While AOPA’s editor at large Dave Hirschman and the AOPA photo/video crew was visiting this summer, Dave got a chance to fly with Aric Krause in the updated 2026 RV-12iS. Noting the new model’s full Garmin G3X Touch panel, Hirschman noted, “This airplane has the sort of technology that will will take people all […] Read More

AOPA’s editor at large Dave Hirschman visited Van’s soon after we returned from AirVenture to fly and report on the RV-15. His report went live this morning along with a video review. “Runup is standard, and the moderately loaded RV–15 is soon cleared for takeoff on Runway 35 at Aurora State Airport. Acceleration is rapid despite […] Read More

After decades of offering the RV-3, RV-4, and RV-6 to the builder community, we are preparing to retire these models from active kit production. These aircraft represent the earliest chapters of Van’s Aircraft and are the foundation of Total Performance. As kit orders for these models have declined, and as we focus on streamlining operations and […] Read More

Following the recent release of our QuickBuild fuel tank option, we’re now offering another upgrade to help streamline your build: factory-assembled flaps and ailerons are now available for RV-10 and RV-14/14A standard wing kits. This time-saving option was developed in direct response to feedback from RV builders. With flaps and ailerons fully assembled and ready […] Read More

Marc Cook has joined Van’s Aircraft as E-commerce and Media Manager. In this role, he will help drive the expansion of the Van’s webstore and lead improvements to customer-facing systems and communications. As editor in chief of Kitplanes magazine for a total of 11 years (and more than 130 issues) and a multi-time builder, Marc […] Read More

At Van’s, our top priority is delivering the best possible support to our customers—whether you’re currently building, flying, or dreaming about your next aviation adventure. To ensure responsiveness and that we meet your needs efficiently, we’re making a few changes to our phone support hours, as well as our factory tour and demo flight schedules. […] Read More

We understand that building your own airplane is an incredibly rewarding experience, but certain tasks—like assembling fuel tanks—can be complex and time-consuming. Based on your feedback from airshows, phone calls, and surveys, we’ve created a solution to make your build easier and faster: Pre-Built Fuel Tanks for the RV-14/14A and RV-10 wing kits. You can now choose pre-built fuel tanks […] Read More

One of the things that makes Van’s Aircraft stand out is the strength of the RV community—builders and owners who share knowledge, lend a hand, and support each other. To make those connections even easier, we’ve created a new opt-in network for RV builders and owners. This network is designed to help RV enthusiasts connect […] Read More

You may have noticed that our webstore was temporarily down for maintenance today. We’ve made several important updates to enhance your overall experience with the webstore. These improvements include upgrading our software and implementing a new shipping system to streamline the process, provide better visibility, and ensure you receive your products faster. Shipping costs are […] Read More

We’re excited to celebrate Joby Aviation’s recent achievement of receiving their FAA Part 141 certificate—a significant step toward the launch of their commercial electric air taxi operations. This certification enables Joby to streamline pilot training through its Flight Academy, creating a strong pipeline of skilled aviators for the future of urban air mobility. We’re especially […] Read More

Van celebrated his 85th birthday performing another development flight test of the RV-15X! Despite being 5’11” now (down from his youthful 6’1″), Van needed a pile of cushions to “sit tall” in the RV-15X, but still had 2 ½” of headroom—a testament to the plane’s spacious cabin. Van shared: “From the beginning, the RV-15X’s performance […] Read More

On the fourth day of AirVenture, Rian Johnson, Van’s Aircraft Chief Engineer and Chairman of the ASTM F37 Committee, sat down with Marc Cook of KitPlanes. They discussed the latest updates on the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) final rule. You can watch their conversation starting at the 2:35 mark in this video. Key […] Read More

Van’s Aircraft has partnered with Fuuz, an advanced cloud-based manufacturing solution. This marks a significant step in Van’s manufacturing modernization process, enhancing operational efficiency and growth. Fuuz will enable Van’s to transition from a patchwork of technologies, including a legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with limited manufacturing functionality, to a unified approach involving a […] Read More

We’re thrilled to spotlight some truly remarkable stories from our RV builder community at EAA AirVenture! Jessica Cox, alongside EAA Chapter 898, is undertaking an extraordinary project: constructing an RV-10 with adapted foot controls for the pilot side. Jessica’s approach to aviation and her advocacy for people with disabilities continue to inspire us all. This […] Read More

We had an incredible week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh! Thank you to all our past, current, and future builders who visited our booth. It was a pleasure connecting with so many members of the Van’s community. For those who couldn’t join us at Oshkosh, KitPlanes offered some great coverage of our “What’s New at Van’s” […] Read More

The following comments were submitted to the FAA regarding their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on MOSAIC. The letter was prepared by Rian Johnson, Chief Engineer at Van’s Aircraft and Chairman of the ASTM F37 committee, which governs light-sport aircraft standards. January 22, 2024 Docket Operations, M–30; U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue […] Read More

The comment period for the FAA’s MOSAIC NPRM ends in a few days, on January 22nd. The Experimental Aircraft Association has recently released  guidance for others interested in submitting comments. We encourage you to review the NPRM and comment.  This document summarizes Van’s Aircraft’s thoughts on the EAA’s guide in two areas: noise and stall […] Read More