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How Often Do You Fill All 4 Seats?

EinEngineer

I'm New Here
First off: I'm newly registered to the site, but I've been lurking for years. Nice to finally meet all of you! Now, to my question:

I'm interested in a 7, but the 10 keeps catching my eye for the extra seating. My long-time girlfriend and I don't plan on having kids, but what we do have are friends spread out across the country.

So my question is: If you're a single pilot (or pilot-copilot duo) without kids, How often do you actually use all 4 seats? I've got this idea in my mind that my friends and family will jump on the opportunity to pitch in gas to join in on a weekend getaway, but I don't know if that's actually how it'll work out.

Did any of you build a 10 with this thought in mind? And how did it turn out? Do you routinely have friends ready to join you on cross country adventures, or is it usually just 1 or 2 in the front seat?

Thanks,
Will
 
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I miss the -10 we built

not that I don't love my -6A, for "yanking and banking", but when the wife and I want to travel for more than a day, there is no way the two-seater will handle the volume of baggage that (we) need to take.

Hoping I can talk one of my better-off buddies into a four-seater I can borrow.

Ron
 
My 10 was a wonderful airplane and so is my 7A. It's simply your mission. The first time anyone was in the back seat of the 10 was me when the buyer and his instructor checked it out. If you don't need four seats the 7A is just as fast and much cheaper to own and maintain. If you think you will need 3 or 4 seats often then buy the 10, it's the best 4 seat you can buy for the money IMO.

Pat
 
I am married, no kids, and have a 9A. I'd love a -10 if I could remotely justify the expense, but what I have realized after a year of flying, including a number of longer trips, is that those trips with more than 1 potential passenger are rare, and also tend to be things like vacations, trips to visit family, etc. Those are not the types of trips that I like having to rely on GA on. In fact, on two recent trips from FL to NC, I flew the RV (with our dog), and my wife flew commercial. Not because she doesn't like flying with me, but because she couldn't afford to not be back at work Monday AM if weather was bad. My schedule was more flexible.

This past weekend we flew to Key West. 2 hour flight vs 6 hour drive, but were ready to drive if need be.

Don't get me wrong, if a -10 fit my budget, I'd own one in a heartbeat, but I wouldn't expect to fill more than 2 seats that often. 80% of my flying is still solo.

Chris
 
lots of room in a 10

My wife and I have flown our RV6A on many long cross country flights. We have flown our RV10 on many long cross country flights mostly just the 2 of us.

I only fill the back seats of the 10 about 5% of the time.

I prefer my 10 for cross country because;

1. there is more shoulder room.
2. There is a baggage door instead of pushing the soft sided only luggage over the seats in the 6
3. I can easily reach into the ice chest in the back seat. reaching into the back of the 6 can be a challenge.
4. I never have to worry about how much luggage or "stuff" my wife wants to bring.
5. The seats slide back and recline so we can easily take turns getting a quick nap.
6. The 10 is just more comfortable

Good luck with your decision
 
Passengers

I would say 60% of the time I have 3 or 4. Love the ten! I wish I had 6-8 so my friends didn't have to roshambo on the trips we take.
 
The rear seats are indispensable to us for butts and/or cargo. Easily 50% of the total aircraft time, they have been put to use.
No big deal if not needed but huge deal if needed and not available.
We will be transiting soon between our home and an Airpark cabin and the 10 will be like a station wagon both directions. Just this morning, we were heading up to meet a contractor, and a soon to be neighbor's wife needed a ride up and we got a case of oil out of the deal.
I've done three rescue missions where the seats were needed and four Flying Samaritans trips where they were essential.
To each his own. Build what you want.
 
I sold my RV-10 because I was not using the rear seats as originally planned. After flying it for 3 years, I could count on one hand how many times I had used the back seats for passengers. Its an expensive plane to build and fly. Building a 9A now.
 
Before my wife and I had kids we would fill the seats quite often with friends and family. If they were not filled it was nice to take out the seats and put two mountain bikes and tons of camping gear.

If you don't worry about losing the aerobatics and can afford the extra fixed and variable cost of the -10, it is a no brainer.
 
