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Having Second Thoughts 6A vs 6

WingsOnWheels

WingsOnWheels

Well Known Member
I am currently building a 6A. I'm at that stage in the fuselage build where it would be very easy to switch to a tailwheel and am having some second thoughts about my choice.

I chose to build a 6A because I have zero tailwheel time and a tricycle is what I know and am comfortable with. However, I like the looks of the tailwheel better and it is also a bit faster. The 6 is also a bit easier to build, but the difference is minor. Since I haven't flown a tailwheel before, I have no idea what to expect.

I am also a little concerned with the nosegear failures on soft-surface runways. I do plan to find some out of the way strips when this is done, and is would seem that the A is not well suited for rough strips.

Are there any other 6 builders that went that direction without previous tailwheel experience? What was the transition like?

Thanks
 
Been right there at that decision point.....

I am a 7 builder but I got my transition time in a combo of a 6 and a 7 and I can tell you they are close enough to each other as it relates to flying em that it does not matter much...

That being said, I had zero TW time when starting this adventure. I earned my TW endorsement in an RV6 and piggybacked onto that the required dual time for insurance.

I would not have it any other way....My mentor says that he gets a huge grin on his face every time he flys a taildragger. I just say me too and thanks for helping me make the decision to build a TD.

The more I fly mine the more I fall in love with it. I am still but a pup with is but I learn more and more about what it is going to do every flight!!!

Insurance might be a $100 more the first year but at the rate the accidents are piling up with the "A" models, I fully expect this to reverse in the next couple years. Usually after the first year the insurance comes down to about the same I understand.

No RV is good for "Rough" strips since the wheels are small and the gear on the side by sides is springy. Everyone's opinion on what "Rough" means is very different.... I imagine one could put larger wheels on one if they wanted. (I know, someone out there flys off a strip that looks like motorcross whoops every day and has no problems, well thats not for the average Joe)


I see all the accidents with the "A" models and a while back I just assumed that since tons of people manage to fly them off grass for years and never have had a problem then the accidents must be cause by bad technique but man the list of flips is growing at an amazing rate...Is it bad pilot technique, bad luck, bad design, or all of the above?
 
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Ditto with me and my -8. I had 0 tailwheel time when I started building. The insurance asked for 25 hours total tailwheel with 10 being RV. Those 10 RV hours were some of the best training $$$ that I have spent yet. The RV is a well-mannered taildragger, but they can still bite. I have had two close calls in 150 or so RV landings...the key, as in any landing, is to stay ahead of the airplane and never give up on a landing.
 
Remember, at one time, you had zero FLYING time in anything....yet that didn't stop you from learning to fly, did it? Airplanes are airplanes and, with very few exceptions, any one who can learn to fly can learn to fly airplanes with the tiny wheel on either end. Don't let worry over a little extra training make the decision of what you are going to see every time you open your hangar for the next twenty years.

Paul
 
As others have posted I had 0 Tailwheel time when I compleated my -6. Its very rewarding to learn to fly a Tailwheel aircraft. I've been flying my plane for 2 years now and am loving it every time i get to fly. The Tailwheel endorsement took about 8 hrs then I spent 10 with Alex in Dallas(required by my insurance). Go for it , You won't regret!:D
 
Go tailwheel

WingsOnWheels said:
I am currently building a 6A. I'm at that stage in the fuselage build where it would be very easy to switch to a tailwheel and am having some second thoughts about my choice.

I chose to build a 6A because I have zero tailwheel time and a tricycle is what I know and am comfortable with. However, I like the looks of the tailwheel better and it is also a bit faster. The 6 is also a bit easier to build, but the difference is minor. Since I haven't flown a tailwheel before, I have no idea what to expect.

I am also a little concerned with the nosegear failures on soft-surface runways. I do plan to find some out of the way strips when this is done, and is would seem that the A is not well suited for rough strips.

Are there any other 6 builders that went that direction without previous tailwheel experience? What was the transition like?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Friend of mind won't land on any grass runway now with his 7A as he's paranoid about the nosegear. That's a serious liability and keeps him from having as much fun as the rest of us on flyouts. I learned to land safely in a TW in about 2 hours and got 4 or 5 hours under my belt when finally signed off. All done in one weekend. It was fun, it's not like going to the dentist, and you don't have to be Chuck Yeager to master and execute.
 
lucky said:
Friend of mind won't land on any grass runway now with his 7A as he's paranoid about the nosegear. That's a serious liability and keeps him from having as much fun as the rest of us on flyouts.
Click to expand...

