Relatively low-maintenance airplanes that have decent cross-country performance?

With endurance its not the miles but the time that matters. 4 hours max in my Cherokee.
 
We love our PA28/180! Missions seem pretty similar, we fly ours 100 plus hours a year...120 true all day long on 9 gph at 7-9K feet. Thought it would just be a time builder when I bought it, but I can't find anything cheaper to fly. Not a super fast girl, but fast enough for me.
 
WDD said:
Now - that could be at odds with people who already own planes ........
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Not at all from where I sit as a non-financed airplane owner. Increasing resale, whether in old airplanes, or housing, is not a friend of mine when it comes to my ability to afford these things I bought in order to enjoy.
 
Deelee said:
No doubt! For me, it's about three. Plane can go 4+, but pilot... meh. not so much.
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There are SO many airports that are fun to explore between here and there....no need to over-distend your bladder....
 
You could get a rv 9a for $100k. Fast, new, less likely to break, low maintenance.
 
RV9 is a solid choice. Mine cruises 150 true on 6.8gph at 9500. It’s been insanely cheap to own and upgrade. It’s my first plane and I couldn’t be happier with the choice. We also do some longer trips. We flew from Napa to twin falls Idaho a few weeks ago and it can make it without a gas stop.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Got to love how your avionics are 1/2 the cost of the exactly the same things that go into a legacy plane.
 
Ed Haywood said:
In my experience, renting for XC sucks, especially if you are non-IFR. Flying VFR requires flexibility to change, extend, or cancel your itinerary to fly when weather conditions are favorable. FBO's get ****ed about that, because it ties up their aircraft from generating other revenue. Try booking a one week trip and then cancelling it on the day of departure; or delaying return by 3 days while a front clears out and screwing the guy who has the aircraft booked after you. Ask me how I know.

Flying clubs are a different story, since they are organized for the benefit of the members. That or partnership can be a great way to maintain access to a plane for travel.
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I had a bad experience with a flying club selling a plane on a Tuesday when I had it booked that Wednesday for a long weekend trip. And no backup option. The few flying clubs I have been in have not come out and said dont take extended trips, but it was implied to not.

For me- its either own or not fly. A partnership may work also.
 
Peter Anderson said:
RV9 is a solid choice. Mine cruises 150 true on 6.8gph at 9500. It’s been insanely cheap to own and upgrade. It’s my first plane and I couldn’t be happier with the choice. We also do some longer trips. We flew from Napa to twin falls Idaho a few weeks ago and it can make it without a gas stop.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
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*Discloser* - I'm a card-carrying fan-boy.
Completely agree w/ Peter.

RV-9A
I absolutely love this plane.
I've owned other planes in the past, and flown a bunch of others as well.
But for me, this is the best of speed, economy, safety, and fun.
My numbers are similar to Peter's.
I plan 155kts on 8-8.5gph up to the teens, then still get 150kts on 6gph at 17,000.
Solid IFR XC platform.
Me, the wife, 100lbs of baggage, and I have tip tanks, so 5hrs + reserves.
And 5 hrs at 155kts will take you places (although I never go more than 4)!
I'm in Kansas City, and tomorrow headed to Idaho, Portland, Reno, Grand Canyon, and back to KC.
 
charheep said:
I had a bad experience with a flying club selling a plane on a Tuesday when I had it booked that Wednesday for a long weekend trip. And no backup option. The few flying clubs I have been in have not come out and said dont take extended trips, but it was implied to not.

For me- its either own or not fly. A partnership may work also.
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I'm going to guess that was a for-profit flying club. The flying club I was associated with was a member owned non-profit. No plane got bought or sold ever without all active members voting on it. And long trips were very much encouraged. With not-for-profit clubs, you're an owner, with for-profit clubs, you're a customer. The difference between the two can be huge.
 
Adam Weiss said:
*Discloser* - I'm a card-carrying fan-boy.
Completely agree w/ Peter.

