Legacy Kits Move to Retirement With Thousands in the Air

Van’s Aircraft is giving potential buyers their final chance to pick up a kit for the RV-3, RV-4, and RV-6 aircraft before they move into retirement once and for all. The iconic birds have been on the market for decades, earning thousands of happy customers around the world before the spotlight shifted to the newer lineup.

The deadline for orders is September 30, 2025. After that, no more empennage, fuselage, wing, or finish kits will be offered for the three models. Support will continue, however, with replacement parts available on a made-to-order basis. Van’s also says it will still provide technical assistance for builders and owners.

The RV-3 was the beginning of it all back in the 1970s, when Richard “Dick” VanGrunsven started selling plans and parts for a single-seat sport plane. This set the tone for what became the company’s “Total Performance” brand.

“He wanted an airplane that was ‘very good’ at as many things as possible, even if it wasn’t necessarily the absolute best in any single category. He succeeded,” Van’s explains. “If you enjoy fun, responsive, seat-of-your-pants flying — and doing it solo — there is simply no better way to do it than in an RV-3.”

The RV-4 followed, with two seats and better cross-country utility, before the planemaker revealed the RV-6. The bird expanded the concept further and logged greater numbers than either of its predecessors. Over time, the kits went from labor-intensive paper plans to pre-punched, easier-to-build packages on the RV-7, RV-8, RV-9, RV-10, RV-12, RV-14, and now RV-15 platforms.

Since moving to Aurora State Airport, Van’s has shipped more than 400 kits annually, and as of 2022, over 11,000 RVs had been completed and flown. The running tally now includes 305 RV-3s, 1,453 RV-4s, and 2,731 RV-6/6As, with the company still adding new completions whenever builders bother to report them.

FMI: www.vansaircraft.com