Which Van's Aircraft Best to Earn a Private Pilot's License?

Hi all,
my business partner talks about becoming a pilot often. His mechanical skill is high but coordination seems to be slightly below average (he drives us to meetings and hits curbs - I'm often white knuckled). I was going to recommend the RV-10 because he could learn in it and keep it for long term usage and wouldn't want to bounce away to another type once he get his license (with kids possibly on the way it can be a long term ownership).
Any recommendations or thoughts? For sure he is going to need a plane that can handle landing 3' above the runway.

I'd say buy an old 152, 172, Archer, or similar, get the PPL, get some time, and then sell it and look for an RV. RV's are great planes, and the -9 and -10 would both be great stable enough platforms to learn on, but why put a nice RV through that kind of abuse? They are plenty tough, but RV's are simply not built as heavy as some of the old trainers - that's what makes them so fun.

With a good pre-buy on an older trainer, you could probably just about break even when you sell it after getting the license.

Chris

No RV makes a good trainer

I agree with Chris, I would not recommend training in an RV. When learning to fly you will be landing incorrectly (on the nose) while trying to learn to land correctly. It would be very easy to damage an RV while trying to learn to land. A Cessna is a lot better plane to learn in. By the time you get your license, you should be better at not landing incorrectly and then would be the time to start thinking about an RV. I would not want my RV used be someone to learn in.

Thanks for the info guys

Chris, Bobby, Turner,

Thanks so much for your insights. Yes, you are probably correct insofar as a Cessna, but as you can imagine... even though yet to become a pilot, we want the super cool plane to start like the RV.

Arnie, sorry to **** you off. It is second nature for me to always use my company name since that's who pays for everything including flying.

I'll close this thread and re-do my signature so I don't break anymore rules... thankfully I wasn't on a checkride with you today.