I'm pushing 1000 hours in my 6A and regularly land on grass strips and even had an engine out that resulted in a forced landing into an Oklahoma pasture and gee, I kept it upright.
I've landed in some unexpected 90 degree crosswinds at my home airport and was very happy to have that nosewheel out front when I finally got her down.
I say, to each his own. No matter what you decide you'll be in an RV! :D
 
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You won't see many 6A's that have flipped. Perhaps it's the shorter nose gear, and slight tail down. Many years ago, when I got to this point, I liked the looks on the ground of the 6A better. It just looked more substancial. The short wings of the six reminded me of a "squatting" dog, rather than one on all fours. looking straight ahead, ready to pounce that bird. I guess that's what happens when the first RV's you see in your life is a short wing squatting one sitting next to something that looked sportier. Perhaps it was the tail dragger Glasair versus the sportier tri-gear retractable that was on my mind. From a distance, I thought they were Glasairs.

Never the less, I like taildraggers. An Aviat Husky would just be fine. My tail time is in a Maule. With the longer wings of the "7", I've warmed up to the idea of tail dragging RV's, and as much as I like P-51 Mustangs, an "8" almost needs to have a tail wheel. When I started the 6A, the 7 & 8 didn't exist.

In the meantime, I can see better over the nose, I can actually turn a tighter radius, and rotate off the ground sooner. These are the advantages of an A model. And whether it's admitted or not, the A model does have the advantage in cross winds.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
As Mel once said: "Once airborne the airplane doesn't care which end the little wheel is on". As for me, I prefer the better taxiing visability and looks of the A model.
 
I really appriciate all the great input that everyone has provided. I am still completely on the fence. I have landed in some pretty bad winds in the past and was happy to have that wheel on the front end at that time, but since I don't have TW time I can't really judge.

I was pretty certain about my choice back when I started this build, but the question has been nagging in the back on my mind for the last couple months. Regardless, I need to decide very soon. I'm ready to start drilling the stringers to the bulkheads and then start fitting the skins. There is little going back after that.
 
Colin...let's make it simpler:

Pro's of an A:

Visibility taxiing...no contest
Ease of entry..better for older folks...no uphill
Less tendency to weathervane in x-winds, but not by much.


Pro's of a TD:

Maybe 1 MPH faster
Looks while sitting? Very subjective, depends who you ask:)
Maybe a few pounds lighter
Should handle rougher strips better, although quite a few TD's have gone over.

Best,
 
Hey Colin,

I think the 6 just uses a double bulkhead instead of just one for the last and smallest bulkhead. Why dont you go ahead and put it in? That will buy you more time. If you want to do a 6a, you will just have a slightly stronger bulkhead. If you want to do a 6, you will be set up to put in the weldment for the rear tailspring. Then you dont have to decide until you order the finish kit.
 
One concern I have with the A is having the thing end up on its tail when I hop on the step. Does anyone have a copy of their 6A W&B sheet I can see that includes the arm of the gear and empty weight with CG. I'd like to calculate how much weight on a step it takes to drop the tail. I'm a big guy and this may be a problem.

As for making it tail-wheel capable, that is not a bad idea. I would have to re-make the last two bulkheads which is easy. However, I would have to decide before I riveted the aft skins on since the mount needs to be installed before closing up the tail.
 
If the 6A is sitting on an incline, it is easy for it to end up on its tail if someone is already sitting in the plane and someone steps up quickly. Or if two people try to step up at the same time...

If I were a A model owner, I would keep the tail tie down ring installed all the time just to protect the rudder from this.

I have seen A models lift the nose wheel off the ground even when a light person steps up quickly on the step. Seems how much it wants to rare up depends more on how quickly the person tries to step up than how much they weigh...

If you are a big guy and you are careful and try to always be the first one in, you can get away with it without lifting the nose. Big means different things to different people though...

(I know there will be someone chime in that has a bazillion hours on their A model with two 300lb people stepping on the steps and have never put the tail on the ground, they must have a really fwd CG..)
 