RV-9A
I absolutely love this plane.
I've owned other planes in the past, and flown a bunch of others as well.
But for me, this is the best of speed, economy, safety, and fun.
My numbers are similar to Peter's.
I plan 155kts on 8-8.5gph up to the teens, then still get 150kts on 6gph at 17,000.
Solid IFR XC platform.
Me, the wife, 100lbs of baggage, and I have tip tanks, so 5hrs + reserves.
And 5 hrs at 155kts will take you places (although I never go more than 4)!
I'm in Kansas City, and tomorrow headed to Idaho, Portland, Reno, Grand Canyon, and back to KC.
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Last trip I did, I had a 150lbs of bowling balls with me alone. 200lbs of balls the trip before that. Oh, and pax. How's that work in an RV9? :D
 
How does the rv9a sit? That is - is sitting in it like a sports car or more like a Skylane? As an older guy I don’t think I could sit in a Miata for 3 hours.
 
WDD said:
How does the rv9a sit? That is - is sitting in it like a sports car or more like a Skylane? As an older guy I don’t think I could sit in a Miata for 3 hours.
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The one I flew in, my knees banged on the panel. I'm sure it was a custom build panel that dropped too low. The owner was like 5'6" and fit him just fine.
 
EdFred said:
The one I flew in, my knees banged on the panel. I'm sure it was a custom build panel that dropped too low. The owner was like 5'6" and fit him just fine.
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I've sat in a few RV's and every one has fit me differently. One being an RV-9A that I banged my knees on the panel no matter what. I think the owner had built the seats up with foam, and had the rudder pedals as close as possible.
The most recent one an RV-7A that felt a lot less cramped. The owner stated that the rudder pedals were all the way forward. Standard seats. I could reach the rudders, but had to tip toe the brakes pretty good.
Fun planes.
 
steingar said:
Where do you fit 100 lbs of luggage in one of those things? The ones I've seen wouldn't do Mrs. Steingar for a long weekend.
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I can fit a couple full-size (wife size) pieces of luggage, plus an O2 tank, laptop, a couple blankets.
Fitting them into the luggage area over the seats can be a challenge for the large pieces, but it's doable.
I'll take some pics when it's fully loaded later this week.
 
Skyrys62 said:
I've sat in a few RV's and every one has fit me differently. One being an RV-9A that I banged my knees on the panel no matter what. I think the owner had built the seats up with foam, and had the rudder pedals as close as possible.
The most recent one an RV-7A that felt a lot less cramped. The owner stated that the rudder pedals were all the way forward. Standard seats. I could reach the rudders, but had to tip toe the brakes pretty good.
Fun planes.
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I would agree...each one might be set up differently.
I'm 6'1" , 185lbs, with a 34" inseam (long legs).
I have absolutely no issue with clearance on the panel.
That said, there is a "standard" panel, and a longer panel that comes down a couple inches lower...that might be the difference.
But in mine, I have plenty of room.
To stretch my legs, I periodically put them past the pedals on long trips.
 
Adam Weiss said:
I would agree...each one might be set up differently.
I'm 6'1" , 185lbs, with a 34" inseam (long legs).
I have absolutely no issue with clearance on the panel.
That said, there is a "standard" panel, and a longer panel that comes down a couple inches lower...that might be the difference.
But in mine, I have plenty of room.
To stretch my legs, I periodically put them past the pedals on long trips.
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The 170- :)
 
EdFred said:
Last trip I did, I had a 150lbs of bowling balls with me alone. 200lbs of balls the trip before that. Oh, and pax. How's that work in an RV9? :D
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I don't bowl, so it looks like the RV-9A will work just fine for me.
 
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MacFly said:
I don't bowl, so it looks like the RV-9A will work just fine for me.
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And never carry any other baggage with you either I suppose. Substitute bowling balls for whatever stupid hobby you have.
 
Adam Weiss said:
I can fit a couple full-size (wife size) pieces of luggage, plus an O2 tank, laptop, a couple blankets.
Fitting them into the luggage area over the seats can be a challenge for the large pieces, but it's doable.
I'll take some pics when it's fully loaded later this week.
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The RV-9A I'm picking up this weekend has a Flyboys Extended Canopy track extension thing.... https://www.flyboyaccessories.com/product-p/1401.htm .

