What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Impact of RV-14

How much will the RV-14 cause the value of RV-7s to drop?


  • Total voters
    415
Quite a few.

There are many very inexpensive options.

A friend of mine built and flew a complete Hummelbird for $5,000. no electrical system and always easily hand-propping the half VW.

Best,
 
Just my two cents but after having been a lurker and interested in RV's for many years, I finally took my first ride a few weeks ago in a buddy's RV-6A. I thought it was a blast to fly but I was surprised how tight it was in the cockpit. I'm 6'1, 215lbs and my buddy is a little smaller. The plane was a little hot-rod but I thought it would be pretty uncomfortable for any kind of cross country flying.

About two days later, the RV-14 was announced. I thought that was a bit ironic, given my impression of the RV-6.

AU
 
Last edited:
Cabin Width

I absolutely agree with the above post. I recently took a test flight in the RV-9A up at the factory. The plane flew awesome! I have to admit that I am now completely addicted to the way it flew!

I am 6' and 195 pounds, and Ken Scott (the demo pilot) is probably about 6'-2" and maybe 215 pounds............so neither of us are particulary wide. The first thing i noticed when he shut the canopy prior to take off was the lack of shoulder/arm room. We were sandwiched in there pretty good. My wife and I sat in the plane before the demo flight and we were both very comfortable in both the shoulder and leg room aspects (she is 5'-7" and 130 pounds). I have only spent half an hour in the cockpit of a -9A, but i felt it would get rather cramped on a long cross country with a male passanger.....with my wife or somebody small it would be just fine. I think..........well actually I hope..... that the -14's extra width will resolve this issue.
 
The 14 appeals to me for several reasons. First, I'm one of those overweight Americans since joint issues curtailed my hiking and backpacking which was how I was keeping in shape. The increased aerobatic gross weight means I can fly with a normal weight instructor. Second, the afore mentioned joint issues make it harder and harder to get into something like an RV-7 and the lower canopy rails on the 14 looke really attractive to me. Third, with my job and work in my church, I don't have a lot of building time available and the degree of prefabrication makes it more likely that I can finish a 14 while I am still in shape to enjoy it. For me, it is probably more of a decision of whether to build an RV-14 as opposed to not building anything than of building a 14 instead of a 7 or 8.
 
Welcome to VAF!!

Larry, welcome to the good ship VAF:D

I have been in the 14, and it is a lot easier to get into than a 6/7/9.

But, the 10 is by far the easiest to get into and back out of.
 
Like many of you, my first reaction was, "REALLY.... why". Having given much more thought, the -14 actually "fixes" all my beefs with the -7/9. Number 1 is more fuel. The 50 gal gives a person the ability to really reach out with non-stop flights. Just because it's 210 hp, doesn't mean you have to use it in cruise! Throttle back to the power settings of the -7 or -9 and enjoy the exact same speed & economy. I'm told by Van's that the clipped RV-10 wing and flap results in handling more like the -9/10. It has the robust -10 nose wheel, the main gear struts of the -8, all of which is a dramatic improvement over the 7/8/9. If you really want sport aerobatics, then stick with the -7/8. If you want to occasionally roll and loop, then you're good to go in the -14.

Kit plan organization and completeness will be in line with the -12.
Frankly, I think the -14 makes a lot of sense and it no doubt will eat into the sales of the -7/9.

I'm not a big person, but one of the things I absolutely loved about the Navion I had for many years, was the cabin width and comfort that came with that. Don't get my wrong, I LOVE my -9A for what it is, a WONDERFUL cross country machine, but if I were doing it over again... the -14 would be really hard to turn my back on.

Just my observation...

Unfortunately, I AM part of the 2/3 of Americans that tend to be on the large size, and that weighed heavily (pun intended) on my decision to build a 14. I spent six years building my RV Super 7. ( http://drrv7.com/ ) The intent was to have a fun, sporty machine that doubled as a fast cross country machine as well. It turned out to be everything I had hoped for, *except* for the lack of room when making a long cross country flight with a passenger. I flew my pride and joy up to Oshkosh this year for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. While visiting family on the way up to Oshkosh, I had the opportunity to take a few friends and family members up for some short flights. They all enjoyed the experience and LOVED the airplane but commented about the lack of room in the cockpit requiring them to pretty much have their arm around me while we were flying. I'm 6' and 260 lbs and my brother is slightly smaller than myself. Needless to say, we were pretty cramped in the cockpit of my 7. While in Oshkosh, my brother and I had the opportunity to sit in the 14 together with the canopy closed and to my delight, we didn't even TOUCH shoulders. SOLD! With all that room in the cockpit, coupled with the performance of a 7 and the extended range with 50 gals of fuel, the decision was easy. I came home from Oshkosh, put my 7 up for sale, recently sold it and am anxiously awaiting the availability of the 14 wing kits. With the experience of building a slow build 7 behind me, and the advancements in the kit building process, I am estimating it will take me less than HALF the time it took me to build my first kit. Truth be known, I actually miss having an airplane project in my shop. To me, building an airplane is actually theroputical (sp?). I can come home from a long days work and go out in my shop and put in another 4 or 5 hours. It's like sitting on the couch!
 