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FWIW, in the latest Kitplanes Ron Wantaja has an article about homebuilt safety and compares tricycle RV's with td's. Turns out the td's have a slightly better safety record than trikes--opposite of what you would expect.
 
mrreddick said:
I'm pushing 1000 hours in my 6A and regularly land on grass strips and even had an engine out that resulted in a forced landing into an Oklahoma pasture and gee, I kept it upright.
I've landed in some unexpected 90 degree crosswinds at my home airport and was very happy to have that nosewheel out front when I finally got her down.
I say, to each his own. No matter what you decide you'll be in an RV! :D
Click to expand...

A chapter member (and occasional VAF forum lister) did a deadstick landing in a farmer's field with his 6A and all was well for a few hundred feet until the plane slowed down some and nosewheel caught a softspot and he flipped over forward and ended up hard on it's back.

Because of that he built and now flies a RV7. He was convinced he could have put his plane on a trailer and drove it out of there without a scratch had it been a taildragger. The nosegear was permanently bent back just above the wheelpant like you see in all the other photos when this flip over happens.
 
I would be..........

Ironflight said:
Remember, at one time, you had zero FLYING time in anything....yet that didn't stop you from learning to fly, did it? Airplanes are airplanes and, with very few exceptions, any one who can learn to fly can learn to fly airplanes with the tiny wheel on either end. Don't let worry over a little extra training make the decision of what you are going to see every time you open your hangar for the next twenty years.

Paul
Click to expand...

that person that Paul is speaking about. I have no time in anything but a TW, all of it in my RV6. Now have about 250 TO's/Landings, feels pretty good, no major issues once you get use to it. Trying to practice up for my PPL checkride. If I can do it, "so can a drunk monkey".
 
RScott said:
FWIW, in the latest Kitplanes Ron Wantaja has an article about homebuilt safety and compares tricycle RV's with td's. Turns out the td's have a slightly better safety record than trikes--opposite of what you would expect.
Click to expand...


I read that same article and found it interesting. I wonder what those statistics would look like if pilot total time and time in type were also plotted. I wonder if there are more (%) low-time pilots flying 6A's?
 
Go get some TW time to help you decide

I'm looking at both 6s and 6As, but I'll probably end up buying a 6 just because I like the looks and I too am concerned about the nose gear issues. I think there are more 6s out there too, so I should have a better selection from which to choose.

I have been taking some TW instruction and I have to say that getting a TW endorsement will probably make you a better pilot. If nothing else, you're putting in several hours of pure learning/practice in an airplane. You're not on a check ride, a joy ride and there's no destination. The goal is only to become a more learned, capable and safe pilot. It feels great.

So go get some TW instruction and then you won't have zero TW time anymore. Maybe there is a 6 around that you could sit in to to get a feel for the visibility. With those two pieces of information you can make a better informed decision.

Personally I think you will decide that flying a taildragger isn't a big deal and with that, the looks of the 6 (you said you preferred) will win out.
 
WingsOnWheels said:
I read that same article and found it interesting. I wonder what those statistics would look like if pilot total time and time in type were also plotted. I wonder if there are more (%) low-time pilots flying 6A's?
Click to expand...

I believe he did note in the article that the TD pilots had more hours on average than the nosewheel guys/gals. Although I think it does go to show, you can be safe in whatever you decide to fly IMHO.
 
L.Adamson said:
And whether it's admitted or not, the A model does have the advantage in cross winds.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
Click to expand...

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I've been flying taildraggers for 40 plus years as well as tricycles and don't ever recall I was at an advantage in the nose gear planes.

It's about whether the pilot know how to handle his plane in all conditions. IMHO..
 
6 vs. 6A

WingsOnWheels said:
I am currently building a 6A. I'm at that stage in the fuselage build where it would be very easy to switch to a tailwheel and am having some second thoughts about my choice.

I chose to build a 6A because I have zero tailwheel time and a tricycle is what I know and am comfortable with. However, I like the looks of the tailwheel better and it is also a bit faster.

Thanks
Click to expand...

