The RV-7 comes with a couple of different options that the builder must decide upon at certain points during the construction. I hope to have my mind made up long before I get to those points, but I can't say I have my mind set on all of those options at this point.
One of the biggest decisions I'll have to make, and one that my mind is already set on, is the choice of either a tailwheel landing gear system (simply called the RV-7) or a tricycle landing gear configuration (called the RV-7A). The tailwheel system (sometimes called "traditional" landing gear because this is the type of gear most early airplanes sported) requires some extra training and skill, as compared to the tricycle gear system which is slightly easier to handle on the ground. Having the tailwheel means the nose of the airplane is pitched up while taxiing on the ground, possibly making for poor ground visibility, but also means there is less drag, allowing the plane to cruise a bit faster. There is also a little more benefit in the tailwheel version in that it costs a little bit less and also weighs about 15 pounds less than the tricycle gear version. The traditional-type landing gear is a bit more rugged than the tricycle gear, which would mean I could fly to airports with a little rougher landing surface, like grass strips, with some additional confidence. On top of all of this, I think the way the taildragger looks is far cooler than the tricycle gear's looks.
So, after considering all of the factors, I need to work at getting my tailwheel endorsement (about 10 or so hours of instruction) because I've decided to go with the traditional landing gear configuration for my airplane. Ground safety is of some concern, but with the proper training and practice, I think I'll be just fine taxiing in the tailwheel RV-7... and I'll look damn good, too! :)
One of the biggest decisions I'll have to make, and one that my mind is already set on, is the choice of either a tailwheel landing gear system (simply called the RV-7) or a tricycle landing gear configuration (called the RV-7A). The tailwheel system (sometimes called "traditional" landing gear because this is the type of gear most early airplanes sported) requires some extra training and skill, as compared to the tricycle gear system which is slightly easier to handle on the ground. Having the tailwheel means the nose of the airplane is pitched up while taxiing on the ground, possibly making for poor ground visibility, but also means there is less drag, allowing the plane to cruise a bit faster. There is also a little more benefit in the tailwheel version in that it costs a little bit less and also weighs about 15 pounds less than the tricycle gear version. The traditional-type landing gear is a bit more rugged than the tricycle gear, which would mean I could fly to airports with a little rougher landing surface, like grass strips, with some additional confidence. On top of all of this, I think the way the taildragger looks is far cooler than the tricycle gear's looks.
 |
| The RV-7 (tailwheel version) |
 |
| The RV-7A (tricycle gear version) |
So, after considering all of the factors, I need to work at getting my tailwheel endorsement (about 10 or so hours of instruction) because I've decided to go with the traditional landing gear configuration for my airplane. Ground safety is of some concern, but with the proper training and practice, I think I'll be just fine taxiing in the tailwheel RV-7... and I'll look damn good, too! :)
