Best plane for both aerobatics and cross country flying

[TCABM]

...The only biplane I’d want...

 

[Bill Greenwood]

A T-6 is noisy and not that fast in cruise.but its a real airplane. Go try one.

 

[Dana]

Swick/Cole Taylorcraft might be worth looking into. Building one right now. FULLY aerobatic (just look up Randy Henderson's routine) and with an O-320 should cruise at around 120-130 indicated, good room for two, and lots of room for baggage. There is one on barnstormers at the moment.

Isn't the Swick T-Craft single seat? I know Duane Cole's was. Even a stock T-Craft is "cozy" for two, with a very small baggage area.

 

[write-stuff]

A Nanchang CJ-6 is another good option but you better be comfortable with a lot of maintenance.

 

[RoscoeT]

Isn't the Swick T-Craft single seat? I know Duane Cole's was. Even a stock T-Craft is "cozy" for two, with a very small baggage area.

The Swick mod replaces the yokes with a center stick, you do what you want with the stock bench seat. It's meant to be flown solo sitting in the center, using the outside set of rudder pedals. But you can still fly two up, but it's not very ergonomic with the center stick set up. It is a really nice flying airplane, but IMO an odd choice for a XC cruiser/acro plane.

 

[Tusayan]

 

[Jeff767]

RV4 and 6’s are available at very reasonable prices. If cost is a factor they are great values with very low operating costs. Well below a 172.

 

[Retro Manger]

Oh, that Italian beauty is very good!
What about 152 Aerobat? XC-wise it is an option
Besides you get to feel like Doug Masters every once in a while.

 

[kgruber]

 

[Skyrys62]

RV4 and 6’s are available at very reasonable prices. If cost is a factor they are great values with very low operating costs. Well below a 172.

Are there any insurance costs to consider over a 172? Seems I've heard experimental may carry a higher premium. Might not be enough to offset other costs, but just wondering.

 

[Dana]

If the RV is a taildragger (as opposed to the nosewheel "A" models) then hull insurance rates will likely depend on how much tailwheel time the pilot has.

 

[wilkersk]

Is that the one from my local home-drome? The story I heard was this guy spent years restoring it, then had medical problems. I spoke to him recently and he said he got his medical back and was getting ready to fly it. I just saw it landing at KAWO (Arlington, WA) last week. Very Nice airplane!

To stay on topic, if you're like me and do 90% of your flying solo, an RV-8 is a great cross-country plane for 1 person. It does sportsman class aerobatics and a few actually compete.

My RV-8 is coming together:

 

[TCABM]

Is that the one from my local home-drome? ...

My RV-8 is coming together:

I have no idea, that staggerwing photo has been in my album of covetable things for a few years now.

Glad to see the progress on your -8. For me, that’s one of two kits I’d be interested in building.

 

[Quinn Banas]

Would recommend looking into the RV planes for sure. The RV 3,4,7/7A,8/8A, and 14/14A all are aero capable.

I second this. The RV has pretty descent speed, and like mentioned above, most are aero capable.

 

[sgenie]

CT4E - perfect in all respects, 150 cruise, 300 hp engine, +6 -3 limitations and very nicely handled.

 

[Juliet Hotel]

I have been eyeing the RV's- How I wish I had the talent to build one.

We are not born with talent, it must be acquired. The whole point of building is learning how to do it. But as has already been stated, building is not required. RV's come up for sale all the time and as often as not, can be bought for about what they would cost to build if not a little less.

 

[Dana]

...building is not required. RV's come up for sale all the time and as often as not, can be bought for about what they would cost to build if not a little less.

Or in many cases, a lot less.

 

[wilkersk]

We are not born with talent, it must be acquired. The whole point of building is learning how to do it. But as has already been stated, building is not required. RV's come up for sale all the time and as often as not, can be bought for about what they would cost to build if not a little less.