If the tail wheel models were safer than the nose wheel models, they'd have better insurance rates. Check it out with your insurance agent!............. The correct decision will be a "no brainer"!
 
lucky said:
A chapter member (and occasional VAF forum lister) did a deadstick landing in a farmer's field with his 6A and all was well for a few hundred feet until the plane slowed down some and nosewheel caught a softspot and he flipped over forward and ended up hard on it's back.
Click to expand...

And on the other hand, the two 6's that flipped while landing in the fields around here were 6's with tailwheels. One picked up a bunch of weeds that locked the wheels. But truthfully, if I had to land in a rough field, I'd prefer the tail dragger. Actually, I'd prefer a friends Super Cub with tundra tires!

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
WingsOnWheels said:
One concern I have with the A is having the thing end up on its tail when I hop on the step. Does anyone have a copy of their 6A W&B sheet I can see that includes the arm of the gear and empty weight with CG. I'd like to calculate how much weight on a step it takes to drop the tail. I'm a big guy and this may be a problem.
Click to expand...

With a constant speed prop, as I have...............it's easy for someone in the range of 250 lbs to get on the step without the tail going down. If two people, other than light weights get on the step at the same time, the tail will drop. If the 250 lb. person is seated, another 250 pounder can get on the step with no problem. I know all this from much experience with the actual conditions. :)

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
rvator51 said:
Hey Colin,

I think the 6 just uses a double bulkhead instead of just one for the last and smallest bulkhead. Why dont you go ahead and put it in? That will buy you more time. If you want to do a 6a, you will just have a slightly stronger bulkhead. If you want to do a 6, you will be set up to put in the weldment for the rear tailspring. Then you dont have to decide until you order the finish kit.
Click to expand...
Not so easy. You will have to drill out a LOT of rivets to get the weldment in there.

twsurveyor said:
If the tail wheel models were safer than the nose wheel models, they'd have better insurance rates. Check it out with your insurance agent!............. The correct decision will be a "no brainer"!
Click to expand...
Funny but Radomir and I had close to identicle times when we both started flying our plans. The insurance rates for his RV-7A and my RV-9 were the same, when adjusted for the different hull values.
 
N941WR said:
Not so easy. You will have to drill out a LOT of rivets to get the weldment in there.


Funny but Radomir and I had close to identicle times when we both started flying our plans. The insurance rates for his RV-7A and my RV-9 were the same, when adjusted for the different hull values.
Click to expand...

Just leave the last bulkhead clecoed until you are ready to make a decision then rivet it together with or without the weldment.
 
Someone suggested putting the tailwheel bulkhead in anyway, which is a good idea. Another is to make an engine mount with both nosewheel and tailwheel sockets. It's been done a couple of times, Eustace Bowhay here in BC put his RV-6 on floats, and when not on floats it was a taildragger. He used the wing-root and nosewheel tri-gear mounts for the floats, and the tailwheel firewall mounts for the wheels, if I recall. You will pay a weight penalty, and there will be less room in the engine compartment.

Another option is to just put the tailwheel weldment in, the wing-root-tri-gear weldments, and when you get to firewall forward, choose whatever engine mount suits your fancy at the time. Might want to buy both mounts, just to future-proof yourself against not being able to buy the other one later on down the road. With both mounts handy, maybe you could plan engine selection and wiring/routing so you could swap mounts easier?

But i'd say if you like the features of the -6 better and are only concerned about your TW endorsement, forget about the nosewheel parts that just add weight, and go try for some tailwheel time in something with a tailwheel. Find a Cessna 140, Citabria, Champ, Cub, etc. and give it a try. Once you've been checked out, switching to the -6 won't be an issue.

Nothing against nosewheels, I just like tailwheels better. It's totally a personal preference.
 
WingsOnWheels said:
I am currently building a 6A. I'm at that stage in the fuselage build where it would be very easy to switch to a tailwheel and am having some second thoughts about my choice.

I chose to build a 6A because I have zero tailwheel time and a tricycle is what I know and am comfortable with. However, I like the looks of the tailwheel better and it is also a bit faster. The 6 is also a bit easier to build, but the difference is minor. Since I haven't flown a tailwheel before, I have no idea what to expect.

I am also a little concerned with the nosegear failures on soft-surface runways. I do plan to find some out of the way strips when this is done, and is would seem that the A is not well suited for rough strips.

