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cross country flying

tclaire

Active Member
I am in the market to get another plane after a few years without,I will be making trips of 600 nm a couple times a month are the RV good cross country aircraft in most all vfr conditions, turblence, cross wind landings ect, i guess would be comparing to a mooney this is what i last had for my plane. on the other hand would the maintaince be any differant than any other plane

Thanks Tim
 
Hi Tim,

We routinely fly long cross-countries in our RV-8 or RV-6 (depending on who wins the coin toss). 600 miles is just about a perfect planning leg for the -8, just a touch longer than we like for the -6, but if the weather is fine and there aren't any headwinds, that's a one-hop as well. Speeds of about 165 knots are almost guaranteed, and I usually flight plan 170. We fly IFR when required (which is surprisingly little - you can frequently go around weather with the range of the RV) and worry no more about winds and turbulence than we would with any other plane.

And....when you get where you're going and unload the baggage, you can go back up and fly Acro as long as you want....try THAT in the Mooney!:)

Paul
 
I just completed a trip from Austin to Pensacola and back (550 NM each way) in my RV-7A for Thanksgiving. I made one fuel/pit stop mid-way - 2 hours is about all my butt can handle.

It took 3.3 hrs flight time going there with a tail wind. I had a head wind on the way back so it took 3.8 hrs. I was pretty heavily loaded - passenger in the right seat, small dog and luggage in the back and full tanks.
 
Long X/C

Leeward Air Ranch (Near Ocala) to Ramona, CA (Near San Diego), 3 fuel stops (4 legs). RV-6A 150HP FP.

FD04 - KMCB 3.5 hrs
KMCB - KABI 3.5 hrs (RON)
KABI - KLSB 3.2 hrs
KLSB - KRNM 3.0 hrs

Gotta love it! :D:D
 
Fabulous aircraft

The RV is fabulous CC aircraft, especially with auto pilot, XM weather and music. Plenty of room for baggage. With altitude and O2 you can really cruise if the winds are right.

Personally, I plan the legs for 3-3.5 hours for comfort purposes and good CRM. One of the nice things is occasionally over taking a Mooney!!!

My longest one day trip was Easely, SC to Chandler, AZ. 9.5 hours flight time, 2 stops and 11 hours total time gate to gate.
 
It really depends on you

If you like the production airplane environment you may not like the RV. It is a lot like comparing a sedan to a sports car I think. If it is just you traveling with another person of like interest and you are not interested in the ambiance of Wichita or Kerrville or Vero Beach I think you will like the RV if you buy a good one and there are some dogs out there. I have an 180 HP RV-6A that I built over a 8 year period and I routinely beat the Mooneys and Bonanzas in cross country air races sanctioned by the Sport Air Racing League and I fly cross country in it but even with tip tanks raising my fuel load to 55 gallons I flight plan for 150 knots and 4 hours flying time. I always beat the speed but I like it that way - my top speed in best speed configuration at 6,000 ft density altitude is 184.4 kts. I fly IFR if the weather is questionable but I feel caught in a transition of FAA navigation policy to GPS navigation which is largely beyond the capability of my systems (SL-60 and handhelds only) plus one VOR/LOC/GS. I have an excellent autopilot TruTrak for GPS track and altitude hold and I think this is essential for practical IFR flight in an RV - I flew 1 year without it and I was amazed at the difference in operations. I wish I had another Nav receiver like an SL-30 but I made my choices based on my experience with my old Archer II of 22 years. The avionics are changing so fast that there is a very real risk that hardware bought today will have limited support in the future. If you build an RV you know what went into it but buying one envoles more risk than buying a production airplane. I guess you have considered all of this already so I will just say all RV's are not created equal but if you buy a good one and can maintain it yourself or have a mechanic that you trust that will work on it they are really good airplanes and the RV community is big and friendly.

Bob Axsom
 
RV's are great cross country machines

In June, I flew my RV-8 from Portland, OR to Los Angeles, CA, and back. I went non-stop, GPS direct each way (706 nautical miles). Flight time down was 4:10 and flight time back was 4:08. I averaged 173 knots each way, burned 7.7 gph, and landed at each end with 10 gallons left. My RV-8 has XM weather, a 2-axis autopilot, IFR instrumentation, and I could have taken another 250 lbs of baggage and/or a passenger. Great plane!!

