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Here's something you don't see on many RV-9's

Seems like something all the 9's have. It's the 9A's you would have to wonder about if they were to wear such equipment. :D

Scott
#90598 Picking up finish kit in a couple hours :D
 
Why not a little wheel up front and in back?

I remember seeing an article in the EAA?s Sport Aviation about a woman who completed and Avid Flier (I think it was a Flier, but definitely an Avid) with both a nose wheel and a tail wheel. It made me wonder if they had a tendency to drag the tail on landing.

I?ve seen C-172?s and C-150?s with bent tie down?s because someone over flaired them on landing.
 
The flight school I went to had flat spots worn on most of the 152 tail tie downs. Short field landings and takeoffs.
Thats the only time I made the tail touch. The fact that my CFI was yelling to get the yoke back didn't help matters...
 
I had a CFI try to show me how to aggressively do a short/soft field take off in my Cherokee. The only thing he accomplished was to use an additional 500 - 700 feet of runway and grind off about 1/2" of my tail tie down!

Not to mention scaring the absolute hell out of me as the end of the (usually more than long enough) runway approached!
 
Flying RV-9s

Does anyone know how many Nines are Flying (Tailwheel Nines)?
I know of one in Texas, one in North Carolina, and I have one here in Florida, N92GC which I flew on 02-18-05.
Gerry Chancey
 
One more in California

The owner is a great guy and has been very helpful with questions.

Send Van's a note, they might be able to tell you. It makes me wish they would break them out on their web site.

One thing to keep in mind is the TW weldment does not come powdercoated because it sticks out the bottom. Nore do the rest of the TW parts. Since mine will probably be white, I had the thing coated in white.
 
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-9

Bill,
That looks just like mine! We are definately a rare breed as far as RV's go. That's OK with me. My -9 seats are getting upholstered, I'm fitting the canopy, wiring, and look forward to working on the panel soon. We'll have to have a -9 get together someday!
Bruce Sacks
 
Gerry

Gerry,
Congratulations on the flight of your 9! You sent me some construction photos a while back, remember? Will you be at SunNFun? If not, can you post some pictures of you plane finished?
Bruce Sacks
 
Ditto on the congrats!

Gerry,

I missed your first flight note. That is great news!

My In-Laws came to visit this weekend so "the Dad" could help me rivet. We finished the tail cone, less top skins, and he helped rivet the center of the seat pan and baggage compartement. Tomorrow we will probably bend the longerons, or just work on other simple parts.
 
Photo

Bruce: Go to the URL for the Leeward fly-in Photos and look at DCS3509. I believe that is it and you will see my Nine. I am really enjoying flying my Nine. It flies more like my Cub than the RV-6 I built. I am trying to adjust to the slow approach speeds because if your alittle too fast you are going to Float. I will be at SNF tuesday thru friday working with my EAA Chapter doing Flight Line Tours. Look me up. I won't be flying down. I am originally from Lakeland and still have in-laws there and we stay with them during the fly-in. There is a Nine builder from North Carolina and he will be flying his Nine to SNF. He finished his just after I did. I have been trying to find out how many Nines are flying. But have not been successful. Keep in touch.
Gerry
 
NC -9 Builder

Gerry,

If you hook up with the guy from NC who built a -9, could you ask for his contact info and pass it along to me via PM? I heard there was one other in NC but do not know who owns it or where it is based.

Thanks and have a great time at SnF, sure wish I could make it.

BTW, just bent the longerons this am with the help of my Father-in-Law and they came out great!
 
Taildragger 9 at Watsonville

I've seen a white and blue RV-9 at Watsonville, CA a couple of times and assume it is based there. It is a really nice looking plane. The owner can be really proud of this one.

As for the 9's being rare compared to the 9A's... Here's one to confuse you, mine is a 9 with a nosewheel. S/N 90008 was sold as a nine without any idea there would ever be a tailwheel version. The "A" designation was added later to provide consistancy upon models I guess. I did register it as a 9A though to avoid confusion, however if it means I can park it in the handicap parking spot closer to the restaurant I'll be reclaiming the RV-9 designation. Har Har I just couldn't pass that up.

Blue Skies,
Bryan
 
California -9

The California -9 would belong to Dennis Thomas. We have exchanged emails a number of times and he is a great guy and the pictures he has sent me of his plane are outstanding!
 
