Van's Aircraft RV-4

Last updated

RV-4
VansRV-4C-GDBH.jpg
General information
TypeRV-4
National originUnited States
Manufacturer Van's Aircraft
Designer
Number built1446 (November 2022) [1]
History
Introduction date1980
First flightAugust 1979
Developed from Van's Aircraft RV-3

The Van's RV-4 is an American light homebuilt aircraft supplied in kit form by Van's Aircraft of Aurora, Oregon. It seats two people in a tandem seating configuration with the pilot accommodated in the front seat. [2]

Contents

The Van's RV series has become the most popular kit-built aircraft in the world. [3] As of April 2019, the RV-4 is the fourth most popular RV model. [1]

As of November 2022, 1446 RV-4s had been completed and flown worldwide. [1]

Development

Van's Aircraft RV-4 at Kemble Airfield, England. Genav.vansrv4.arp.750pix.jpg
Van's Aircraft RV-4 at Kemble Airfield, England.
Van's Aircraft RV-4 Vans.rv-4.g-marx.arp.jpg
Van's Aircraft RV-4
Harmon Rocket II Harmon Rocket II AN0260131.jpg
Harmon Rocket II

Richard VanGrunsven designed the RV-4 in the mid 1970s as a two-seat development of the single-seat RV-3. The RV-4 prototype first flew in August 1979.

The RV-4 is a new design based upon the concepts proven in the RV-3 and is not merely a stretched RV-3. The RV-4 airframe will accept a range of engines up to 180 hp (134 kW), including the Lycoming O-360. The RV-4 has a new wing, with increased wingspan and wing area over the RV-3. The RV-4 is designed for sport aerobatics.

The RV-4 has proven to be a capable cross country aircraft in service, able to carry two modest sized people and baggage on longer trips. RV-4s have been flown around the world, notably by an Australian, Jon Johanson, who completed world-girdling RV-4 flights on two occasions.

Many larger people find the RV-4 cockpit design physically constraining, and as a result VanGrunsven has designed an entire family of derivative designs. The RV-6 was designed to allow side-by-side seating, and the RV-8 was created as an enlarged aircraft that follows the RV-4's philosophy and offers tandem seating in a bigger aircraft.

Unlike most later RV series designs, RV-4 kits are only available with conventional landing gear, although some may have been constructed in tricycle configuration by builders. At least two RV-4s have also been built with retractable landing gear (mostly for the engineering challenge, as the performance gains were modest).

Variants

RV-4
Basic version
Harmon Rocket II
Higher performance derivative of the RV4, with clipped wings, a 300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming IO-540 engine and a razorback turtledeck. [4]

Specifications (Typical RV-4)

Cockpit of an RV-4 in 2006. Vans rv-4 g-rviv cockpit arp.jpg
Cockpit of an RV-4 in 2006.

Data from manufacturer [5]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acro Sport I</span>

The Acro Sport is a single-seat aerobatic sportsplane designed by US aviation enthusiast Paul Poberezny in the early 1970s for homebuilding. Plans are marketed by Acro Sport Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorp T-18</span> American homebuilt aircraft

The Thorp T-18 is an American, two-place, all-metal, plans-built, homebuilt aircraft designed in 1963 by John Thorp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quikkit Glass Goose</span> Two-seat biplane amphibious kit aircraft

The Quikkit Glass Goose is an American two-seat biplane amphibious aircraft, designed by Tom Scott and marketed for homebuilding by Quikkit of Dallas, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van's Aircraft RV-10</span> American kit aircraft

The Van's Aircraft RV-10 is a four-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplane sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft. It is the first four-seat airplane in the popular RV series. The RV-10 first flew on 29 May 2003, and the first kit parts were delivered to a customer in September 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van's Aircraft RV-6</span> American kit aircraft

The Van's RV-6 and RV-6A are two-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplanes sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft. The RV-6 is the tail-wheel equipped version while the RV-6A features a nose-wheel. The RV-6 was the first aircraft in the popular Van's RV series to feature side-by-side seating and the first to offer a nosewheel option. It was first flown in 1985. Over 2700 kits have been completed and flown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van's Aircraft RV-7</span> American kit aircraft

The Van's RV-7 and RV-7A are two-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplanes sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft. The RV-7 is the tail-wheel equipped version, while the RV-7A features a nose-wheel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van's Aircraft RV-8</span> American kit aircraft