Dan Miller
RV-8 N3TU 685 hours of fun
 
Cross Country in an RV

I concur with all the other responders. However one thing you asked which was not responded to was whether the maintance is the same as other certified airplanes. IT IS NOT. It is a lot cheaper.
 
I have a 1200 mile commute to work and I take the RV-4. Fast and between the baggage compartment and the back seat I can haul everything I need for the summer. I've also made trips to Boise and with the climb performance Mountain flying is a breeze. My very first trip I thought why didn't I buy an old Bonanza, but after the fun flying when I'm not traveling it's been a no brainer.
 
Another datapoint, but fi'd engi we running LOP do a little better on fuel, I do about 161ktsTAS on 7 to 7.3gph on autofuel (higher flow is on 10percent ethol blend). This means I can almost do western Oregon to Denver without refueling...but we'd be sucking fumes at the end...:)

At least a wing leveller is required for comfortable cross country and the RV is happy at 18k
frank
 
I concur with all the other responders. However one thing you asked which was not responded to was whether the maintance is the same as other certified airplanes. IT IS NOT. It is a lot cheaper.

I have to disagree here. If you are the Repairman then it certainly is a lot cheaper. Otherwise, it's just another money pit (depending on the equipment list, certainly) - but what a magnificent one it is!:D I don't have to make the choice but if I did, I'd rather spend my money on an RV than most spam cans.

As for the X-country, I did Flagstaff to Lodi, CA, in three hours going to 15,500 to get over Yosemite. I got bored letting the AP fly but that's why they install a switch to turn it off. Oddly enough, the winds were with me and I had plenty of fuel but the return flight the next day was still against Easterly winds and I got back with VFR reserve only. I think next time I'll plan a fuel stop just to break up the flight. But, assuming you have lots of VFR days, like we do here, it should be a great commuter plane.
 
You can do your own maintance.

You only need the Repairman certificate to do the condition inspection.
All repairs can be done my the owner of an experimental.
If you don't get the Repairman certificate for your plane then an A&P needs to sign it off once per year.


Kent
 
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I don't want to hijack this thread; this has been discussed before. Briefly, you can do your own work, certified aircraft or not. Anything other than maintenance as defined by the FARs requires a sign-off, certified aircraft or not. If you don't have the Repairman's certificate, you will have to buy a sign-off. The only advantage, without the Repairman's, is that experimental aircraft often use cheaper, non-aviation alternatives but, again, that depends on the particular aircraft. Bottom line: airplanes are expensive. But fun. ;)
 
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This has been discussed before. . .

and Kent is correct. Do some searches. Even the EAA has made several statements about this, including the application of AD's. In a nut shell, it comes down to the fact that Experimental aircraft do not have a Type Certificate and therefore most of the FAR's regarding this subject simply don't apply.

This is one of the major advantages to owning an experimental vs. TC'd aircraft. Parts can be cheaper, but the cost to maintain is certainly cheaper IF you are a do-it-yourselfer. If you don't work on your own airplane. . . no big difference in cost.

A perfect example: I recently changed out my propeller which is considered a MAJOR change, and not in the envelope of regular maintenance. Do this on a Certified plane and there will definetly need to be an A&P involved.

However, for my plane I simply needed to get approval for a new test flight area since I was required to return the plane to a Phase I test peroid for 5 hours. I'm not the builder, but once completed I simply need to make a logbook entry as described in my letter from the FSDO. NO A&P required.

There are lots of similar examples but even if you aren't the builder a Condition Inspection is the ONLY thing requiring an A&P's signoff.
 
Maintenence

If you are the builder, you can maintain and sign it off. In your case anyone can work on it but only an AP/IA or the holder of the Repairman Cert (usually the builder) for that aircraft can sign it off.

In many cases, non builder owners of RV's can find a friendly RV builder/A&P who will assist with annual & sign off for a reasonable fee. Just join your closest EAA chapter and make friends, it's easy!

