, just circumferential contact.

I have a friend who took "transition" training and was given such bad advice by the recommended transition instructor that he was lucky he didn't damage anything.

Not all transition instructors are the same. Also, there is a BIG difference between the speeds you should use with an RV-9 and a short wing RV.

Also, if anyone ever tells you to hold the stick at the base, as low as you can, ignore it as it is BAD advice!

N941WR said:

I have a friend who took "transition" training and was given such bad advice by the recommended transition instructor that he was lucky he didn't damage anything.

Not all transition instructors are the same. Also, there is a BIG difference between the speeds you should use with an RV-9 and a short wing RV.

Also, if anyone ever tells you to hold the stick at the base, as low as you can, ignore it as it is BAD advice!

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There is absolutely no pilot with more experience in RV's and knowledge to impart than Mike Seager. I was an absolute privilege for Mike to allow me to fly with him.

My trip to Oregon to do Transition Training with Mike Seager has been a highlight of my aviation experience. It was a lot of fun and I learned so much, I wanted to stay longer. Tickets were only $350 from Alabama (Southwest). I think I was out of pocket maybe $1500 for everything. So worth it, made me a better pilot. Not sure why anyone would try to avoid such a fun experience.

Mike is the BEST!!

Roberta

I've got less than 80 hours total as PIC of any airplane, and all of those are more than 10 years ago. There's no way on earth I'm going to flight test my future RV without 1. Extensive "rusty pilot" training/refresher in a regular trainer and 2. Sufficient transition training in an RV. I honestly never even considered not doing transition training!

What kind of lead time to transition trainers generally ask for? Is there a years long waiting list?

You being in CA, Mike Seager would be the likely choice. I would call him to get a good idea on lead time, based on your completion date. And yes, get significant training prior to transition training to get up to speed on any airspace and regulation changes. I did my transition training about a month before I test flew my 7A. Prior to that I hadn't flown for about a year and a half. Mike did my BFR during the transition training. I test flew the RV-7A with confidence after spending four days and about 10 hrs with Mike in the 6A he was using. Prior to the transition training, I had about 700 hrs in a Cherokee and about 50 in taildraggers like the SeaRey and 7ECA Champ.

You being a very low time pilot, it might be advisable to hire a test pilot with significant RV experience. If there is a problem, an experienced pilot will more quickly recognize it and be able to deal with it.

Roberta

Certainly one of the favorite Dirty Harry lines is "A man's got to know his limitations."

Trouble is, a lot of us don't.

Someone like Ryan is safe. He knows, and is comfortable with it. The other 90% are above average. Just ask us.

When I finished the RV-8, the insurance underwriter with the best offer said "Go get two hours in any RV". Seemed silly, really. I had a lot of tailwheel time and about fifty types in the logbook, including 60 hours in an RV-8A, so I wasn't entirely helpless. And "Any RV"? Didn't seem like it would help with an RV-8, which generally isn't available for transition training anyway. However, I said sure, and got with a recommended transition guy in Atlanta. He had an RV-6.

I was awful.

The key issue was over-controlling. I flew regularly during the build years, generally every weekend, but it had been split between a Legend Cub, and acro with a Maxair Rocket. Compared to an RV, both require large control inputs to keep things nailed during pattern and runway work. This particular RV-6 had very sensitive ailerons, and the pedals were adjusted too far rearward for my size 14's, and with it all thrown together I was just a mess. Was I safe? Well, yeah, sorta. I don't recall any instructor saves. I didn't bend anything. But I went home with a very different attitude about my upcoming first flight.

That's why it was worth doing.

The insurance guy was pretty smart.

I think it's a good idea getting some training if yr not confident with little time on a high perf machine.
I'd never flown a conventional u/c plane other than a couple of times in friends planes (with them in it) in over 40 years & they where just basic ACA machines.
I finally decided to buy a Citabria 115HP in the last few years and get my T/W endorsement. That was fun, an easy a/c to handle but soon tired of it as I wanted to go places. An RV8 conventional u/c was the go. Never flown an RV before,went and test flew two with the owners in the back seat, both 8's as well and an F1 Rocket (loved that but not practicable for me). My first ever Ldgs where right there and then, was hooked, bought the second 8 & flew off into the sunset. - Around a 100 hrs latter the 8 is a pussycat, each to their own

Pilots come in all types, shapes and sizes. I give transitioning training in all types of airplanes. I am currently flying with a guy in a Long EZE. F35 pilots stationed at Lemoore air base have heard of me and will get their tailwheel endorsement in my C170B. It took the last F35 driver 3 hours to get his tailwheel endorsement. He was the flight commander. They don?t let those guys fly expensive sophisticated airplanes without a reason. I finished my RV-4 in 1997. In those days we really did not have transition training. While I was building my RV, several of my friends including Dave Anders let me take there?s up for a spin. Actually, I checked out Dave Anders in my C170B prior to his first flight in his RV-4. When I got mine done, I flew it myself only because I felt that I was the best qualified for the job.

As taildraggers go, RV?S are relatively easy to take off and land. If you get in trouble with an RV, you can usually just go around and try it again. Unfortunately most pilots don?t recognize this situation until it?s too late. I think what makes these high performance planes more difficult is that things happen much faster than slower types of planes.

I flew with one pilot who owned a Bonanza. He was a great pilot, instrument rated and flew regularly. I flew with the guy for about 15 hours in my C170B. We went round and round the pattern. He was just not getting it. I had to go out of town so he started flying with someone else in a J-3 Cub for several hours. He never told me and when he started flying with me again, he showed great improvement. We flew for a couple more hours and I gave him his tailwheel endorsement. He already had someone build a very nice RV-7 for him and we started training. After several hours, he finally was proficient enough to fly the airplane himself. He had accumulated about 35 hours of tailwheel instruction. He flew another 70 hours as pilot in command and one day he ground looped the plane on landing with over 100 hours of tailwheel time. He sold the airplane after telling me ?that plane is going to kill me!? Some people should not be flying a tailwheel airplane.