It's all about the mission. I also wanted the 10 or the 7 or the 14 for that matter.... But I have been flying 172 for years and for some 80% of the flights were solo even when everyone says "Yes I wanna go" the usual scheduling issues and I end up flying solo most of the times. So for me the back seats were best used with a street bike or lots of camping gear. But I cannot justify the cost for that so a -7 it is! As always just my 0,02 cents... Just get out your logbook and see what kind of flying you do.

But having said that if money were no object I think I would have taken the 10...
 
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Another Data Point..

..I love, love, love the RV-7A and believe it's close to the perfect airplane (for two). However, I am building a 10 for my family and friends. One worry I had was that I wouldn't enjoy flying the 10 as much as the 7A. However, a friend said the following:
1) You'll have other RV'rs who will want to borrow your 10 when they need extra room. Perhaps you can borrow their 2 seater, as there are a lot more of those to choose from.
2) If you sell later and buy or build a 2-seater, you'll have more money in the "plane fund" to play with.

Then my wife said the following:
1) Even if it's just the two of us, we'll be able to have more room and carry more stuff, comfortably.
2) Are you building a plane for you, or for "us."

10 it is!!! :D
 
I sold my RV-10 after my wife was no longer able to fly. I knee jerked and sold it to a guy that showed up with a big pile of money. I'm building an RV-8 now but I deeply regret selling the RV-10.

My first RV was an 8A and it was a blast to fly. My mission however evolved to high effectively cross country IFR travel. The RV-10 is hands down the best plane out there to do this mission (I made some mods on my plane for this mission as well). One or four people, makes no difference.

The new owner of my RV-10 lets me borrow it from time to time, but that is not the same as taking off for a couple of weeks to go across the nation, cruising at 14K' listening to tunes. After the RV-8 is done it might go to my son and I'll build another RV-10.

I've flown the RV-14 and for the few dollars more the RV-10 is, for me, the far better choice.

Carl
 
Build a -10!

While I love my -9, almost a year to the day after our first flight my wife told me she was pregnant. We now have a two place airplane and a three place family.

Moral of the story; Women cannot be trusted!
 
I just came back from picking my daughter up in Eugene, OR. She told me she had 2-3 bags. This is what she actually had (I had a flight bag and back pack).

We filled the seats and baggage area - was within CG and 50 pounds under gross;)



PL6RperxYguqHWEjH4jckg2H9eCyOn8NcI0l_Ll76dt4LWRJukYWugeOrmWfFKPrBS_oglsGxKbUNET1kgRvxXMsDCg4X5oGYk2510xr5h0IVifMKlrK9QhZExtjET4dEVLA2lBrof6KHyp47M14ROx7suaBVjh0R2Gk-64rcWLwmcLkOiwOBQO6581hKoVd3LP-AMJP5xBX47ZA74q77wYVyUdE40hqMw1pZHKnWuU_OLMfp6U7oS29AnNAb5jj7Hds5Xn4wm8TtZTbsnEMy6wt1a9H2UNf-Bwapst-jaBCgkQ6ReqevEMbUB4CA8G7vgR8Ti9DXl7LrWsDBxtUWMoH_tqFrS_8MXq2agaVfKfrrTi0bqHO7vhG9EOqLehHs1cw-mr_WIfM_lTnQrBjOt51aLOTB65bpB4MbmNr1PP21wc4wFkgo1cmAiPiFfpadOxASphA-pJ60O4WlwpG4BlMe7NkumJiAM3VYO66FlqZiHHCGjXizfgjZ8pAkYojmZK4NRqdCcSn7iVNxIk2jgS4PvlL0fbnNdyfgDo_HYVnywup2eunHXOrbxnXd5jzi7gfWzhllVutlo4EQSK9a6mEOJ3MAjsVh4ZzdjNOk0TqmDf5PEG-=w659-h878-no