Are there any other 6 builders that went that direction without previous tailwheel experience? What was the transition like?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Colin:

You sound a lot like I did back in 1988 when I started my RV-6. I had ZERO tail wheel hours.

I went with the tail wheel. I got checked out in a tail wheel aircraft before my RV-6 flew. I had 50 hours tail wheel and 210 hours total time when I made the first flight in 1997.

I now have 2,477 total hours and 2,309 tail wheel hours.

The tail wheel RVs are easier to land than any other tail wheel aircraft I have flown.

Maybe someone with more experience than I can list a tail wheel aircraft that is easier to land than an RV.
 
My RV-6 is more stable on landing than the PA-12 and Champ that I learned tail wheel on. Perhaps it is because the shorter wings and fuselage give it a lower polar moment of inertia. I haven't had that feeling of trying to control a big flywheel or weathervane - yet!

Jim Sharkey
RV-6
 
L.Adamson said:
With a constant speed prop, as I have...............it's easy for someone in the range of 250 lbs to get on the step without the tail going down. If two people, other than light weights get on the step at the same time, the tail will drop. If the 250 lb. person is seated, another 250 pounder can get on the step with no problem. I know all this from much experience with the actual conditions. :)

L.Adamson --- RV6A
Click to expand...


This is probably my biggest concern of all. I'm 6'4" and ~275#. Mel was kind enough to let me sit in his -6 and forward visibility was not an issue for me (headroom was tight though). Right now I am planning on a Catto ahead of an IO-360. I'd like to put a CS on, but don't think that will be in the cards. However, if my wife ever decides to get her license, it will be easier for her to transition to the 6A than a 6, but that is a very minor advantage.

I do wonder how insurance rates differ for the 6 with a pilot that has little TW time compared to the 'A'.
 
Maybe it is sign that the first draft of my paint design I used a -6 (all I had at the time) and it is still my favorite layout...

rv6profilepaintscheme1.jpg
rv6toppaintscheme1.jpg
 
jsharkey said:
My RV-6 is more stable on landing than the PA-12 and Champ that I learned tail wheel on. Perhaps it is because the shorter wings and fuselage give it a lower polar moment of inertia. I haven't had that feeling of trying to control a big flywheel or weathervane - yet!

Jim Sharkey
RV-6
Click to expand...

The RV has a much lower center of gravity and a much lower profile in addition to being smaller (and denser) to start with. With a Champ, for instance, you've got a 36' wing 6' up in the air and its attached to a 1220 (?) pound airplane. Once the wind catches all that surface area way up high or once you get it going sideways a little, it gets really tippy. Once you get the wheels on the ground, the RV's like a go-cart in comparison.
 
Not much difference at all

WingsOnWheels said:
I do wonder how insurance rates differ for the 6 with a pilot that has little TW time compared to the 'A'.
Click to expand...

I started out with a nose wheel, did the flip, rebuilt as a TD. My rate went up a bit, but mostly due to the higher valuation and the accident.

NationAir did require that I get 4 hours dual in a tail wheel RV. I had about a hundred hours TW time in other aircraft.

I was a bit nervous about flying a high performance TW, but it turned out to be unfounded. I have flown a Chief, Champ, Taylor-craft, Murphy Rebel and the RV6 and RV7. The RV's are simple to land and handle, even in "nasty" crosswinds. I would even describe my 7 as "docile".

Just work up to it. Get trained and practice. The insurance people will probably request dual instruction for either configuration, so go with what will feel best for you.

FWIW, I fly off of grass every day, I would never (again) take a nose wheel RV into either of my strips. :)

YMMV
 
Still not too late...

As long as you're reconsidering the position of the third wheel, maybe you should be thinking about tip-up vs slider too...;)

(wearing nomex - don't bother with the flamethrowers!)
 
DakotaHawk said:
As long as you're reconsidering the position of the third wheel, maybe you should be thinking about tip-up vs slider too...;)

(wearing nomex - don't bother with the flamethrowers!)
Click to expand...

Mel already tried to talk me into that one....I'm not having any second thoughts about my decision to go slider. :D
 
N131RV said:
I started out with a nose wheel, did the flip, rebuilt as a TD. My rate went up a bit, but mostly due to the higher valuation and the accident.