RV14

New member. Not a pilot. Longtime aviation enthusiast. Been to Oshkosh a number of times. Familiar with Vans only from what I have seen at Oshkosh and online.

Here are the completed kit numbers off of Vans site as of today.
Listed by Model
RV-3 276
RV-4 1355
RV-6/6A 2492
RV-7/7A 1247
RV-8/8A 1174
RV-9/9A 762
RV-10 441
RV-12 217
RV-14/14A 1

I had not been paying much attention to Vans site for quite a while since other things in life have taken priority. I just realized this week that the 14 was now in the lineup. So I read up on it and watched their demo videos on youtube.

Based on what I saw, I liked it. I am not a big guy. My immediate impression was that the increased baggage hauling ability was a big plus. The slightly roomier interior and headroom is nice to have as well. I am only 5'8" and 140 so it is not a requirement, but one of those things where if you got used to having and using the extra room, you would probably miss it if you switched to a smaller cabin. And if you are married, your partner would no doubt voice complaints as well.

Will it affect the value of the RV7? Only time will tell. There will always be a market for people who like to haul stuff and people who just like to fly light. So I think both models will stay in the lineup and that the 14 will sell quite well. With the 14 being a bit roomier, it may make the decision for prospective buyers much easier.

For those of you flying the 7/8/9, do you find the current luggage capacity to be a pain in the butt?

How often do you haul a full load of stuff? That varies with everyone no doubt.

For long trips, I can see the usefulness the extra hauling capacity. For short flights around home base, it wouldn't matter as much. So how often do you take long trips comes the question?

As far as the cost vs the 7 or 9, have to wait and see when the entire kit is in production and prices come out. But I would think if you can afford to build the 7 or 9, that the 14 wouldn't be out of possibility unless you are on the ragged edge financially to begin with.

As far as fuel use goes, well, I read somewhere that experimental pilots are some of the biggest penny pinching tightwads on the planet. I can't really say.

I know there are guys who have no problem justifying 30k on an instrument panel setup and them groan and moan over a bit more fuel cost or something else. And I have no doubt there are guys who complain to their partner if they spend $100 on some personal item, when the garage/hanger is chock full of tens of thousands of dollars of aviation, custom car, fishing, etc non necessities.

When your buddies call you up and say, "hey we are going over to such and such place to see Joe's new hanger and have lunch," do you jump right in or do you say, "well, let me see what current fuel prices are and run some numbers and I will get back to you."

Running on the ragged edge of being able to afford something is no fun at all. And having an nicely built plane that you can't afford the fuel and insurance for is a major downer. Because you just built yourself a nice expensive decorative ornament for your hanger or airport tie down.

The kit completion rate as a whole I think hovers around 20% of all kits sold. I don't know how much of the 80% failure to complete is based on finances. Biting off more than you can chew as it were.

When it comes down to it, you either can afford it or you cannot. It's nice to dream, but reality can be a real pain in the rear of dreams. If you want a plane you can actually fly, insure, maintain, hanger, and repair, the cruel reality that you are not Warren Buffet, hits home hard.

I am sure there are plenty of people who get started building and ordering parts, but when the credit card bills start mounting and you can't pay off the balance each month, uh oh. Income reality check. Lots of partial kits hit the for sale market because of that no doubt.

Like many hobbies, you start with a pile of cash, throw it out the window. Then you throw more money out the window each month. It's just some hobbies have bigger windows and some have windows with vacuums attached.
 
Last edited:
Welcome to VAF!

New member. Not a pilot. Longtime aviation enthusiast. Been to Oshkosh a number of times. Familiar with Vans only from what I have seen at Oshkosh and online.

Eric, welcome to VAF:D

Good to have you aboard.

I like your hobby/cash/window analogy, quite accurate.
 
IO-390 Vs. O-360

New member. Working on getting my pilots license. Considering on building an RV.
I started reading this thread because like many guys I haven't completely decided on which RV to get. I am considering RV-7 or RV-14. Currently I am leaning towards RV-14, and this thread made me consider it even more.

This thread was very helpful thanks to some members, and every time I read about people complaining about burning extra gallon of fuel I wanted LMAO. I like how AL_O_Dine put it " either you can afford it or you cannot". I wouldn't even consider starting on this project if I was concerned about extra $6 per hour operating cost.