I found a link over on the competing RV site, that lists 'completed 9's'. There is only one -9 listed, and it is beautiful! As luck would have it, the owner/builder is in Mesquite, TX which is only about 45-minutes from me. I need to try and get in touch with him, and check it out! When I was at Van's a few months ago, I wanted to take a test flight in the -9. Where was it? Gone....Van himself had flown it home the day before! Scott @ Van's told me that Van flys that model home quite often (the -9, taildragger). I am going to try and figure out picture posting, and I will show you the -9 in Mesquite that I mention. Here's the info from the photo:

Tim Donham - Mesquite, TX
First flight: Jan 30, 2004 (probably the first RV9 taildragger to fly)
SN: 90597
Derated O-360 ECI engine
 
picture link

Can't get that link to work...besides, snapfish req's me to register.

I wonder if this site might work better: http://imageshack.us/ It's free, doesn't require a registration, and is message board friendly.

Just trying to help.

-Jim
 
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gerry

Gerry,
Just saw your plane and its beautiful! I set it as background on my computer for inspiration.
Bruce
working on the canopy
 
Jim...

Any idea why the photo isn't showing up? I used the service you suggested, uploaded the photo, and pasted the link to the photo that the site recommended? I am not seeing it? Thanks,
 
hmmm...

I guess ImageShack's ?hotlink for forums (2)? doesn't work in this type of forum, but the others do. Don't know what's up for sure? Anyway, it's visible now and she sure is a great looking plane! -Jim
 
Thanks, Jim! I can now see the photo without clicking on any links at all. Yes, it is a REALLY nice looking -9. I've just got to try and see that in person, since it is so close to my home. If so, I will obviously try and take more photos!
 
RV-9 N9TD (Tail-Dragger or Tim Donham)

Gary,
I certified Tim's -9 on January 24, 2004.
His was either the first or second customer built -9 to fly.
It is a very nice airplane.
Mel Asberry DAR
 
Thanks, Mel. And welcome to the forums!

I am currently building a -9 myself, and I am working on the empennage right now (in Arlington). I see that you are local...do you offer inspections along the way, or just final certifications? Sorry for my ignorance on the entire inspection process of an experimental....I received specific information during my builder class stating certain ways of receiving inspections, then I read conflicting information on the forums from others.

If you can shed some light on this, I would be appreciative. Some tell me "not to bother with progress inspections..only get a final", then others say "no, you MUST receive various inspections along the way, before buttoning up certain pieces". :confused:

Thanks, Mel.
 
Gary,
You DO need progressive inspections. I do them, however I've been working closely with the FAA on the new Light Sport Aircraft thing, and between that and annual condition inspections, pre-purchase inspections and a full time job at TI, I am as busy as the proverbial one legged man in the a** kicking contest. So I only have time for tech cnslr inspections that are really close. I would love to see your project tho if we can arrange it some time.
Mel
 
VERY cool paint job!

Gary,

Your paint job looks great, right down to the checks on the flaps. Those must have been a pain to paint!

I was telling the wife I was thinking of painting mine light blue with silver strips on the rivet rows. Kind of like it looks right now with the plastic all over it but she vetoed the idea.
 
Bill...

That's not my -9, my brother! I wish is was :D , but I was simply posting a photo of another -9 located (and it happens to be close to my hometown)!

I am still "bucking away" on the empennage :D

I agree though, the checkered flaps and other areas must have been a royal pain to mask off and paint!

How is your progress coming along? I guess I need to go check out your site again...it has been awhile since I peeked in!

Take care,
 
Guess I should have check your builder #

If you were flying already I would just hang up my bucking bar and start drinking!

I'm making progress. The fuselage is coming together but I need to finish putting my engine back together. Maybe this weekend when I get back to town.
 
RV-9's versus RV-9A's (How many?)

I used the AOPA members database search functions and found the following from FAA records for US registered airplanes.

RV9 shows 4
RV-9 shows 8
That's a total of 12 tail draggers.

RV9A shows 28
RV-9A shows 56
RV9-A shows 7
The nose wheel versions total 91.

That says the FAA is only listing 103 "flying" NINES and Nine-A's in the US registry via the AOPA search. My registration was not listed since it does not have an airworthiness certificate yet. That is what makes me think the AOPA search engine ignores the non-flying registrations when searching by model.

Still, I would trust Van's numbers better than AOPA. Van's numbers would also include the international sales.

Jerry K. Thorne
N2PZ "N2PRISE"
East Ridge, Tennessee
 
Not all are -9's

Jerry,

Remember the earlier post that said some of the early -9A's were sold as -9's because Van's did not develop or sell the -9 kit until after a number of -9A's where sold.

Either way, that isn't very many 9 TD's. With luck there will be more to come!
 
so its going to be discrimation against the 9A's and to think after all the
help I have given you building your plane.. :) I am disapointed bruce..

Danny..
 
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