NationAir did require that I get 4 hours dual in a tail wheel RV. I had about a hundred hours TW time in other aircraft.

I was a bit nervous about flying a high performance TW, but it turned out to be unfounded. I have flown a Chief, Champ, Taylor-craft, Murphy Rebel and the RV6 and RV7. The RV's are simple to land and handle, even in "nasty" crosswinds. I would even describe my 7 as "docile".

Just work up to it. Get trained and practice. The insurance people will probably request dual instruction for either configuration, so go with what will feel best for you.

FWIW, I fly off of grass every day, I would never (again) take a nose wheel RV into either of my strips. :)

YMMV
Click to expand...

Since you already had ~100 hours of TW time, that may have made a big difference with the insurance company. I probably won't have more than 15 hr TW when I fly thins thing for the first time (assuming I go -6), so they may hit me a bit harder.
 
If you go the 6 route, make sure you do it for the right reasons. Not because it's more macho and the plane looks cooler. I've got nearly a thousand hours of tailwheel time but prefer to own trigears. When you're sliding down final at some distant airport in a wicked crosswind after a long day of flying, the need for cool and macho goes right out the door.
 
I have been going back and forth on the issue for the last few days and still don't have a clear picture for myself. I am still a little concerned with dropping the tail while boarding, but I think I will go with my initial plan and continue with the 'A'. There are a multitude of good reasons to go either way. I have always found that when in doubt go with your first instinct, in this case I think that is the best option.

Thank you everyone for your input!
 
I fly primarily from and to grass strips...I've put larger main tires in the main rims and put a bigger tire up front too.

No regrets,
Ralph Capen
RV6A Slider @ N06
 
WingsOnWheels said:
I have been going back and forth on the issue for the last few days and still don't have a clear picture for myself. I am still a little concerned with dropping the tail while boarding, but I think I will go with my initial plan and continue with the 'A'. There are a multitude of good reasons to go either way. I have always found that when in doubt go with your first instinct, in this case I think that is the best option.

Thank you everyone for your input!
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea. It was my uncle who added a bit of final persuasion when I too, was on the fence about this for months. He spent his career in the U.S. Airforce beginning at the end of WWII. He said to go the nosewheel. He said that it solved many of the problems that Airforce pilots had encountered over the years.

Now, it does seem obvious that the tail wheel RV's appear to be easier to land and manage in cross winds than numerous other tail wheel models. Yet, I do know of two local aircraft, an RV6 & F1 that lost it on landing and did some major damage. And it's still obvious that tail wheel models do limit forward visibility. That has been proven in the recent past. The final blow to my thought pattern, was when the Pitt's S2B that I was taking aerobatic lessons in, hit a tractor that tows aircraft... head on. The tractor ran out of fuel on the ramp, and between the sun & limited visibility, they clobbered it.

Other than that, I want a real back country tail dragger. I'm a bit jealous of friends who fly these Cub, Cub clones, and Aviat Huskys........with over sized tires. Between Utah & Idaho, there is a lot of cool backcountry strips. I wish I could have two airplanes. When these Cubs go with us on our 150 mile Sunday brunch, they leave about an hour early. They are definately slower than an RV.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
 
L.Adamson said:
Not a bad idea. It was my uncle who added a bit of final persuasion when I too, was on the fence about this for months. He spent his career in the U.S. Airforce beginning at the end of WWII. He said to go the nosewheel. He said that it solved many of the problems that Airforce pilots had encountered over the years.

Now, it does seem obvious that the tail wheel RV's appear to be easier to land and manage in cross winds than numerous other tail wheel models. Yet, I do know of two local aircraft, an RV6 & F1 that lost it on landing and did some major damage. And it's still obvious that tail wheel models do limit forward visibility. That has been proven in the recent past. The final blow to my thought pattern, was when the Pitt's S2B that I was taking aerobatic lessons in, hit a tractor that tows aircraft... head on. The tractor ran out of fuel on the ramp, and between the sun & limited visibility, they clobbered it.

Other than that, I want a real back country tail dragger. I'm a bit jealous of friends who fly these Cub, Cub clones, and Aviat Huskys........with over sized tires. Between Utah & Idaho, there is a lot of cool backcountry strips. I wish I could have two airplanes. When these Cubs go with us on our 150 mile Sunday brunch, they leave about an hour early. They are definately slower than an RV.