On the other hand I did some research on the two engines and this is what I came up with:
http://www.hoaircraft.com/PA-18-IO-390-STC.html
It shows that at the same HP output both engines burn almost identical amount of fuel. Personally, I like the idea of having good fuel economy at cruising speeds and have more HP when I need them.:D
 
New wannabe RV pilot

Hello,

I greatly enjoyed reading through this topic and found some of the arguments accurate and others more emotion based. I am a former Army helo pilot, currently fly Cessnas with the CAP and have a Comm. Inst. rating. I had never heard of Vans prior to a couple years ago when I moved up to Maine and found my new friend building an RV-9A. He's been working the project for many years and about 75% complete. I took an orientation flight in a 9A this last summer and that convinced me to pursue a kit. What a fun airplane to fly!

However, the amount of effort to slow build is unacceptable for me, just a little too impatient. When Vans released news of the 14 I was sold on all the tech improvements, extra room, and x-country capability. BTW, I am 5'7" and around 175 lbs but don't enjoy being cramped in for a long flight. My wife also appreciates the elbow room. Building the RV will let me realize a lifetime dream of aircraft ownership without buying something 40 years old with thousands of hours on it.

I am also a tech project manager for a large aerospace defense firm and have already generated my project budget. My only unknown is the duration for the build. Hopefully the assembly improvements with the 14 will allow completion within a reasonable timeframe, 2 - 3 years. Anyway, I certainly look forward to the challenge and plan to begin in Jan 2014 when my 401 becomes available.

Thanks for all the valuable information and opinions.
Mark
 
Choices....

I?ve been a Van-fan for a number of years. I?ve also looked at other planes to build including the Velocity, the Murphy Moose and the Glastar Sportsman. I?m float rated and have had my VFR license for 24 years. Moving around the country and raising a family has limited my flying, but now in my mid-later 40?s with kids grown, and now thinking of fulfilling my dream of building. This thread has been interesting. -7 vs the -14. I?m 6-3 and 200lbs. I don?t think I fit into the 2/3 pile, but I really find the -6 and -7 tight with two people my size, so I was actually thinking more about the -8 if I could talk my bride into looking at the back of my head for long x-country trips! :cool: So the new -14 is really welcome and I think will be a more comfortable plane to fly with my darling bride into the years of retirement. I took a trip to the velocity factory in FL last month and looked at what they had to offer including their new twin. I?ll take a trip to Oregon later in May/June to see, sit in and fly the various models with my wife. Thanks for all the perspectives. Nice that Vans provides a choice!
 
Great thread. I am excited about the options Vans provides us. I know if I were to build a two seat airplane that was not an LSA, the RV14 would be at the top of my list. I like the look and the space. I am not a speed demon and would rather trade speed for economy so the RV12 is probably going to be my ride if I go with an experimental. I would not consider the other kits because they are harder to build. Watched the RV14 walk around video on YouTube and I am impressed with the maturity of the kit. I don't have my license yet but am about a month away. My airplane search is beginning now.
 
Mission First

As mentioned before...lots of emotion! I have actually caught myself getting emotional.

That said... buy what you want to fly.

Me? I bought a flying RV-4 with a 320. The thing is a DREAM to fly. And it sure is a XC machine (1 person capable of creative packing, or 2 comfortable with the USPS and pre-planning).

I'm working on the empennage of a 14 right now. Why? Because I want a touring airplane that I can load up (bags/Gs) as needed.

Will I sell the 4? Not only no, but **** NO.

The wife even OK'd a second airplane...

Bottom line...down bottom...
Determine the mission, then build to suit. Time will tell re: the market impact.

Anyone in Ghazni Afghanistan PM me...

Cheers
 
Great thread and poll. It has really engaged many new members. Clearly, I am building a 7, and was quite interested in the 14 specs when it was announced.

Van's Team improves each new design, and my thoughts are the 14 will take some kit sales from the 7 for several reasons, but mostly expanding the buying population. I don't see that diminishing the value of the (or to be) flying 7's, and honestly don't care if it does.

+It's instructions and build precision should be better than the 7. i.e. easier building.
+it is larger and will provide some more utility due to fuel/weight
+It reaches a new group of potential builders. Keeps the fever going.
+Eager builders with some critical mass for collaboration.
+Tip up design/build should be improved over the 7 (multiple offender comparison may tell)

-It is more costly than the 7, but could be offset with full not QB kit.
-Well, that might just be it.

Unlike the 6-7 comparison, the Vne does not increase.

Like 6-7: build time should be improved with more refinement from Vans Team.

Personally: I might build a 10 next due to the easier ingress/egress for spouse, not a 14.
 
7? 14?

One builders perspective.

The RV 14 is a Two Place RV10 with aerobatic cape abilities
And a Tail Wheel!
There are no RV7 parts in a 14. This thing is all RV10. Just a little smaller
I do not think the used RV7 market will change with 14s coming out.
 
Sit in a 6/7. Sit in a 14. To me a no brainer if I were building. Anyone got a finished RV14 for sale?
 
Back
Top