In fact, unless you have a burning desire to build, you may be better off buying one from a builder who's selling.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Extra 300. But don't be thinking about taking your wife and 3 kids on the cross country expeditions.

Hell of an excuse to leave them home!

 

[ateamer]

Are there any insurance costs to consider over a 172? Seems I've heard experimental may carry a higher premium. Might not be enough to offset other costs, but just wondering.

Insurance for my -8A (hull value $89K) with zero time in type, five hours dual in a -6A, commercial and CFI certificates with 800 total time was $1200. Better than I expected, very reasonable price.

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[Tusayan]

CT4E - perfect in all respects, 150 cruise, 300 hp engine, +6 -3 limitations and very nicely handled.

I’m sure it’s a nice plane based on limited experience with a 150 HP Airtourer, but like many ex-military aircraft it seems speed and fuel efficiency were not foremost among the CT4E priorities. On the other hand it’s surely faster than a Bulldog and cheaper than an SF260!

 

[Ravioli]

I’ve flown my 9 on long trips with the wife several times

No acro in an RV-9

And @steingar - RV-6 is great for XC, and not too hard on the wallet to get the ladies gear delivered via FedEx.

FedEx - The best kept secret at Airventure.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Looks like we chased the OP away.
Member Sinceec 5, 2019
John Cardaci was last seen:
Dec 8, 2019

 

[John Q. Miller]

As you might imagine, I'm thrilled to discover this great forum and the spectacular pics. Hope to return to hangin' in the straps soon. Y'all maintain positive attitudes in Life, and be safe regardless of attitudes in the Air!

 

[Peter Anderson]

No acro in an RV-9

.

Yes I know. But it’s the same fuselage as a 7 and a little bigger than a 6. So I thought I would mention it’s plenty comfy to cross country in.


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[ryan1NM]

Yep, CT4E - is one of the best choices I've been flying on.

 

[djpacro]

I’m sure it’s a nice plane based on limited experience with a 150 HP Airtourer ..

I don't like the way either of them spin. An Airtourer T-6 seems to be the best value between them. For the price of a CT-4E one could have a very nice tourer and an extremely good aerobatic airplane.

 

[flyinhood]

We bought a used 6. It has an IO-320, fixed pitch prop, and tipper canopy. This made the acquisition affordable. After 150 hours we gutted the plane and put in a new garmin panel. Experimental avionics save lots of money. Today we can cruise at 155 TAS on 7.7 GPH. On other days I like to go practice Reverse Clovers. The RV is not a perfect cross country machine with limited volume and useful load so we are in a club also for our longer cross countries.

 

[Luscombe8fan]

We own an RV-6 with a Garmin panel. Amazing IFR capability. Plane is only good for positive gentleman acro (no real slow rolls) because of no inverted oil / gas. We have over 50+ RVs at our field. Most all tandoms fly solo. The guys who have wifes that like to come along all prefer the 6 / 7 / 10 and 14.

If you want to have the full 6G saftey margin, you will need to be at or below Vans recommended acro weight limit. This would be solo only with half tanks.

If you want to fly legal acro...that means parachutes...which means even more weight.

As far as cross country our RV-6 has CG issues. With leading edge tanks and two people, you have to land with ballast fuel to keep the CG from going aft.

Resale is great and experimental avionics are literally half from certified. I would also check with insurance especially for the tail wheel versions. They will require time in type, and that can be tough to come by unless you have a friend and CFI.

Lastly I'll add that most folks are either a builder or a flyer. Very very few are both.

 

[jpskies]

A Nanchang CJ-6A will do.
155KT - 3 hour cruise distance in a standard tank, many got extended tanks installed. (Standard 40 gal, 12 gph for long cross country @6500/7500).
+8G /-6G very strong.
Formation, Aerobatics, Warbirds, dog fights, lots of fun.
And a great organization, Red Star Pilot Association (RPA), has all the knowledge about this airplane. Lots of RPA senior members were formal Navy and Air Force pilots.