But I question whether an RV should be flown "like any other airplane". Every airplane has unique characteristics.
Yes, every airplane may have very slightly different considerations. The same goes for RVs. And since most airplanes do have slight differences, you would approach an RV with that in mind - just the same as you would for any other airplane.
I just get the feeling sometimes that many people consider RVs to be in a uniquely different category compared to ALL the other airplanes out there when it comes to training and operation. The RV is just another airplane in the mix. Extremely straightforward. Just learn its specifics like any other.
Clearly, based on what has been written here and from my own minimal experience, the RV-8 should be wheel landed. (just like the P-51 it resembles in miniature) The commonly held opinion that a fall stall landing is safer than a wheel landing because of slower touch down speed does not ring true. It is an opinion not supported by fact.
But preference and "rules" are still two different things. I don't think it's appropriate to say the RV-8 "should" be wheel landed. Many simply get better results and find them easier due to the forward CG nature of the RV-8 when flown solo. Things change with CG differences. I have seen and flown RV-8s with two up that 3-pointed beautifully and very normally.
And regarding the P-51, they were generally 3-pointed by the pilots who the airplane was actually intended to be flown by - WWII military pilots. Though the modern Warbird community does generally advocate wheel landing these airplanes now. Night and day paradigm they are flying under compared to the original intention of the airplane.
STICK AND RUDDER author Languewiesche said way back in 1944, the three point landing is not the only way to get it down, it is not even the best way. Airline pilots and "hot" service pilots have long abandoned it....it is an unsafe and unbeautiful manuever...it requires the pilot throw the airplane deliberately out of control - and near the ground at that!
That opinion is somewhat at odds with much of what has been written and professed by others on the subject of landing a tail wheel airplane. Mike Seager advised me privately to learn how to do a 3 pointer in my RV-8 and for sure Van holds a similar view. These guys invented "landing the RV".
Since you are new to tailwheel flying, I can understand your impressionable mind when it comes to what has been written about different types of landings. No, you won't see a DC-3 do a 3-pointer. That doesn't mean wheel landings are better. To say that a 3-point landing is unsafe and unbeautiful is utter hogwash - as much as I respect Mr. Langeweische's writings in general. I've personally seen more landing accidents a result of wheel landings than 3-pointers. That of course is anectdotal, and hardly a scientific statistic. Some airplanes are unsafe to wheel land. You will never see a Sukhoi do a wheel landing. Again, aircraft differences. Unless aircraft characteristics strongly dictate the type of landing, 3-point or wheelie is purely preference.
But my feeling is "what for"? It lands very nicely on its main wheels. Is the full stall 3 point landing safer? Prove it. The RV is not stalled in the 3 point attitude, it will only be stalled if the tail hits first, a most ungraceful wayto end any flight. I can just see a DC-3 pilot doing attempting full stall landing.
I don't know anyone who ever said, generally speaking, that either type of landing is any "safer" and the other. The majority of tailwheel airplanes are not fully stalled in a 3-point attitude. The RV is no different. The term "full stall landing" is often interchanged with "3-point landing", even though technically the 3-pointer is often not an actual full-stall landing.
The pilot has 2 choices making a short field approach with a 3 pointer, fly short final and cross the fence just above stall speed with minimum control or watch runway disappear behind you as you flare a dissipate speed going into the stalled landing. Neither is a good idea. (IMHO of course)
Well if you are landing on a runway so short that it requires the airplane to get stopped in a distance which is at the absolute limits of the aircraft's capability, then you might want to reconsider the landing spot. Few RV pilots NEED to do an absolute minimum distance short field 3-point landing, even though if properly executed could result in a shorter landing than any 3-point touchdown. Watch the pilots who win the STOL landing contests - 3-point touchdowns, instantly pushed over onto the wheels for maximum braking. Again it's not a safety distinction. It's a pilot preference issue.
Conversely, if the airplane is spiked on it mains at the end of the runway at stall plus 10 knots, it will decelerate quicker than floating down the runway, it is under better control, and in the end won't use anymore runway the doing it with a full stall 3 pointer.
Float control is a pilot factor. See above.
That seems to make good sense to me and is the reason I am not interested in doing a full stall 3 pointer in the RV-8. My limited experience may bite me in time but I do know the difference in landing this airplane and the Citabria which behaves very nicely with 3 pointers.
That is a perfectly fine choice.
I say all this because I do not believe all airplanes should be flown with one cookie cutter philosophy. The P-51 is not landed in a full stall and I do not believe the RV-8 should be either, for the same reasons.
Nobody ever said that you should not consider aircraft differences. I get the feeling you are type of pilot who will always prefer wheel landings in most any tailwheel airplane you fly. That's fine as long as there's nothing about the airplane that would make wheel landings a true problem. There aren't too many like that. So you have stated your preference. I also saw in another post of yours that you like the forward visibility of a tail up landing. Lots of others do as well. But forward visibility is nicety, not a necessity. There are plenty of airplane with zero forward visibility in any reasonable landing attitude, and you just learn to deal with it. Not a safety issue, and not a problem at all for the pilot.
Appreciate your comments. Have fun with all your tailwheel and RV-8 flying.