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When did you first see / hear of an RV?

N941WR

Legacy Member
Paul's thread on the oldest RV-6(A) got me thinking about the first time I had heard about an RV.

It was in 1989, my wife and I were taking a tower tour at SNA along with another young couple. They had just started building an RV-4 and we're rightfully very excited and told us all about it. I sure wish I had taken him up on his offer to look at his project.

I wonder if he ever finished it?
 
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That's a really good question. I'd guess about a year and a quarter ago. Not sure *how* I found out about them.

Very glad I did. Within a year I found one and flew it home. Owned it since July 2015.
 
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I first heard of RV's when I saw it modelled in Microsoft Flight, 4 years ago. Beautiful RV-6A in that short lived flight simulator.

3 years later (Feb 2015) I saw (flew in/flew) my first RV, it just so happened to be the exact plane that the Microsoft Flight version was modelled after, same paint scheme, same registration number. This was at the Axsys Air builder course in Washington.
 
First RV

Seeing Van and the RV-3 at the Oshkosh was it for me plus reading about it in various periodicals. At that time, tube and fabric planes were still the rage.
 
Saw my first RV on my first trip to OSH in 2003. I was blown away by the quality and finish of them. Like most of The Masses, I previously assumed "homebuilt" aircraft were built with bubble gum, bailing wire, and old lawnmower parts. Til that moment at OSH, I never dreamed an amateur-built aircraft could be so gorgeous. I was so struck, I created a simple chronological to-do list when I got home ...a) ground school at the local community college, b) FAA medical, c) flight training, d) order the first RV sub-kit - once I had my ticket in hand. Praise the Lord, it all worked out. Been flying my aluminum sweetheart now for 3 1/2 yrs. :D
 
Great forum topic. I first learned about RV's when I bought my Mooney Acclaim in September, 2011. I had never heard of or seen a Vans aircraft before that. The Mooney seller also owned an RV-8 and he took me for a ride in it. I instantly fell in love with the 8 and spent the next year and a half trying to find one that was built right. The effort paid off in May, 2013 when I found my gorgeous 8 on the other side of the country.

The Mooney seller warned me that if I bought an 8 I'd fly it more than the Acclaim. He was right!
 
2005

I started researching kit aircrafts around 2005. Spent my first Oshkosh looking and calculating. I am glad I chose Vans. Couldn't imagine how I would build and enjoy flying something else :)
 
2013 saw a -8 being built. Already had a Cherokee.

2014, the Cherokee was rented and broke down near Memphis, TN. The -8 was done and I asked for a ride to go fix the broken alternator regulator. Arrived in 2.3 hrs. Changed the regulator in about an hour. Flew back in 2.2 hours.

Found a -7A kit for sale, bought it and sold the Cherokee after finishing my PPL. Hope to be flying -7A this year.
 
First RV encounter....

I saw my first RV at Oshkosh 1980, when I saw the RV-4 prototype. I thought it was the coolest home built ever. I still have a copy of 'Kit Planes' magazine from 1980's where the RV-4 was on the cover. I ordered RV-4 plans (s/n 424?) and a tail kit in 1982. As they say life got in the way and I never got to build my RV-4.

Jump ahead 25 years or so and I was finally ready to build, by then the RV-8 was aviable and it better suited my typical mission. So after and extended build time with a SLOW build kit, I finally have my RV. My RV-8 has been flying for just over six years. I could not ask for a more wonderful airplane!
 
A long time ago and a place far away

1988. I was flying RC and ultra lights. It didn't take long to figure out that I couldn't go very far or very fast, then I saw the picture of Van's daughter standing in middle of all the parts to build an RV4. Hey, I can do that, it's just a big RC model,,,, well a little bigger and a little more expensive but still doable. So here I am, a little older and a lot poorer having built an RV4, then a 6 and last of all a 7A. We have been to all four corners of the country and a thousand points in between. What a life and what an aircraft. Thanks Van.

PS. N99WB where are you????
 
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Internet

Around 2005-2006 I was searching for information on home-made paint booths online. Google search came up with portions of Sam Buchanan's web site about his RV-6 build. Had never hear of RV's before (the flying kind) and had never really thought seriously about EAB planes before that.
 
Has it been that long?

I was at a grass strip in 1992 looking at a Fisher Super Koala because I was about to start building mine. A little low-wing plane started buzzing the area at a very high rate of speed and I was told "that is (can't remember the name...) in his RV-3".

