I’m still aircraft-shopping and split between in-line seating (RV4, Long-EZ) and side-by-side (e.g. RV6). The internet, as ever, is equivocal. Some people’s wives love the back seat of an RV4; others hate them. Others prefer the RV8 because it has enough room to knit – which I suppose is the ultimate validation of general-aviation-for-transport but a travesty in all other respects.
The only in-line aircraft I’ve ever flown were a Super-Decathlon and a Piper Cub, and I took the front seat in both – found it quite enjoyable for training, but then I already knew how to fly. I’ve flown aircraft with poor forward visibility and not found it too much of an issue, but again, my preferences may differ from those of non-pilots.
I’m primarily interested in an aircraft for myself, but want a second seat to be able to give friends and work colleagues joy rides (and perhaps to do some long-distance flights with more experienced pilots). So my question is more whether the average passenger would enjoy the back seat of a tandem aircraft?
I realise the RV4 cockpit is tight, but that’s a separate concern.
The back seat of an RV8 (and more so an RV4) is uncomfortable for anybody with long legs, but is OK for short flights in my experience. My friends wife is often seen reading the Sunday morning newspaper as they fly their RV8 along to breakfast or whatever in close formation with other planes, and she has flown to all corners the US in that seat, 500 or 1000 hours. So it depends how tall you are… if you’re tall the leg position is something like having a baby.
Same situation in the back of a Citabria, not very comfortable if you’re tall and incidentally IME not that great either for aerobatics if you don’t have the proverbial cast iron stomach.
If you’re looking to make a midsize or taller regular passenger happy, I wouldn’t recommend (and didn’t choose) tandem seating. As a 1+1 to carry passengers on one off rides or similar it’s fine, and it’s nice for you (the pilot) to sit on the centerline of the plane.