This is unloaded after arriving home.
SSE3_4MlMFlDuJoemcDf_7YG4B4RRiQhoNYeQSS-WjHcOTWNQNakjNYJAcaasyNrYOm7N-GJGqZDHNYbkxm-NQ1X9AFO6jL8o7HBue4Z5nUVUKI0x1EfydpMxLLQcm2phVfI69lVpTxIfDyLJOZlYl1Pw7NFwwOY0MUhJ9oZ1S_kcpnZjZUXc6XfxXJKfiznP2uog-aEpwnyPTeIHl11Hh9z2yS9_whniWuB5WBISxh0xj70Xof-X4vsEtlg3p2Nm0nu0-PL4-T4rST_A-VCjFMuJD9_RYTEna90eESpSY7abDm8vb8YaP0uvC2Qp2gE4lnD5LbyytLjbG97MA2ty8IeUosioED_kCnDNhvOd1iybeT6M66APQVZmOyyacKyDCMbSh9hjxiLE5JJOuVfmzMvkX9gzPyNcpUjM_UJTaDFfVxx1lQvUB_i8NUoXS6mNHkDlFGKY7pm37h04L9Ux1Wbx2vVuje0iMtdzoCEAN-VCYP3hbCXU1HOrWMs7tSxb34XflaE8X_05BNrAD9wBgkS4HZcED5kn82NgaRyFU283VitIxEIpSTA6mXpf6-oXdBzt1t8zvsoUKQ64cWQm-ydS2Z4Jr40Ysz7GUVa5aYwwEziGa_9=w800-h878-no


And it filled up our SUV with the seats down

5wu4SUY2iAPDu_FuDb4_uMD0gJhTd9omRgY1uDtF7TljOYm5vliexRi8uInxiF9kPXJfxiOxoiIqGqxdMSFL4ox1_o8zD9es-uQdnXu6ZLFySmCBSq7gTrTPjubwzJQKFm_ljZIWTAq8jtc1nSSKSaGlxT7gLcoJYNl-X5Sy9iCP0X99ABrwmYVQ9vOciWLzowXNMYAo4QceGlXTVBrhRWwgKpbA8J-S_CqG7UK4ogxi6HlWJ6CCxl-_h5j11XgtgbSr-lLp8Po26OZWmgxhVtV4xnDiiUJYSU2G0lDJMXGpdSv-o1q2OKvdcxEyQYmykM9lIpBp9zo3dH2UvFTg9vw9TXNy0GciA50PWeTm2HAHAyuffvyPd8lImihwsBTSZpCD-njCzjNYvKZhXX7MawzxmbHBrzf6bMzjGt-1G8YfGLoWDkJs7eNxnvhAI7rwuL02XSJjtPzZ-LGGIPb7al3jFsJ2ky7adzXwK9RtRVOZq0mcKFEU3D0DxzOmwYffc3k9gFBUhvocjy6RpMazadjPJjV_tK3ujPMMkixq-PK95I9Lfq61-QzQfk_7KTHpM7ruh56nMsetHsNLMRuEzz17N3tfBGYM0BC5IZtKA_qPChHm_6FH=w800-h878-no


Glad I had 4 seats on this trip. :D
 
We usually fill the seats. Even if we didn't, the ten is a very economical travel machine we would want the comfort. Lots of room and not much more to operate that the two seat RV's. Very stable and awesome cabin heat. I hate freezing in an airplane.:D
 
Business use

IMG_20170519_175702103_zpsrsvq4ceg.jpg


Our RV10 is used more and more for business mostly from California to WA. One of last flights I was solo but airplane was full of everything I brought back from few days in California. Great airplane to carry people and cargo.
 
I would say 60% of the time I have 3 or 4. Love the ten! I wish I had 6-8 so my friends didn't have to roshambo on the trips we take.

Same here... if it's not 4 people, it's us and our 100lb black lab in the back seat. Or a ton of camping gear. But, we routinely have people in the back seat. Especially taking them sight seeing around San Diego. Just wish I could charge for my "Scenic Coastal flight" considering how often I fly it:)
 
Historically, I have always had three/four people on almost every flight.
Either family or friends. Friends are often day trips, family is more likely weekends or vacation.

Tim
 
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