A couple of years later I saw 2-3 RVs at Sun-N-Fun. But it was in 1997 when I saw my friend Mark's RV-4 going together that the RV really got my attention. It was obvious the RV was a "real airplane" as opposed to some scary odd-ball homebuilt. Then hangar-mate Robin started his RV-8 and I had to join the party in October 1997 with my RV-6 project.

It has been quite a ride!
 
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Oshkosh for sure

I think what got my attention was how many of them were there. Must have been around 1988 or so. The one that hooked me was the RV4.
 
At my airline

I'm working for a (the) French airline.
In 2004, before departing for a two days trip, I met one of my colleagues reading the Vans accessory catalog. I had never heard of Vans and had never considered building a plane.
That same day, in flight to our African destination I asked my first officer what our program could be for the two days layover. He told me he would spend the time in his hotel room studying plans for the aircraft he was building.
He was building a 7A and was at the canopy stage.
The next two days were spent discussing most of what I needed to know about Vans, the models, the techniques, the tools.
Upon returning home I announced to my somewhat stunned family that my next project would be to build a plane.
It would take two years before squeezing that first rivet on my RV-7A's empennage.
 
2008 at Oshkosh. I heard the Ripon airboss giving clearances to RV after RV. The first one up close was about four years later when I relocated the Swift to KBKV Brooksville, Fl into a hangar near Dan Landry.
 
In early 1991 we were in Tucson. I was learning to fly, My husband was taking care of the 3 year old daughter while I flew a couple of times a day.

He drove around and ended up at La Cholla airpark and talked to a guy building a little orange single place plane with a wide fat wing. He figured it might top out about 120 mph. The guy, Gene Nelson, said no, it would go more like 190+.

They both came back excited and we all went out to see it the next day.
We were hooked on the RV. I always wanted to build a plane but until that day I had never heard of the RV3.

As a kid I went to the library as often as possible to read the aviation magazines. I wanted a BD5 kit when they first advertised for a couple of thousand dollars. Fortunately as a kid I did not have that kind of money to waste on that plane.
We sat in an RV4, we are tall people and it would not have worked, but the 6A sure does.
Never a moments regret in choosing the RV. They are the best.
 
1985 Porterville (CA) Moonlight Flyin

I saw John Harmon (who I hadn't seen in 20 years since High School) standing in front of his RV3. We chatted a bit and I went about my way, then meeting a -4 builder who talked to me for more than an hour about his plane. That was on a Saturday - I ordered a kit the following Monday and have been involved with them ever since.

David Howe
 
Fall, 1993. I'd recently finished my PPL, and subsequently purchased a Tomahawk and quickly brought in a partner who was an engineer I worked with. He had already purchased a set of RV-6 plans and extolled the Van's product.

The longer story is that the next Spring (1994), we went down to SnF where Van had his RV-4 in the Showplanes area with a little foamboard display on the wing and a stack of flyers stacked nearby. I probably joined EAA at that show.

About then, I started paying attention to US Aviatior, Kitplanes, and other magazines with a homebuilt focus. Also, a local finished his RV-4, and I saw what a nice airplane it was and the performance it offered.

By the fall of 1995, I found a barely started RV-6 tail kit listed in Trade a Plane for $600, including a C-frame dimpler, rivet sets, a 2x gun, a bunch of clekos, seaming pliars, and a number of of other tools. The kit was in Nashville, I'm in Atlanta. For $600, the guy sold me the kit and tools and met me halfway on the transportation - Chattanooga.
 
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In 1998 I was doing my PPL and a couple of guys flew into the airport I was doing my training at in an RV4. it was the sexiest thing I have ever seen and at that stage I did not realize that you could build your own aircraft.

That aircraft was the inspiration for me building an RV7

Cheers
 
My brother told me about a chance to buy his father-in-law's RV4 in 2014 for $25k.

I passed on it since I was all certificated and thinking Turbo Arrow at the time. Cut me some slack, I was only 48 when I passed on that great opportunity.

But then I was looking at and watching and found.

True to say I've learned A LOT in a short time.
 
