Van's RV-4
 Van's RV-4. Photo: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Van's Aircraft |
|---|---|
| Model | Van's RV-4 |
| Type | RV-4 |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | August 1979
|
| Number built | 1446 (November 2022) |
| Registered in the US | 858 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Engine | Lycoming O-360, 180 hp |
| Cruise speed | 200 mph (Typical RV-4) |
| Range | 590 mi (Typical RV-4) |
| Service ceiling | 23,000 ft (Typical RV-4) |
| Max weight | 1,500 lb (Typical RV-4) |
| Developed from | Van's Aircraft RV-3 |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Van's RV-4 is a light, two-seat homebuilt airplane supplied as a kit by Van's Aircraft of Aurora, Oregon, with seats one behind the other and the pilot in front. The RV series is the most popular kit-built airplane family in the world, and as of November 2022, 1,446 RV-4s had been completed and flown.[1] In the U.S. there are 858 with a valid registration, counted by model name because homebuilts are registered under their builders' names.[2]
History
Richard VanGrunsven designed the RV-4 in the mid-1970s as a two-seat development of the single-seat RV-3, but as a new design rather than a stretched RV-3. The prototype first flew in August 1979. It takes engines up to 180 hp, such as the Lycoming O-360, has a bigger wing than the RV-3, and is designed for sport aerobatics.[1]
It has proved a capable cross-country airplane for two modest-sized people and their bags; Australian pilot Jon Johanson flew an RV-4 around the world twice. Many bigger people found its cockpit tight, which led VanGrunsven to design the side-by-side RV-6 and the rest of the family.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 858 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| RV-4 | 598 |
| VANS RV-4 | 157 |
| RV4 | 79 |
| VANS RV4 | 22 |
| VAN RV-4 | 2 |
Specifications (Typical RV-4)
| Item | Typical RV-4 |
|---|---|
| Length | 20 ft 4 in |
| Wingspan | 23 ft |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in |
| Wing area | 110 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 903 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,500 lb |
| Fuel | 32 u.s.gal |
| Engine | Lycoming O-360, 180 hp (four cylinder piston aircraft engine) |
| Propeller | fixed pitch or constant speed propeller |
| Maximum speed | 212 mph |
| Cruise speed | 200 mph |
| Stall speed | 54 mph |
| Range | 590 mi |
| Service ceiling | 23,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,950 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Vans RV-4 (UK registration G-MARX) at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. Photo: Arpingstone, Public domain -
Vans RV4 light aircraft (G-PIPS). Photo: Arpingstone at English Wikipedia, Public domain -
Van's RV-4. Photo: Adrian Pingstone (Arpingstone), Public domain
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Van's RV-4
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Wikipedia, "Van's Aircraft RV-4", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.