In no way could many of us afford to own a certified aircraft of similar abilities to an RV (name one!) and afford the E$pen$ive maintenance.

Cheers, and now go find that wonderful RV!!!
 
Just to clearify....

If you are the builder, you can maintain and sign it off. In your case anyone can work on it but only an AP/IA or the holder of the Repairman Cert (usually the builder) for that aircraft can sign it off.
This only applies to the conditional inspection (done once a year).
All other maintenance entries in the log books can be done by the owner.

In many cases, non builder owners of RV's can find a friendly RV builder/A&P who will assist with annual & sign off for a reasonable fee. Just join your closest EAA chapter and make friends, it's easy!
Yes, we should have as many RV builder as friends as possible, but they can not sign off on the conditional inspection. Only an AI,A&P or the holder of the repairman certificate for the plane being inspected can do that sign-off.

In no way could many of us afford to own a certified aircraft of similar abilities to an RV (name one!) and afford the E$pen$ive maintenance.

Cheers, and now go find that wonderful RV!!!

Oh so true, Jerry. Viva la RV.

Kent :)
 
This only applies to the conditional inspection (done once a year).

(spelling correction)

Condition, condition, condition.......... ;)

(The inspection isn't conditional on anything, just to assure the plane is in a safe condition for flight)
 
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OK, you got me on that one Sam.

(spelling correction)

Condition, condition, condition.......... ;)

(The inspection isn't conditional on anything, just to assure the plane is in a safe condition for flight)

OK, you got me on that one Sam.

Kent:eek:
 
I don't want to hijack this thread; this has been discussed before. Briefly, you can do your own work, certified aircraft or not. Anything other than maintenance as defined by the FARs requires a sign-off, certified aircraft or not.

If you are the builder, you can maintain and sign it off. In your case anyone can work on it but only an AP/IA or the holder of the Repairman Cert (usually the builder) for that aircraft can sign it off.

!!!

As already mentioned, these statements are incorrect.

Nothing defined in the FAR's regarding what an owner can do as maint. is not valid for any aircraft with an experimental C of A. The very first paragraph of FAR 43 says "this section does not apply to any aircraft for which an experimental airworthiness cert. has been issued.

There is actually no rules in the FAR's that apply to who can or can't sign off an experimental catagory aircraft as "In a condition for safe operation" (the FAA doesn't consider experimental aircraft to be "air worthy"), and there are no rules as to who can perform maint or repairs.
This is covered by the standard requirements that are written into the aircraft?s operating limitations. BTW, that is the reason it is written in to the operating limitations...because there are no FAR's that apply.
Since the operating limitations only state a requirement for who can sign off the condition inspection, Anyone can perform maint. or even major repairs during the period of time between condition inspections and then sign it off in the log book using their pilot certificate #.

Still sceptical? Do some research. As already mentioned, the EAA has some good information.
 
Yes they are good for cross country

Check this trip we did:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=31715

Honestly I won't do that again because it was too stressful, but it shows what can be done.

I think 600NM is no problem by comparison. Obviously depending on wind.

My last airplane was an M20J. Takeoff-to-touchdown times are about the same except my 9A is a bit faster. Maybe on long flights the M20J would win by a little. That was my second Mooney

Then there is fun.

I thought I was missing my Mooney a few months back and I went and got checked out on a local M20K. I got the checkout and flew it once. Between the $/hr and flying qualities I didn't have fun.

I fly for transportation, but flying my Rv for the past 2 years has spoiled me for sure.

I'm not saying I won't fly that M20K again. I might on a long trip when I want to go really high and pretty fast, but I've got no plans.
 
Thanks for all of the feed back it just what i needed to hear good speeds, low fuel burn, and economical maint compaired to cert airplanes, can do alot of the maint myself and my dad is a retired mech from TWA, will look in the next few months for a 7a or 9a

Thanks Tim
 
Follow up ,end up purchasing a RV 9A with 160hp fixed pitch prop, Great flying machine First flight from Ohio to Missouri
 
Congrats. I think the -9 is a great xc plane. I'm thinking of building one with the diesel for just that use. Be safe.
 
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