About 2001 at Sun n Fun

It was around the time I sold my CT210. There were probably only 8 or 10 RVs on the flight line, and I remember thinking some looked like jewelry and one looked like it was put together with a ball peen hammer. Afterwards, I got ahold of an article about the "new" RV9A with a 320 Lycoming, arranged a visit with a local builder back in Michigan, and soon after ordered the empennage kit. Didn't get my first ride until I was nearly finished with the fuselage kit. It was a huge motivator and encouraged me to do the same with other new builders.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
 
1994

Got a demo ride in Ol' Blue with Mike Seager at Oshkosh in 1994. Eighteen years later I did transition training in Ol'Blue with Mike Seager. Its's one of those "full circle" things. Maybe I should have Mike dump my ashes out of that trooper when the time comes. I expect they'll both be going strong. John
 
First RV

I have been interested in experimental aircraft since I met a builder/flyer of a Cassut in Miami, OK, in about 1969. Then met a man building anEAA biplane about 1974. I had no money, no building skills, but stayed interested. Was fascinated by the Rutan Varieze. Went to Oshkosh several times. I became interested in RVs with the 6A. Then saw and read about the RV 9 when it first came to Osh. Now have built and fly a 9A.
 
Around 2006 I had just earned my pilots license and was volunteering at the local airport, doing ramp duty and other things. I was beginning to think about what kind of airplane might be good to have.
One night there was this cool looking red airplane tied down. It looked fast and efficient. I found out what it was and started researching, finding the Van's page and these pages. That airplane was the red RV-4 in this post and belongs to Bill Gunn. I was hooked, and bought the tail kit about a year later.

But I have another connection from an earlier time. In 1981, I was taking an undergraduate aircraft design class at UT Austin. My professor, Dr. Westkaemper, would occasionally invite guest lecturers. The OMAC guys, various folks working on the shuttle program, etc.. One of those lecturers was selling a wing kit that improved performance for a Stits Playboy. You know where this is going. He was none other than Dick VanGrunsven. At the time I was more interested space technology than mere airplanes, and I didn't pay too much attention. But when I saw him at the Oshkosh banquet 30 years later, it suddenly clicked.
 
Oshkosh is where I was bitten

I went to Osh in 1999 and found the experience completely exhilarating. I was running from one display to another, then to a dozen presentations on all things aviation. It was Disneyland for a grownup (pilot) and I cherish that week now almost every year.

I hadn't flown for more than 10 years and that week got me determined to get back to the hobby I loved so much in my 20's and 30's. While at OSH I went to look at the sexy low wing airplanes I'd seen in the air and landing on the Dots. I fell in love with a -4 that a fellow from Illinois built with a slider canopy and a military paint scheme. It was the coolest plane I'd ever seen! I started searching soon after for my own. Started my kit in late 2003 at a fellow RVer's home with an airstrip. He had already built a -6 and -9 and agreed to help me build my own -4. August 2006 we got the ok from the DAR and she now has 650 hours TT. I actually love my plane just as much now as I did 9 years ago when she was born. Maybe more :D Thanks Van, Thanks Mark!
Ron
n8zd
RV-4 / with an 8 slider
 
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November 1973

I remember receiving my November 1973 issue of Air Progress magazine and there on the front cover was the coolest homebuilt I had ever seen. Not a tube and fabric Pitts Special or a Whitman Tailwind but a Van's RV-3. I immediately sent in a check to order plans even though I was living at home, attending college, had no tools, no place to build, no idea how to read a blueprint, and -- oh yeah -- no money. My mother was furious when she found out I had spent $75 (as I recall) on the plans.

Plan set #113 still sits in my closet. It inspired my dreams for decades until 25 years later, I finally had the wherewithall to buy my RV-8 kit. I finished it in 6 1/2 years and I am still flying what is, to me, the most fun airplane ever designed.

Yes, dreams can come true and lead you to great accomplishments. I feel building and flying my own airplane is just that -- a major life accomplishment.

Dream on.

Chris
 
I first saw a completed RV at the 1984 Dayton Ohio Wright Brothers Awards. Alan Tolle had a brand new RV-4, and I was there to accept an award with my first LongEZ. We swapped rides and became lifelong friends. RIP Alan.
 
In 1991 I met Dave Gregg, who was building his second homebuilt, a non-punched RV6. I spent many hours helping him drill, buck, and assemble what was to become the 1st RV I remember seeing. I ran the old shoulder fired VHS recorder on his first flight. When he flew off the 40 hours, I jumped in and took a ride. IT was the finest flying airplane I had ever had my hands on. I knew one day I would build an RV.
 