The Van's RV-8 is a tandem two-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt aircraft sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft. The RV-8 is equipped with conventional landing gear, while the RV-8A version features tricycle landing gear. The design is similar to the earlier RV-4, although it is larger than that earlier model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van's Aircraft RV-9</span> American kit aircraft

The Van's RV-9 and RV-9A are American two-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplanes sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft of Aurora, Oregon. The RV-9 is the tail-wheel equipped version while the RV-9A features a nose-wheel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van's Aircraft RV-3</span> American kit aircraft

The Van's RV-3 is a single-seat, single-engine, low-wing kit aircraft sold by Van's Aircraft. Unlike many other aircraft in the RV line, the RV-3 is only available as a tail-wheel equipped aircraft, although it is possible that some may have been completed by builders as nose-wheel versions. The RV-3 is the genesis design for the rest of the RV series, all which strongly resemble the RV-3. The RV-4 was originally developed as a two-seat RV-3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stits Playboy</span> Type of aircraft

The Stits SA-3A Playboy is a single seat, strut-braced low-wing monoplane that was designed by Ray Stits for amateur construction. The aircraft was designed and the prototype was completed in a three-month period during 1952. The design went on to become one of the most influential in the post-war boom in aircraft homebuilding.

The Sequio 300 Sequoia is an American two-seat utility or aerobatic aircraft, designed by David Thurston for Sequoia Aircraft Corporation for sale as a kit or set of plans for homebuilding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Team Rocket F1 Rocket</span> Type of aircraft

The Team Rocket F1 Rocket is a two-seat sport plane formerly built in Czech Republic and marketed as a kit for amateur construction by Team Rocket of Texas, United States. As of April 2017, the aircraft is being produced in the U.S. under license from Team Rocket by Frazier Aviation Products LLC of Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stits SA-11A Playmate</span> Type of aircraft

The Stits SA-11A Playmate is a homebuilt aircraft design that features a rapid wing-folding mechanism for trailering or storage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VanGrunsven RV-1</span> Type of aircraft

The RV-1 is a Stits Playboy that was constructed with modifications by Richard VanGrunsven. The aircraft was the first of a series of Van's aircraft that became the most popular homebuilt aircraft produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van's Aircraft RV-14</span> American homebuilt airplane

The Van's Aircraft RV-14 is an American aerobatic kit aircraft designed by Richard VanGrunsven and produced by Van's Aircraft. It was introduced at AirVenture in July 2012. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport Performance Aviation Panther</span> Type of aircraft

The Sport Performance Aviation Panther is a single seat, all-metal, homebuilt aircraft under development by Sport Performance Aviation of Green Cove Springs, Florida. The aircraft is intended to be supplied as plans and as a kit for amateur construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aircraft Technologies Acro 1</span> American homebuilt airplane

The Aircraft Technologies Acro 1 is an American aerobatic homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Fred Meyer and produced by Aircraft Technologies of Lilburn, Georgia. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit or in the form of plans for amateur construction. Neither plans nor kits are available anymore and the aircraft is out of production.

The American Homebuilts John Doe is an American STOL homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Steve Nusbaum and produced by American Homebuilts of Hebron, Illinois, first flown in 1994. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brutsche Freedom 210 STOL</span> Type of aircraft

The Brutsche Freedom 210 STOL was a proposed American STOL homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Neal H. Brutsche and intended to be produced by Brutsche Aircraft Corporation of Salt Lake City, Utah, introduced in the mid-1990s. The aircraft was planned to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VanGrunsven RV-5</span> 1970s prototype airplane

RV-5 is a one-off proof-of-concept prototype airplane designed by Richard VanGrunsven. Although the designation is the 5th in the Van's Aircraft "RV" series, the RV-5 was never intended as a production aircraft but as a project for VanGrunsven and fellow members of his Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) chapter.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Vans Aircraft (November 2022). "First Flights" . Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  2. ↑ Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 74. Belvoir Publications. ISSN   0891-1851
  3. ↑ "Homebuilt Airplanes & Van's RV - EAA Museum". www.eaa.org. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Harmonrocket". Harmonrocket. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  5. ↑ Van's Aircraft. "RV-4". www.vansaircraft.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.