We learn of flying RVs in several different ways, and we can only add your RV to our counter if you let us know it’s flown! Ideally, a builder will use the form linked from this page to send us the story and a photo/video or two or three of his or her personal “RV grin.” Sometimes they call us on the phone, which is great but doesn’t actually provide us with anything to publish on the web. Other times we find out incidentally; for example when a customer calls to order new tires and we wonder why someone who is still building (as far as we know) would need them. Or, we may discover a first flight announcement on an RV web forum or other online venue. On yet other occasions, we learn of a new batch of flying RVs from “RV factories” overseas, but without the individual owner details.
We’d like to see more RV grins here, so please submit your first-flight story and pictures of your new “baby,” or we (and the rest of the world) may never know of your success! Click the “Submit Report” link on the right to do it!
Congratulations to Mike on his new RV-14! He writes: Great First Flight. Many new skills learnt. Avionics and paint were the most daunting! G-RVDD flew straight and true on its first flight. Testing now complete and await the issue of my U.K. Permit to Fly Nov 22.
A big congratulations to Joop Sint Jago on the completion and first flight of this new RV-7 in The Netherlands! Five years and a bit after my son and I started the tail-kit class at Synergy (Eugene), PH-YAR took the skies for the first time. And there was no sign that this was her first […] Read More
Congrats to Valdimir on the completion and first flight of his new RV-10! He writes to tell us: After 3 years of building my airplane went for its maiden flight on Nov 12, 2022. It was an amazing journey for my family and me to build this airplane during the past years. This airplane really […] Read More
Congratulations to Tim Arnold on the first flight ohis new RV-7! He told us: Not sure what say. Its just awesome!!!! Thank you to the staff at Van’s for the support and great service over the years. Tim A
Congratulations to Marlon Young on the first flight of his newly-completed RV-4! Marlon writes: Just after 3:01 on Veterans Day, November 11, 2022, Redtail N301FS took to the air for a one-hour flight. Kit 1565 was purchased and started about 30 years ago but got stalled and sat in a garage for almost 15 years […] Read More
Scott Stweart gets a big “congrats” on the completion and first flight of his new RV-12iS! He writes: What an incredible journey! Wicked, crazy fun every step of the way, from placing the Empennage kit order through the first flight. Great support by family, friends, the aviation community and many at Van’s. AWC in hand […] Read More
A big congrats to Glen Fuller in Australia on the completion of his RV-9A! He writes: After a very long build Scarlet, our RV-9A, took to the skies from Jandakot airport, Perth Western Australia. She flies extremely well and to all the Van’s specs. She’s fitted with a Garmin G3X EFIS, autopilot and houses a […] Read More
Congratulations to Dave Hock on the first flight of his new RV-7! He writes: After 2,900 hours of building interrupted a couple of times with life events RV-7 N732DH took to the skies on November 1st, 2022! I have to say it was one of the biggest events in my life after marriage and the […] Read More
Congrats to Andrew Kilroy on the first flight of his new RV-14A! He wrote to let us know: The first flight was eventful! Took off in chilly, calm conditions and noticed that my airspeed went dead five seconds after take off. I did a simple pattern and landed (without airspeed). In just the first 4 […] Read More
Congrats to Richard on completion and first flight of his RV-14A! He writes: I started building my RV-14A in 2016 and my first flight was on 10-21-2022. The building process was a labor of love. There was sweat. I live in Arizona and my hangar is not air conditioned. There was occasional blood. Metal is […] Read More
Congratulations to Greg Long, who writes to tell us all about the build and first flight of his RV-12, and includes a video as well! Building my own plane has been a dream for most of my life. Since 1986 when I completed my private pilot license, I flew various club planes including Cessna and […] Read More
Congrats to Zack – our East Coast Rep and transition trainer extraordinaire, on the completion of this new RV-10! Zack writes: I recently completed my 3rd RV, another RV-10. These RV aircraft never cease to amaze, especially the RV-10. The slow stall speed, the fast cruise speed, the large useful load, and its great sexy […] Read More
Congrats to Jeff on the first flight of the RV-8 he finished in tribute to the original builder. He writes to tell us about it: I took over this build from Tom Swartzlander (RIP) in June 2019. I had hoped to finish it before cancer took him but I lost. This is his plane, I […] Read More
Congrats to Greg Bierman, who sent this photo of his new RV-14A that recently made its first flight!
Congrats to Krea Ellis, who writes in to share the first flight he and his son made in this new RV-10! After 4000+ hours of build time, N10KE took to the air at Newnan-Coweta County Airport (KCCO) on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. My son Keith was PIC and I accompanied him as a Qualified Pilot […] Read More
Matt Van Eck wrote in to tell us about the first flight of his new RV-10! The idea of building an airplane has always been a dream since I was a young kid. I began the Standard Built project in November of 2019 and spent 2 years and 8 months riveting, wiring, and painting. (Something […] Read More
Christopher LoPresti writes in to share the first flight of his new RV-14A! After three years of building, almost to the date, the aircraft was ready to take flight. Present in the aircraft during the first flight was pilot Frank Dobroswki, a veteran RV builder, and Christopher LoPresti, the co-pilot and builder of this aircraft. […] Read More
Congrats to EAA Chapter 179 and the High Desert Flyers Association on the fiust flight of their flying-club RV-12! First Flight = 9/6/2022 and it took a village to get there! An RV-12 kit donated by the estate of James Crouse in July 2020 to EAA Chapter 179 got the ball rolling . . . […] Read More
David and Bill send the following story about the build of their new RV-14! Congrats to both! The story of RV-14 N914DH began slowly in December 2013. The empennage kit was ordered. It arrived in February 2014 but construction didn’t begin until April 2015. We had a whole house renovation in progress that prevented any […] Read More
A short and sweet report in from Richard: Great flying aircraft, no surprise on first flight