I learned to fly in a Taylorcraft at Evergreen Airport near Camas Washington when I was in high school (Class of '72). Dick performed in his RV3 at the annual Evergreen Airshow. It was love at first sight, but it took me nearly a lifetime to get my own RV. Now I'm loving life; living the dream! It was worth the wait.
 
1979 in Bakersfield

In 1979 I was fresh out of school, and I was working as an avionics technician at an FBO in Bakersfield, CA. One day an RV-3 taxies up to our hangar and parks on the tarmac, and I remember looking at the beautiful, well-built RV-3 in awe that it is a homebuilt aircraft. At that moment I decided that some day I would build one. I don't remember who the builder/owner was, but looking back I would guess that it was either John Harmon or one of the very few other early RV builders in Bakersfield (or anywhere else) at that time.

Now, 37 years later, I'm putting the final touches on My RV-7.

Seeing that RV-3 was a milestone moment for me.
 
Thought I wanted a Q2

Went to my first Oshkosh with my bride of 1 year in 1983 with the intention of seeing a Q2 (composite canard) and buy the plans. Left there after seeing the RV4 and meeting Van, with an RV4 tail kit and a rivet gun!
 
2000

My college roommate offered me a copilot spot in a Davis Da-2a for a flyin breakfast in 2000. We we opened the hangar doors and there sat 2 homebuilts, the RV3 really looked sleek next to the Davis. My roommate's dad did a little formation work with us on the way to breakfast, I REALLY wanted to fly that RV!
 
I was looking at Arion Lightnings...

...and saw the RV-7A. Metal looked like more work but seemed more suited to me as I have been in metal fabrication/protoype design for many years. This was in October of 2015. I found a distressed RV-7A for sale and bougth it in late December 2015 and am picking it up in a few days to start its resurrection.

Very stoked!

:)

Not coincidentally I started flying September 2nd 2015. First flight in a Cessna 150
 
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Summer 1971

It's been a while now but in summer 1971 I got down to an EAA flyin at Hermiston, OR from Ft. Lewis where I was working on OV-1's after my Vietnam tour working on about every thing in the inventory. We met my parents there and along came Van in the beautiful RV-3. I wanted one immediately, but life gets in the way. I finished my ME degree at OSU, got a job at UPRR, Omaha and settled into the 24/7 job that it is. I got my license, bought a Navion,started an RV-6, quit, started an RV-7 in 2003 and it flew in 2011. It's painted silver&red in the scheme that Van used on that first white RV-3. It's been a long road,but here I am. This little plane is now providing me the time of my life.

Bob
 
Oshkosh 1973

I saw the RV-3 at Oshkosh '73 and fell in love with it and Van's Total Performance design philosophy. I was still in college and thought I wanted a 2-place. In 1995 when I was finally ready to build I figured if I had kept my passion for the RV family for 20+ years I could handle the build time. I started my 1st RV-6 in Jan. 1996.
 
Leadville Colorado

In the mid 90s I bummed a flight in to Leadville in a Navion for a couple of days helping someone work on their condo rental unit. We had to leave early in the morning before an airshow closed the airport for the day. Before the airport was closed a pair of P-51s flew by in low formation and pulled away. I gazed in awe but then thought to myself that I could never afford that. Then within a minute a pair of RV3s did the exact same thing. That was my first RV sighting. Started researching the RV3 and 4 and thought maybe I could pull this off but felt they were just too cramped for my size. When the RV8 came out I sent a check to Vans without seeing one in person. Made the decision based on the pictures and picked up kit #304. I now have nearly 500 hours on her. Never once in those 500 hours did I think the time or resources were ill spent. I don't think I can ever give her up.
 
I first hear of RV's when my dad order RV-10 tail kit number 40241. I was not a pilot or a mechanic. In fact, I really wasn't very interested in aviation. Now, it is my livelihood. That's a big swing from being an accountant in 2005 to being a full time A&P/IA in 2013. I haven't looked back, mainly thanks to the RV line.
 
I happened across the Van's exhibit at SNF 2002. I sat in a RV6 at the time. I'd never heard of Van's Aircraft, but researched it more when I got home.
The RV7 was just becoming available. I bought the emp kit in Feb 2003.

