Van's Aircraft RV-4

The RV-4 is the tandem two-seat taildragger that established Van's line, first flown in August 1979 and the lightest and smallest of the company's two-seaters at 913 lb empty and 1,500 lb gross. On 180 hp it cruises at 174 knots and climbs at nearly 2,000 fpm; the 32-gallon tanks give roughly 500 nm, and the useful load is 587 lb.

It is the most builder-dependent RV, because the design predates matched-hole parts and the alignment of ribs and skins depended on the builder's jigs and patience. Van's designed it for 150-160 hp and says engines from 125 to 180 hp are commonly installed, often with a fixed-pitch propeller, which makes the 174-knot figure optimistic for many examples. Kits were sold until September 2025, so airframes range from recently finished to over forty years old; on the older ones, corrosion, hardware condition and the history of an engine fitted long ago matter as much as the type. Useful load is the practical limit: two adults and full fuel use nearly all of the 587 lb, with little of the 50 lb baggage allowance left. The cockpit is compact and the rear seat suits a slim passenger. Van's continues to supply replacement parts and technical support but no longer sells kits, and on a second-hand airframe the builder's repairman certificate does not pass to you, so budget for an A&P, who needs no IA, to sign the annual condition inspection.

Variants of the Van's RV-4

• RV-4 · 1979 · 899 active · this page

Also consider

• Van's Aircraft RV-6
  Score 25.4/50 · 2 seats · 172 kt
• Thorp T-18 Tiger
  Score 18.6/50 · 2 seats · 152 kt
• Game Composites GB1 Gamebird
  Partial 17.9/30 · 2 seats · 178 kt

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