L.Adamson --- RV6A
Click to expand...

I would also like to have a bush plane someday. Really, I decided that I need at least three planes. The RV-6 for all-around fun, a bushplane I can also put floats on, and a 4+ seat fast family hauler. I don't think I can do three planes, but that what dreams are for right.
 
RScott said:
FWIW, in the latest Kitplanes Ron Wantaja has an article about homebuilt safety and compares tricycle RV's with td's. Turns out the td's have a slightly better safety record than trikes--opposite of what you would expect.
Click to expand...

I don't have access to the magazine, but how did the author determine the ratio of trike to TD's among the RV's? In the case of the -8's, one can safely assume a large majority are TD's. I believe the opposite is the case with the side by sides. I would side with the insurance folks on this one, they are the only real authority, as they know exactly how many of each they insure.
 
decision is made for me

I repainted a 7A for a guy recently who had flipped it due to nose gear collapse, he may have made some errors but for me I figured that after several years building my 6 to have it wrecked though something that wasn't my fault would be to much to handle ,some limitations but , so tailwheel it is and I have a few hours in one at the moment and i really love the challenge , I fly a mates one around now but can't wait to be in mine,
cheers Mat
 
LAdamson, with all due respect, comparing the visibility when taxiing to a two seat Pitts is a huge stretch.

My RV8 has much better visibility than our C-180, and the 6 that I transitioned in was much like my 8.

It sounds like the poster has already decided, so we can leave him alone:)
 
My goodness, did everyone forget their training. When you land an airplane you pull the stick back and hold it back until the nose wheel settles itself down to the runway. You do not touch down on three wheels. Land at the proper speed and your not going to tear off the nose wheel. I watch some awful landings at my airport and wonder who taught them to land.
 
How to decide

O.K.

We've re-established that this is a never ending debate:)

A while ago I learned an interesting technique for deciding things that have no clear answer. Flip a coin. But wait...

The important thing is not what the result of the coin flip is, but rather your REACTION to the result. We've all flipped coins and a few times have had a twinge of disappointment at the outcome. THERE'S YOUR ANSWER! Acknowledge that after all the "analysis" it distills down to purely emotional and go with the emotion! After all, you can't really rationally justify what we do here anyway:)

Jeremy
 
dbgrosch said:
My goodness, did everyone forget their training. When you land an airplane you pull the stick back and hold it back until the nose wheel settles itself down to the runway. You do not touch down on three wheels. Land at the proper speed and your not going to tear off the nose wheel. I watch some awful landings at my airport and wonder who taught them to land.
Click to expand...

Thanks for reminding everyone how to land, but the fact remains that some have flipped on soft/uneven strips after the nose has settled on rollout with the stick ALREADY held fully aft. Obviously the controversy stems from the fact that some believe it's a design issue, and some believe it's solely a pilot technique issue. I think it's a little of both, and in extreme cases, nothing the pilot could have done to prevent going over.
 
RV6 vs RV6A

I went the other way, did not want the additional insurance hassle and training and I really liked the vision out of the 6A while taxying. Granted, the 6 looks more like a Mustang, but what the heck, it is only what others see. In the air it flies real nice! Incidentally, I still have all the original TW parts.

J?rgen Amtmann
 
One more thought

My first RV was a 6 that I recieved my tail wheel endorsement on. I put over 800 hours on it and here is what I tell people like yourself. It will take 100 landings for you to feel really comfortable in all conditions. At some time in that period,when you least expect it, a landing will come up to adjust your attitude. Tail wheels do make you pay attention at all times. When you do trade up to a nose wheel you will bring that training with you and never have a problem with landings and taxiing. That said:
1. Landings in severe crossinds become less of a challenge in a nosegear. Makes for more fun than stress.
2. Insurance is way cheaper in a nosegear (About $700 per year til you have at least 50-100 hours logged.)
3. A wellbuilt nosegear is faster than a mediocre taildragger. I cruise at 154 knots at 2350 rpm burning 7.7 gph.
4. Here's the big one: When you want to SELL the plane it will be way easier.

Woodman
 
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