Skip to main content

Compare aircraft models

Up to four models side by side. Each column describes the type, not any one aircraft.

Choose models

The picker searches 868 models.

  • Van's Aircraft RV-8A

Comparison

AttributeVan's Aircraft RV-8AThese figures describe a typical build. Each aircraft of this design was built by its owner, and the one you are looking at may differ.
What it is
Seats2
Landing geartricycle
Engines—
EngineLycoming O-360 (150-215 hp approved)
Horsepower180 hp
Fuel—
Certification basisamateur-built
Production start—
Production end—
Endorsements required—
Performance
Cruise speed175 KTAS
Range678 nm
Service ceiling19,500 ft
Climb rate1,600 ft/min
Stall speed (Vso)50 KCAS
Takeoff over 50 ft—
Landing over 50 ft—
Load and fuel
Seats2
Useful load680 lb
Full-fuel payload—
Max takeoff weight1,800 lb
Empty weight1,120 lb
Usable fuel42 gal
Fuel burn at cruise—
Cost of ownership
Price, low$49,900
Price, high$75,500
Prices as of2026
Engine TBO—
Overhaul cost, low—
Overhaul cost, high—
The fleet and its record
Registered, all time341
Active fleet302
Median year built2007.0
NTSB events, last 10 years14
Fatal events, last 10 years4
Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years146.36
Personal-flying events per 1,000 active239.74
Ownership transfers, last 24 months45
Transfers per 100 active314.9
Airworthiness directives6
Directives, last 5 years0
Rate confidenceok
Peer scores
Peer classFixed wing single-engine, piston, 1 engine, 1-2 seats
Accident record43.4 of 10
Severity51.7 of 10
Access63.8 of 10
Support78.1 of 10
Liquidity82.5 of 10
Overall (sum of the categories shown)919.5 out of 50
  1. Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years: per 1,000 active aircraft · base 302 active.
  2. Personal-flying events per 1,000 active: per 1,000 active aircraft · base 302 active.
  3. Transfers per 100 active: per 100 active aircraft · base 302 active.
  4. Accident record: class median 31.56 · 197 models in class.
  5. Severity: class median 10.
  6. Access: class median 1,000.75.
  7. Support: class median 89.
  8. Liquidity: class median 19.74.
  9. Each of the five categories places the model within its peer class, from 0 (the worst of the class) to 10 (the best): a position among comparable models, not a grade. The overall score is the sum of the categories shown that are scored, out of 10 for each (50 when all five are); it is given only when at least 4 of the five are scored, and it can be set against another model's only when both are in the same peer class and scored on the same categories. When accident record and severity cannot be scored because the model has too few records, the other three give a partial score out of 30, labelled as such; it is never set against a full score.
© 2026 TailFax. All rights reserved.TailFax · public FAA and NTSB records; not an inspection