Once I decided I really wanted to build, I started to define my mission. I wanted the ability to fly my family (4 people) between DC and Florida, as well as DC to NJ, to visit family. I also wanted something faster than a 172 (more than 120 kts) at cruise and could comfortably fit us with bags and fuel for 4 hour legs.
Looking at some of the different kits available, I decided that the really only option for me was the VANS RV-10. This was mostly due to the fact that Vans has a very large support community of builders and a lot of flying aircraft. They currently seem to be one of the major Kit suppliers for a 4-seat aircraft. I was also able to find a TON of builder blogs and web-sites that allowed me to see the construction steps for myself.
I discounted some of the composite aircraft (either due to limited availability or the need to make significant investment upfront). While I loved the thought of advanced composites, I wasn’t comfortable with a mostly composite aircraft. Sheet metal construction was something that was easy for me to understand and allowed for easy verification of build quality.
The RV-10 is a somewhat high-performance airplane. Cruise speed of around 160 Kts and a range of about 600-700 nautical miles. That would allow me to fly from DC to Tampa in about 4 hours and 30 mins (depending on winds, and how much stuff we have in the airplane). Or a flight from DC to NJ in a little over a hour. This allows us to potentially see our family a lot more often compared to an almost 5 hour drive to NJ or a 14 hour drive to Fl.
Another wonderful thing about the RV-10 is that due to it’s popularity, there are a number of 3rd party products that are designed for it. Everything from Oxygen systems, Instrument panels, Air Conditioners, and interiors. This provides a lot of options to customize and enhance a good solid stock aircraft.