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 the web. Sometimes 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 venues. On other occasions, we learn of a new batch of flying RVs from “RV factories” overseas, but without the individual details.
We’d like to see more RV grins here, so please send in 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 Randy, who started building his RV-14A in August, 2018 and which first flew on Sunday, June 28th! He writes: Great experience with the first flight. Second build experience, RV-8 was first. The Van’s office staff are great to work with. Looking forward to traveling in the plane soon.
Paul Sueck from Germany writes to tell us belatedly that his RV-7 flew for the first time in April 2013. Since then he has put 450 hours on it! Late, but I think not too late. It’s a beautiful plane. Flies great. The kit is well thought out. Meanwhile, it has 450 hours on the […] Read More
Congrats to Dave on the recent completion and first flight of his RV-6. He writes to tell us: A very slow build. Never a priority project. It sat dormant twice, once for over 3 years. Several projects, Pitts, J-3, second house and two bouts of unemployment. First flight from my own private airstrip in NJ. […] Read More
Congratulations Syrus on the first flight of his new RV-14A! He writes: Had to wait a day for perfect conditions. Temperature was 74, winds were 5 kts almost right down the runway. Controls were perfect and it flew straight-and-level hands free. Best part was greasing my first landing!
Congratulations to Brad on the first flight of his RV-9A! He writes to tell us all about it and to provide some words of encouragement for builders: After 11 years and 2 days N8729M finally took to the air on 6/18/2020 at KCFO in Watkins, CO. What an awesome feeling! Thanks to my wife for […] Read More
Congrats to Carl on RV Number Three – this one an RV-8! He writes: This is my third RV, and I suspect I have one more to go. For now however I have a lot of flying to catch up with. Paint will be late fall.
Congrats to Bill, who just flew his RV-7 for the first time! He wrote in to share his first-flight story: After 8.5 years of slow building, 2311 hours in the builders log, RV-7 N430WB finally broke the surly bonds today for a successful first flight from KHAF Half Moon Bay, CA. Engine ran well; CHT’s […] Read More
Congratulations to Rafael, who tell us all about the first flight of his new RV-7! In September 2015 I received the famous Vans carto box with the tail pieces. My plane has a Lycoming O-360-A1A with ignition and injection SDS EM-5 and a Dynon HDX 10″ and a paneled iPad. From then until now, … […] Read More
Frank writes in to tell us about the first flight of his fifth RV, this time an RV-8! N84FD is my second RV-8, and 5th RV build. With the exception of Grove one piece landing gear, the plane is built to general specs with a new YIO-360 M1B and Hartzell Composite prop. Avionics are Garmin […] Read More
Congrats to Darwin and Robert on the new RV-9A! First flown on June 8, 2020 at KPRC (Prescott Regional Airport) by Robert Liddell. Just a wonderful airplane. Looking forward to many cross country flights.
David writes to tell the world about the first flight of his RV-10 – congrats! First flight was on May 29th 2020. Took off from Joliet Regional Airport (KJOT). The flight was uneventful….just what I was planning on… I’m glad I decided on the flight training, so I knew what to expect and it performed […] Read More
Congrats to Joe, who writes to report on the first flight of his new RV-14A! After 2 years and 2 weeks of construction, my RV-14A flew on June 7, 2020. The plane flew “hands-off” from the beginning with no trim being required except for the normal pitch trim adjustments from take-off settings, cruise setting and […] Read More
Ken writes in to tell us about the first flight of his new RV-12iS: “Aircraft exceeded my expectations with no unusual behavior. Still need to resolve some issues with the Dynon units.”
Robert writes in to share the story about the first flight of his RV-7A, which happened a couple of years ago but the story is still just as cool! Better late than never, right? I had never seen an RV until Oshkosh 2013 when some Texans had barbecue with my wife and I. I was […] Read More
Congratulations to Andrew on the first flight of his RV-7 in Anacortes, Washington! He writes: It took over 10 years, but the first flight finally came! I started building out of my home in Northern California, but had the fortunate opportunity to move to Anacortes, WA, where there is some beautiful flying. When I first […] Read More
Congratulations to Malcom on the first flight of his RV-6A! He writes: Its first flight was on Wednesday evening from Sleap airfield with no issues, after a very slow but most enjoyable build.
Congrats to Helmut, who writes in to tell the world about the first flight of his new RV-9 in Germany! On April 25, 2020, my RV-9 successfully completed its first flight after 8 years of construction. A Superior Motor IOX 360 and 2 HDX screens from Dynon with autopilot are installed. The first tests were […] Read More
Congratulations to Clive, who has completed and flown his RV-6 in New Zealand for the first time! Van’s RV-6 ZK-CAZ took to the air for the first time at Ardmore Airport (Auckland, New Zealand) on the morning of 23 May 2020 in the capable hands of test pilot David Wilkinson. He reports that it does […] Read More
Congrats to Darren in the UK on the first flight of his new RV-8! Darren worked with us to arrange a paint design we happen to like a lot. We look forward to future videos where that aerobatic logo still reads right-side-up while inverted! Darren writes to tell us: After selling my Husky, I wanted […] Read More
Another tailwheel RV-9 has taken to the skies – and congrats to Dennis, who sent us his account of the build and first flight in 2018: First flight was May, 26, 2018 from Ray Community Airport (57D) in Michigan. First flight lasted 54 minutes performing new “engine break-in” just north of the field. The 9 […] Read More