100 lbs of baggage and my wife will be very comfortably within my mission's useful load needs. If it ever gets to the point where it's not, I'll re-balance the sports car vs station wagon concept and buy a different airplane. Not a new concept for me...the luggage area of the two-seat car that I drive in the summers is actually smaller than the luggage area on an RV-9A

 
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WDD said:
How does the rv9a sit? That is - is sitting in it like a sports car or more like a Skylane? As an older guy I don’t think I could sit in a Miata for 3 hours.
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Ours had plenty of headroom, room for leg extension and movement of legs medially as no retract tunnel in the way. I did not like the gear tower support right at my leg (in contact with it), having to sit upright as opposed to reclined, little room for leg flexion at the knee (legs mostly straight), and a wider cabin would have been welcome. I personally found it to get uncomfortable after a couple hours. Even though our Lancair is smaller with less room to move about, the seats are reclined like a lazyboy so I am much more comfortable in it.
 
EdFred said:
And never carry any other baggage with you either I suppose. Substitute bowling balls for whatever stupid hobby you have.
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I don't have any stupid hobbies...certainly not anything akin to flying bowling balls around the country. But hey...I'm not judging...
 
MacFly said:
I don't have any stupid hobbies...certainly not anything akin to flying bowling balls around the country. But hey...I'm not judging...
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Not every tournament is in my town, and the money I've won at tournaments pays for the airplane fuel. So yeah, getting to fly for free, that's pretty stupid.
 
EdFred said:
Not every tournament is in my town, and the money I've won at tournaments pays for the airplane fuel. So yeah, getting to fly for free, that's pretty stupid.
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Know nothing about bowling (other than I'm bad at it). Are ten or so balls about standard for a tournament?
 
EdFred said:
And never carry any other baggage with you either I suppose. Substitute bowling balls for whatever stupid hobby you have.
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Just because someone has a hobby, doesn't mean they like to take those hobbies with them when they travel. I've never felt the desire to take my table saw with me when I traveled to a weekend getaway or to visit family for Thanksgiving. An RV9 isn't a load hauler. Nor are lots of other airplanes.
 
idahoflier said:
Know nothing about bowling (other than I'm bad at it). Are ten or so balls about standard for a tournament?
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It depends on whether they keep the same pattern for the whole tourney, who might be on your lane and if you're playing the same line, and a lot of other factors. I carry 3, but am getting a 4th after everything opens up. I am more comfortable making changes with my speed and angles than others. Some like to play the same board, and the same angle and adjust by using a different ball. My partner in June took 8 down.
 
Juliet Hotel said:
Just because someone has a hobby, doesn't mean they like to take those hobbies with them when they travel. I've never felt the desire to take my table saw with me when I traveled to a weekend getaway or to visit family for Thanksgiving. An RV9 isn't a load hauler. Nor are lots of other airplanes.
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True, but I've loaded up golf clubs and pax (that's pretty common among pilots), three guys at over 200lbs each and softball gear for a tournament with a buddy in Central WI - 1.25 hr flight vs 8 hour drive around the lake. Then the bowling tournaments. Even my trip to Alaska was well over the 100lbs of baggage the RV has, (I basically had a full camp packed in the plane). I mean someone is asking about a legit cross country machine. That rules out a whole bunch of planes when your hobbies are more than just staring at an iPad.
 
I am so glad the members here have the class not to make comments about the gentlemen hauling around 10 pound balls, how well one can sit in an RV9, etc.
 
WDD said:
I am so glad the members here have the class not to make comments about the gentlemen hauling around 10 pound balls, how well one can sit in an RV9, etc.
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steingar said:
...The ones I've seen wouldn't do Mrs. Steingar for a long weekend.
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Do you have ANY idea how difficult it was for me not to make a wise crack about steingar's post?!??
 
EdFred said:
Posted twice because....two balls?
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I've heard of guys for whom it takes 15 balls, and some weekends more.


EdFred said:
True, but I've loaded up golf clubs and pax (that's pretty common among pilots), three guys at over 200lbs each and softball gear for a tournament with a buddy in Central WI - 1.25 hr flight vs 8 hour drive around the lake. Then the bowling tournaments. Even my trip to Alaska was well over the 100lbs of baggage the RV has, (I basically had a full camp packed in the plane). I mean someone is asking about a legit cross country machine. That rules out a whole bunch of planes when your hobbies are more than just staring at an iPad.
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Yeah...balls notwithstanding, we all have "missions" for our flying hobby and not everyone has the same mission. Your mission and my mission bear virtually no resemblance to each other. But if you have the right plane for you....good on ya. Me?...not my thing.
 
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