You’ll sometimes see the numbers of flying RVs on this list rise without a corresponding number of first flight reports from builders. Why is that?
Well, we learn of flying RVs in many different ways. Ideally, a builder will email us with a photo of his or her personal “RV grin”. Sometimes, they call on the phone, which is great, but doesn’t provide us with anything to publish on this web page. Sometimes, we find out incidentally; for example, when a customer calls to order new tires, and we wonder why someone who is still building (so far as we know) would need them. Or we may discover a first flight announcement on an RV web forum. On other occasions, we learn of a new batch of flying RVs from “RV factories” overseas, but without individual details.
We’d like to see more RV grins here, so send in the story and pictures of your new “baby,” or we may never know of your success. Click the “Submit Report” link on the right to do it!
N620RV took to the skies the evening of Dalentine’s Day 2019. It is a rocket! Flew straight and true with no adverse tendencies. Great job to Van’s Aircraft for designing the ultimate cross country experimental. Some specs: IO540 Whirlwind 375RV prop with 15″ rocket spinner Garmin 900X avionics Tru trak sorcerer AP Most of the […] Read More
N695RA flew just after sunrise on 2/13/2019 at Dillingham Airfield on the North shore of Oahu, HI. The plane took just over 3 years to build. She had a successful first flight with no major issues. Flying an RV-8 has been a dream of mine for many years and today it finally happened.
Hard to believe my first few flights are completed. I purposely didn’t make a big thing about them and only a few knew that I decided I ‘might’ go up today. With my flight plan in hand and the weather cooperating I made the decisions to give it a go. What a rush taking off […] Read More
On Thursday February 7th 2019 RV-12 N624ES took to the sky for the first time! With some much appreciated guidance from Mr. Vic Syracuse I was able to make the uneventful (except being the first flight) first flight. The weather was near perfect and airplane performed flawlessly! I am still getting comfortable with the G3X […] Read More
I would like to report the first flight of RV 7 serial 74478 on December 16, 2018. N73333. IO360 A1A ( out of a Mooney). New Hartzell from Vans. Used GRT screens (Hx and Ws) Garmin GTX 327, GTR 200, Tru Trak AP and Echo ADSB. Empty weight 1115 I wanted to built an RV […] Read More
It was time to retire but what was I going to do. 45+ years of 60-70 hours per week in my own business. My buddy said if you want to build a plane, I’ll help you. That was it for me. I started an RV-12 in November of 2016. For a guy like me, it […] Read More
Dear Vans, I am tardy in reporting the first flight of my RV-10 but better late than never. My RV-10, N363TG, first flew on 30 January 2018 out of Cable Airport, KCCB, in Upland, CA. The airplane is a fairly standard RV-10 with few modifications from Van’s build instructions. The engine and prop are Lyc […] Read More
Reporting another 8 First Flight! Serial # 83563 – Slow Build wing / tail. QB fuse. First Rivet April of 2016. N563RV IO360M1B – Hartzell Blended AF Prop Garmin G3X touch w / GTN650 / G5 backup / GMC307 AP controller Empty weight is 1120 lbs This is my third build. #1 was a Sonex […] Read More
Hi guys, After 12 years (don’t look up my tail kit order…it may be a little longer!), 2 houses and 3 jobs, this thing is now a flying airplane! Terry Turner, the inspector from our local FSDO was kind enough to drive up from San Antonio one day before the government shutdown to perform the […] Read More
Hello Vans, I got the Grin on the morning of January 3rd 2019 after 4 years and 9 months of building. Actually I have been grinning the whole build it has truly been an amazing journey that I hope will continue for many many years. When I was about 14, back to 1985 I was […] Read More
The weather has been spotty over the holidays and fighting the flu since Christmas Day didn’t help with getting into the air. I finally had a break today. Winds were out of the west, light and variable, ceiling was overcast at 3800 ft, temperature was -2 degrees Celsius, and the runways were finally cleared of […] Read More
Here is my first flight in my Van’s RV 14A! She flew straight and true without a hitch! Talk about a long awaited “RV Grin”! Thank you to all at Van’s who were always just a call away for some detail the I needed clarification. And the always careful and friendly help of customer service […] Read More
Hello All After three years and three months of hard work our RV4 N42321 has finally flown. I need to thank my family for all sacrifices of both time and money it takes to get an airplane built. My wife bucked countless rivets and made my heated seats. My Daughter and Mother designed the paint […] Read More
I’m just a little late notifying you of my first flight of my RV 4 14 years ago on 9-11-2004 but better late than never. The build took 9.5 years with the help of my two kids and my dad who unfortunately passed away before the first flight. Ryan Bendure (my wife’s cousin) took me […] Read More
Happy to report the first flight of my RV-7A on December 15, 2018. It has a Lycoming YIO-360-M1B with Hartzell constant-speed prop from Van’s. Panel is equipped with a 10.6-inch Garmin G3X Touch, G5 backup display, GMC 307 autopilot control, GTR 200 comm, and GTX 335 transponder. I could not bear the thought of cutting […] Read More
On December 22nd, 2018, at 7.30 a.m. EDST, the RV9A kit 90711 was transmogrified into a flying RV9A, registered VH-VDG. It was a bit bumpy in the circuit, but plane and pilot survived, and managed a more than passable landing. 15 years in the making, weighed in at 1130 lbs, Lycoming O-320 E3D 150 HP […] Read More
On Dec 4th, after many days of impatiently waiting for the weather to be just right, N481MJ took to the sky for the first time. This adventure started on Christmas Day back in 2013, so almost 5 years and 1200 hours it all finally came together, beautifully. The build went great and I really want […] Read More
Almost 12 years after I ordered the first kit, first flight of RV-9A, #91512 was made on 12/18/2018. It is powered by a Lycoming YIO-302-D1A with a fixed pitched prop. The dual Dynon Classic Skyview’s are powered by Vertical Power’s VP-X Pro. Thanks to Vans’s for a great kit to build, VAF website and forums […] Read More
RV-7A N358MG flew for the first time on Nov. 17, 2018. Standard YIO-360-M1B and Hartzell constant speed from Van’s with Dynon Skyview and GTN-650. No major but several minor avionics discrepancies. Thanks to Vic Skodzinsky for fiberglass and other technical help, my nephew Brett Davis for otherwise impossible-to-reach bucking help, and my wife Sally for […] Read More
It has been eleven months of pure joy building and two months of anxiety for paint process but she finally got done and after three weeks of transport, final assembly and sign off, today was the first good weather day for the first flight. I want to take this time to thank first and foremost, […] Read More