Van's Aircraft

Van's Aircraft is an American kit aircraft manufacturer, founded by Richard "Van" VanGrunsven in 1973.

Van's RV series of aircraft, from the single-seat RV-3 to the latest RV-14, are all-aluminum, low-wing monoplanes of monocoque construction. The RV series of airplanes has been extremely successful, and by the end of 2012, about 8000 RV kits had been completed and flown, and thousands more are under construction. Completion rates currently average about 1.5 per day, making the series one of the most numerous of all homebuilt aircraft. They feature responsive controls plus both good speed and fuel economy. In 2013, the company announced it would begin selling some assembled aircraft as well on a limited basis.

Van's factory is located at Aurora State Airport, Oregon. This airport is the location of an annual fly-in for Van's aircraft owners.

Regulatory status

RVs are deemed Experimental - amateur-builts by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States and are accepted under the corresponding category by the aviation authorities in many other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. A modified version of the RV-6 was sold to the Nigerian government as a kit-assembled military trainer.