Van's Aircraft

Founded by Richard VanGrunsven - "Van" - in 1973, Van's Aircraft is a homebuilt aircraft kit manufacturer. Van's RV series of aircraft, from the single seat RV-3 to the latest RV-10, are all-aluminum, low-wing monoplanes of monocoque construction, and are all available in both tricycle and taildragger configurations; tricycle gear models carry an "A" at the end (e.g., RV-6A). All RVs are aerobatic, with the exception of the RV-9 and RV-10.

The RV series of airplanes has been extremely successful; there are thousands of RVs flying, making the series one of the most numerous of all homebuilt aircraft. They are are generally suited for aerobatics with their responsive controls, and offer both good speed and fuel economy.

RVs are deemed Experimental Aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration. As such, new RVs cannot legally be offered for sale; the individual builder of a new must complete at least 51% of the aircraft.

The most popular engines in RVs are the 160 hp Lycoming O-320 and 180-200 hp O-360, with the Jabiru 3300 increasing in popularity (RV-10 uses the O-540). RVs can be equipped with either a fixed pitch or constant speed propeller.

The RV series

• RV-3: Single seat
• RV-4: Two seats, tandem, bubble cannopy
• RV-6: Two seats, side-by-side
• RV-7: Improved RV-6, with longer wingspan
• RV-8: Improved RV-4, with larger cockpit
• RV-9: Two seats, side-by-side; larger wing and more docile handling qualities
• RV-10: Four seats, tricycle gear only

External links:

• Company website (http://www.vansaircraft.com)
• Experimental Aircraft Association (http://www.eaa.org)