Kit Manufacturer Takes Advantage of MOSAIC to Build its Flight Training Reputation

Van’s Aircraft has spent decades shaping the experimental world, and in the process, it has entered the big leagues in a way no one could’ve anticipated. With MOSAIC opening the door for more capable Light Sport Aircraft, Van’s has found itself in a uniquely strong position to compete directly with long-established GA manufacturers.

The company’s roots go back to the original RV-3: a simple single-seat sport plane designed by Richard VanGrunsven in the 1970s. When pilots started asking for space to bring a friend along, the RV-4 emerged and launched the brand into a new era. The company’s breakthrough came with the RV-6, which has become the most popular kit aircraft in history, with around 3,000 completed.

Over time, Van’s approach never faltered from what it called “Total Performance”: not just speed or short-field capability, but a sense of balance and predictability in every control input.

That philosophy has carried through the entire RV line, which has taken over the experimental category to an almost absurd degree. Between 2019 and 2023, half of all newly registered experimentals were RVs. Today, roughly a third of all experimental aircraft flying are Van’s models. When you stack that against the entire piston market, Van’s still manages to stand its own against GA icons like Cirrus, Piper, Diamond, and Textron.

Now, the company is aiming at another corner of aviation: flight training. With most schools still relying on legacy 172s and PA-28s, there’s a wide-open lane for something modern, efficient, and inexpensive to operate.

That’s where the RV-12 comes in. It’s the only model Van’s builds as an SLSA, which means it can roll out of the factory fully assembled and ready to fly, no wrenches or rivet guns required. The plane is a near-perfect fit: it sips fuel, it’s easy to maintain, it offers great visibility, and instructors praise the straightforward handling. Thanks to MOSAIC, next year will push it even further into trainer territory with IFR capability, more comfort in the cockpit, and other minor feature changes.

Van’s went over many of these progress updates during a MOSAIC-focused seminar at the inaugural Affordable Flying Expo in Lakeland this past November, hosted by your friends at Aero-News Network. The Expo turned SUN ’n FUN’s home turf into a winter aviation showcase built around affordability, kit culture, and the new regulatory landscape. And for anyone who missed it (or just wants to come back for seconds), the show is already set to return to Lakeland from November 13 to 15, 2026.

FMI: www.vansaircraft.com, www.affordableflying.net