Why do we need dual brakes?

[cjensen]

I just got to thinking about this today, and I'm wondering why I chose to put in dual brakes. I have the dual brake system, but is it really worth putting in?

Those of you with the brakes on one side...do you wish you had the dual set up?

Those with both...do you ever need or use the other side?

I can't see myself ever letting someone not proficient enough in RV taildraggers (that includes me right now...) take off and land this thing from the right side, and if for some reason I'm on the right, someone better than me will be in the left seat.

Just wondering if it's worth the weight???

If not, I may have a set of brakes for sale!

Thinkin' out loud right now...

[captain_john]

Well, it ain't alotta stuff and for most any instructor it would be deemed a necessity.

To get instruction in a homebuilt can be hard enough. Add in only one set of brakes and it could make things even harder.

I want to be able to do more ratings and BFR's in this plane and having dual brakes is one less thing for CFI's to baulk about.

My $0.02...

CJ

[dons]

Chad if you are absolutely sure you never want to fly your plane with a 'lesser' pilot in the left, then no, you don't need them, BUT ... The only plane I ever flew without right side brakes was a Piper Arrow, and it always limited who could be in the left seat on trips. I got checked out on a number of planes to be able to be PIC from the right (was a requirement in order to rent them) so that we could take student pilots along on trips and have them sit in the left and at least get to fly the cruise portion if not more. With the arrow, a qualified pilot always had to sit in the left seat and be pic and therefore the 'students' never got a great experience flying from the right since the standard 6 instruments were on the extreem left and hard to see from the right.

I don't plan on letting a 'lesser' pilot fly from the left in my 7, but I'm putting the right side brakes in anyway. I do plan on taking an instructor up with me (and they almost always fly from the right anyway) to keep my instrument rating polished, and letting them have the full experience of the taxi is just something I want to be able to do.

It is certainly somewhere where you can save some money and complexity.

Oh something else, if you ever want to be outside with the engine running, you need someone inside on the brakes, better on the right so you can get back into the left seat.

[cjensen]

Well, it ain't alotta stuff and for most any instructor it would be deemed a necessity.

To get instruction in a homebuilt can be hard enough. Add in only one set of brakes and it could make things even harder.

I want to be able to do more ratings and BFR's in this plane and having dual brakes is one less thing for CFI's to baulk about.

My $0.02...

CJ

Yeah, but I don't plan on any instruction in the -7. I will get transition training with someone in someone elses airplane, but I'm not training in mine.

For those wanting more ratings, I can see this, but I got 'em already, and BFR's get taken care of at work.

I'm just thinking more in terms of simplicity, one less thing to work on, less weight (even if it isn't much...ALL these little things add up though!), and I don't plan on letting anyone else have the left seat UNLESS they are RV-7 qualified.

On other "regular" airplanes that anyone can fly, I totally agree that dual brakes are more of a necessity since it allows more options for who flies. On the RV...well, I just don't know.

[cnpeters]

In your employment, there would be little need for a dual brake system since your BFR's will be handled elsewhere, and the only rating you are missing is astronaut. If you think this plane would ever be sold, the dual brakes may be better for resale. But, my biggest argument is the horror of ASYMMETRY, man.

[captain_john]

Depending on Chad's engine choice, astronaut could be a possibility!

CJ

[cjensen]

Hmmmm...solid rocket fuel boosters... Yay baby!!