What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Is your other plane a bush plane?

Is it?

  • Yes

    Votes: 107 74.8%
  • No

    Votes: 36 25.2%

  • Total voters
    143
Pretty interesting discussion as viewed from the outside. I'm a 'bush plane' builder and a RV dreamer. Someday I'd like to build an RV7.

There are many options available for every segment of flying a potential builder may be interested in so I don't see a market need anywhere. I think any market need is likely created out of brand loyalty rather than a lack of good options from other manufacturers. I certainly would be interested in what Vans could come up with though.
 
Mark - you now just cut the market into another segment. Vans will never do a bush plane unless they have clear direction on what the market wants.
Thus far, all this poll thread has done is shown how little in common the VAF subscribers have when it comes to this type of aircraft.
If, together, this group can not settle on what they want and show Vans there are enough people that would buy it, they will not make the investment.
In a crowded market with lots of bush plane kit options, we better all settle on what you want Vans to do that is different, and what you would buy.
If I am sitting at Vans right now looking at this thread, I would be confused....

Precisely. There isn’t a one size fits all bushplane. I want a huge high horsepower plane that is at home on floats or wheels, fully loaded, on an Alpine lake. The next guy wants a 2 seat that’s easy on gas for putting around in the evenings. Same reason there isn’t just one model of RV. Different strokes for different folks...

The thing in common is we all want the vans factory support and outstanding kits they provide.
 
Last edited:
Yep

Yep. I'm flying an RV-6. Building a Rans S7S.
I agree that there are multiple segments of the "bush" plane market. Between Bearhawk, Rans, Cub Crafters, etc..., it's pretty well covered.
 
Yep. I'm flying an RV-6. Building a Rans S7S.
I agree that there are multiple segments of the "bush" plane market. Between Bearhawk, Rans, Cub Crafters, etc..., it's pretty well covered.

How?s the S-7 build coming along?
 
Two in the Bush...

DR
I built my RV4 nearly 30 years ago under the premise it was a "180MPH Super Cub". My HR2, and RVX also have ventured where only Cubs roam, with a tiny bit of discretion. Having been a Jurassic RV kit purchaser and seen the company grow to the behemoth it is, Van's market savvy, value consciousness and Engineering prowess could easily design and market an all-metal Murphy Rebel/Moose type RV kit aircraft.
However comma, my guess is Van's simple answer is why mess with success?

Having not been a fan of Van's designs post RV6, I would have loved for the RV-10 to look more like the Cessna 180 and the RV14 more like the PA14...:)
An RV Super Cub wannabe? Count me in...

https://youtu.be/NGA5kZCC8Sc
This could be you...

V/R
Smokey

PS:I grew up flying Scouts, Super Cubs and Cessna 180/185's and still think they will never be truly "improved upon." One of my F16 Squadron Bros told me: "Houses, cars and personal items come and go but he will never sell his 180"!
https://youtu.be/CrPJac80W9Y
 
Last edited:
One-Off Experimental Cub. Fuselage started as Back Country but heavily modified. Wings are one-off metal design by Warren Arter, previous builds included RV-6, RV-8, RV-7a, RV-10, Double Eagle, and Carbon Cub. Fuel in leading edge of wing - 40 gal total, RV-7 tail pieces, All pushrod controls, Carbon Cub cowling, Lycoming 150 HP. I like it if ya cant tell...:D

31353936377_6919454546_b.jpg
 
Last edited:
One-Off Experimental Cub. Fuselage started as Back Country but heavily modified. Wings are on-off metal design by Warren Arter, previous builds included RV-6, RV-8, RV-7a, RV-10, Double Eagle, and Carbon Cub. Fuel in leading edge of wing - 40 gal total, RV-7 tail pieces, All pushrod controls, Carbon Cub cowling, Lycoming 150 HP. I like it if ya cant tell...:D

31353936377_6919454546_b.jpg

COOL! That is so KeWL!
 
Doug,

We just finished the IFR panel for your RV-18 Bush Plane

32514910178_e8c2b6ba33_b.jpg


The carbon fiber finish was done with HydroGraphic immersion printing and flows around all the edges. The panel has the following features: AF-5600 EFIS, Avidyne IFD-440 Approach certified GPS/NAV/COM, Second Dynon Com Radio, PS Engineering PDS360 Remote Audio Panel with Bluetooth, Autopilot with Autotrim, Backup G5 EFIS, Dual Alternators, Dual USB Charger, Backup GPS, ADS-B weather-Traffic, and Plug-n-Play Advanced Control Module with Electronic Circuit Breakers.

Rob Hickman
Advanced Flight Systems
N402RH RV-10

[ed. Droooooooolllllllll !!!! ;^) dr]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Bush plane

I used to own a RV4 and a Maule M4. It was a pain maintaining and flying 2 airplanes enough, but that was a near perfect combination!
I own a C185 now and am really missing the speed and economy of a RV...Thinking of going back as I?m just not flying my 15gph airplane that much!
 
I plan on building a Rans S21 to put on amphibs. The quoted build time is crazy low and it appears that it would be a great float plan with reasonable cruise (as far as float planes go).

Brian
 
I started flying my Dad's RV-8 about 6-7 years ago, and was surprised by it's short field performance. With it's Hershey bar wing (no float) and constant speed prop I could land it shorter than my stock PA-12 (no flaps, lotsa float). With it's IO-390, getting out was...ahem...not a problem. It's no Valdez competitor, and probably not good on rough stuff, but I would be comfortable operating it out of some pretty short strips.

I eventually traded the PA-12 for a Cessna 170 with a 180hp/constant speed conversion. This is very nearly the perfect plane for my family (wife + 2 small kids). Good STOL performance for the short grass strips we frequent locally. Can put it on skies or bush wheels if I so desired. Will haul us all reasonably comfortably. With the high wing and 2 big doors it's easy to load the kids, and great for rides. Visibility for all is excellent. And it really flies nice. Pick on Cessna all you want, but it's light on the controls and responsive. Plus it's all metal. After losing money on my PA-12 because the perfectly good fabric happened to be 30 years old, its nice not having a "time life" item on my expensive investment.

While my 170 is great, there is room for improvement. It needs another 10 gallons of fuel, and a commensurate bump in useful load. A few more inches of cabin width wouldn't hurt either. Finally, it needs more speed. It doesn't need to be as fast as our RV8, but somewhere between the 2 would be nice. I'm sure some of you are screaming "Cessna 180!", and that's probably where I'll end up someday, but for now I really like the economy of my 170. 8gph, and only 4 cylinders to maintain at annual time.

Sooo...all that being said if I could waive Van's magic wand I'd conjure up something like a high wing RV-10. I would bet I could get very nearly the same STOL performance, all the utility and flexibility of the 170/180 (easy to load, skies, floats, bush wheels, etc...) a lot more speed, more room, more range, and more useful load. All metal so it would last forever, and I could set it up for IFR. Finally, building it would be fun! So that's my vote....a high wing, taildragger RV10.

As for Van's version of Super Cub, not sure what there is to be gained here. There are a bunch of 2 place, high wing, STOL planes on the market with a variety of sizes, speeds, capabilities, and budgets. If I were a kit manufacturer, I'd think twice about entering that fray.

DEM
 
Back
Top