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Richard VanGrunsven
- Founder / CEO
The initials
"RV" usually mean Recreational Vehicle, and
while that may be an apt description of the RV line of
kit aircraft in this case they are also the initials of
designer and founder of Van's Aircraft, Richard
VanGrunsven. Usually known as Dick or "Van",
Richard learned to fly in 1956 at the age of 16. He has
logged 12,000+ hours (the majority of it in airplanes of
his own design) and holds CFI, multi-engine and ATP
ratings.
 Throughout
high school and college years he flew a Cub and a
Taylorcraft from the 670' grass strip on his parents'
farm near Cornelius, Oregon. He flew as a respite from
long weekends of academic study and for the sheer joy of
it. Noteworthy pioneers of experimental aviation, George
Bogardus and Hobie Sorrell, lived nearby and had private
airstrips that enabled Van to visit regularly. The
information he gleaned from them and others became the
basis of his later vocation.
After finishing college with a degree in
engineering, he joined the Air Force for a three year
tour. He served as a communications officer because a
slight color vision problem prevented his acceptance in
the pilot training program. He remained active in
flying, becoming a key figure in the base flying club.
While serving in Michigan, he purchased a homebuilt 65
hp Stits Playboy. Although it looked sporty, its
performance was poor. He rebuilt it, installing a 125 hp
Lycoming engine, bubble canopy, and Hoerner style
wingtips. The modified airplane flew much better, but
still had a high landing speed, high sink rate, and only
moderately good cruise speed. Clearly, he reasoned,
horsepower was no longer the problem, so the remaining
drawbacks must be the result of an inefficient airframe.
Within a year of returning to civilian
life, now employed as a mechanical engineer, he had
designed, built and installed a set of cantilever
aluminum wings to replace the strut-braced wood and
fabric originals. Renamed the RV-1, the Playboy flew
like a new airplane. The wings were equipped with flaps
to provide the short landing performance required for
operation from the family farm. His friends joked that
the only reason "that cheap Dutchman" rebuilt
the Playboy was to be able to keep it at home and avoid
hangar rent. Whatever the reason, it was the beginning
of the RV designs.
Van flew the RV-1 from 1965 through 1968
and enjoyed its performance immensely, but he was aware
that its hybrid heritage limited its performance and
felt something better was possible. He wanted an
airplane that was able to fly in and out of any
reasonable airstrip, with enough power and
maneuverability to do good basic aerobatics, and cruise
as fast as possible. (This may not seem to be a
particularly inspired goal, but consider for a minute
how few airplanes actually achieve it.) He reluctantly
sold the RV-1 (it is still on the active registry) and
began design and construction of a completely original
airplane.
The single-seat RV-3 flew for the first time in August
1971 and proved to be a delightful airplane -- an
improvement in every way over the RV-1. Shortly
thereafter, he started his own business, providing
parts, plans and very basic kits for the RV-3.
Even before the RV-3 had flown and proven a success, Van
was inundated with requests for a two-seat RV. His
answer was the tandem RV-4. On its first flight in
August 1979, the RV-4 proved outstanding, better than
Van had dared dream. Its top speed was only 10 mph less
than a comparably powered RV-3. The handling, low speed
control and delightful aileron response that
characterized the RV-3 had been retained. The RV-4 found
a ready and enthusiastic market.
After the RV-4 was established, Van began work on an
airplane to satisfy prospective customers clamoring for
a side-by-side design. Building upon his own work and
incorporating ideas from an airplane built in Michigan
by Art Chard, (the first man to finish a homebuilt RV-3)
he designed the RV-6 and followed it shortly with the
tricycle gear RV-6A.
The RV-6/6A became the most successful kit aircraft in
history, but Van continued to design new airplanes.
Assisted by an engineering staff and CAD draftsmen, Van’s
Aircraft, Inc. introduced the RV-7/7A, the  RV-8/8A,
the
RV-9/9A, the four-seat RV-10, and most recently, the
Light Sport
RV-12.
Forty years after the first flight of the RV-3, Van
continues to lead the company he founded – now the
most successful in the field. Almost every weekday, he
commutes to his desk in the engineering office (no
private cubicle, no executive washroom, no reserved
parking spot) in his original RV-4 – or his RV-10 –
or his new RV-12. Well, almost every day…in the
summer, when the soaring conditions are good, he pulls
out his all electric self-launching Antares sailplane,
takes a few days off…
And goes flying.
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