Having built 3 experimentals, the last 2 I have bought have been bought complete with all the bugs worked out for about 50 cents on the dollar. I would never build another plane since the price to buy is so good. My new Glasair would be about $400k if built in a professional shop.

George,

That is exactly what I found when I started my search in December.

I've thought about building, but I just can't bring myself to believe that I could commit the time to get it done. And, I'm not as young as I used to be.

and lets not be forgetting those shoes....

I just think we fail to recoginze, in our discussion about dismal new single engine airplane sales, that when you factor in "all" the experimetals taking their first flight each year, it is not so bad as it appears. If Vans is putting 300-500 out on the ramp each year and the others add 100 or more, that is a pretty healthy market segment to add to the legacy fleet sales.

At my home base outside of Philladelphia there are 90 hangars. RVs are in about 1/3. And the RVs fly all the time; the certified airplanes not much.

When I do the breakfast run with some buddies to a 2,000' strip with a diner nearby I see lot's of RVs.

However, when I fly into the big busy Class B airports, I see no RVs at all. That's why Jason doesn't see them, he is more likely not to fly to a 2,000' strip to park on the grass to walk to the diner.

The RV absolutely has to be tied down or put in a hangar, you just can't leave it out on a busy ramp for some guy in a Pilatus to start his big propeller & blow it over.

Many homebuilt pilots are VFR only. They spent all that time building and couldn't stay IFR proficient.

I am not sure how good of an IFR platform an RV would be. I know you can get the autopilot & bells & whistles avionics, but I am not sure I would want to shoot an ILS to minimums in an RV8 on a dark & stormy night. I have no idea how they handle ice but not likely as good as my 260HP Deb.

I have a friend who sold his F33A when he built his RV6. Reduced his costs and he is happy. He is one of many.

I have looked very seriously at selling my Deb and either building or buying an RV. Three issues:

(1) my wife would like it less, it would bounce around more and have more visual stimulation (which I like & she doesn't)
(2) I can't see offering a ride to a business associate to go on a business trip with the big "EXPERIMENTAL" placard.
(3) Sometimes I need the extra seats, if not for people, then for "stuff".

I think the success of the RV shows that cost is the overwhelming deterrent to GA. I know that is nothing new. I mention it because the RV guys fly the heck out of their planes, every weekend. 8 gph makes it a lot more fun to go get a hamburger with 10 other RVs. The cost of maintenance and annuals is much much lower, the purchase price is reasonable and the fuel burn per knots of airspeed is incredible.

They are not for everyone but they account for about half of the buyers of new single engine normally aspirated airplanes...so let's not forget their success in this dying GA world.

IFR they are fine and ice should be about the same as the Deb since the RV has a fat wing and not a high performance wing like a Lancair. I would not fly either in ice, though.

I would prefer not to shoot an approach in any single engine plane on a stormy night, but with that said I will take an o-320/360/540 Lycoming in a lightweight airframe any day over any Continental engine. I would also want the highest wing loading to handle bumps and this is why I do not care for the RV series. The RV are successful due to the simply fat wing with relatively low wing loading. They get quite a bit of speed out of the simple design while maintaining docile handling that is very forgiving, but when you get in bumps you will be thrown around.

Instead, I will take the 28 lb/ft in the Glasair. It is not as safe in an engine out / short field situation, but will handle the bumps much better. It's all a trade-off. Pretty tough to beat a Bonanza for all of it's qualities and great handling, but if you want to go just as fast with only two seats and have a nearly new plane for less money the RV makes sense.

Todd,

How much different is it now with the wing extensions? What's your stall speed now with fuel and you aboard? Just wondering if it tamed it a bit. What's your approach and over the fence numbers and power setting?

Don't know how you can gather that, as I qualified it with IF they are, as stated by another poster.
Since you are not that dense, what is your point?

I have not flown it yet, but the test pilot says it flies just like all the others he has flown converted. You gain about 200 FPM climb and 5 knots at 11k, but you lose roll rate; however, the roll rate is still about 2x faster than a normal plane. Surprisingly, the stall with the short wingtips was very docile. With me, the test pilot, and 3/4 tanks we were getting buffeting at roughly 68 knots indicated at 6k ft and you could hold the plane in the buffer zone with no bad traits at all. When it finally broke it responded just like a Bonanza. Stalls are really nothing, but I would not want to spin it. The wing loading will be about the same at gross since the gross weight goes up 200 lbs, but the loading will be less at normal weights. I think it works out to roughly 26 lb/ft at normal fuel loads. Still pretty good.

Watch out, a pretty good way to snap your back. Been there, done that, not pleasant at all.

That's impressive, with full gas I cannot budge my baron

Somebody help explain what if means to Jason.
I think he went to school with bill Clinton.

A gym membership is much cheaper than a tug.