I was flying a 1974 PA28-140 Cherokee at the time but was having maintenance issues with my A&P. I almost dropped a tire from him not adding all the bolts to the wheel hub after a tire change and annual.

Now, I wanted full control of the maintenance & the reputation of Vans sold me.
The next SNF, I was on my way to completing the empennage.
 
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Sun'n Fun 1993

The year 1992 had been a rough year for me so I needed a vacation. I drove to Sun'n Fun for the week to look at Mustang II's. When I found them, there were only three. The builders had a condescending attitude about the necessity to read plans (!). They didn't know at the time I had two engineering degrees and over twenty years of engineering experience plus ten years of flying experience. Needless to say I was disappointed with the Mustang II builders. I looked across the field and found about 30 RV's. Almost every RV builder was very friendly. And I met Mel and Ann! And yes, Mel, I still remember the photos! ;)

When I got back home I discovered that a fellow NASA engineer was building a 6A. Bob Butler's office was one floor below mine in the same building. I learned a lot by helping Bob build his 6A. I also flew right seat with him many times including first flights of the 6A to both Sun'n Fun and Oshkosh.

RV folks are a good family. (Caution: We need to be careful about the attitudes we show toward folks asking about our RV's. Mustang II builders aren't all alike; neither are RV builders.):eek:
 
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In 1983 I was 15 years old, Dad was and still is an airplane junky and was building a Dragonfly and was in a group of friends that were building 4 RV-4s, I watched these airplanes coming together but the day I first saw an RV-4 was at their Sunny Hill fly in, late Summer 1983, Lee and Jan McDaniel flew down from Corvallis OR to the Fly in in their RV-4, I was hooked, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, I ran my fingers over every inch of that airplane and Lee was great, he never said don?t touch, he answered every question, I begged him if you will to give us a pass when he left and he obliged.

When I was 20 years old Boyd Williamson, one of the group of 4 asked if I wanted to learn to fly, I of course said yes!!! He taught me to fly in his 1959 C-150, I didn?t even by all the gas, I made my first long cross country in the C-150 from North Bend to Klamath Falls to Sun River and back to North Bend. That was fun but the next weekend we did the same flight together in his 150hp wood prop simple RV-4, WOW is all I could think at the time, leave Sun River climb to 10k and blast home over everything direct!

Long story short I have owned Lee?s RV-4 now since 2005 and have flown it 1500+ hours, it is an ingrained part of my life and family, I?m still hooked now just as I was the first day I saw it.

DSC00370.JPG

P1120022.JPG
 
I would have never thought about building an Experimental aircraft, but a young kid was selling magazine subscriptions door to door, the only magazine that piqued my interest was Kitplanes. My first copy had a picture of Pat Hatches beautiful RV-4(God rest it's soul), and there was one other RV-4 in the Completions section, it too was beautiful. I remember the inside cover of the magazine was a Lancair ad, and the back cover was a Glasair ad, both of them quite fancy. Buried in the middle was a small Vans ad making claims that I found hard to believe, but were backed up by testimonials. I ordered the VHS tape and info packet, and the rest is history. That was 1989.
 
In 2005, I was standing in the local flying club when an aircraft taxied by; I asked someone: "What's that"? I was informed that it was an RV-6. I responded "What's that"?

Several days later, the pilot of the aforementioned flying machine came up and said; "I understand you've never been up in an RV"? I responded in the negative. And he took me for a half-hour flight.

That SOB cost me a hockey sock full of money! Ordered an RV-7A kit several months later and finally got it flying last April.

It's a dandy! :)
 
Met Bob Larcel at Hillsboro Oregon airport 1983 while flying for Hillsboro Helicoptors and teaching in fixed in wing. Saw his RV-3 out of the window and hunted him down. In Van's first couple of promo video's Bob has the 3 with the basic RV paint scheme. It's scratch built, when I first saw the plane it was upside down hanging from the roof of the hanger. He had made wet wings instead of the header tank and was trying to use a slosh to seal the top of the tank in the wing. His version of the wet wing could not be removed. Not sure if he is still around, very nice and helpful. A man on the other side of the airport named Dave gave me a ride in his white yellow, orange and red RV-4. I had a tail kit for a 4 next month, but didn't start building until we moved to Southern Calif, flew in 1992.
 
Would have been in the early 90s. I was working for a friend of mine on the airshow circuit and we were staging from their midwest house. A neighbor took me for a ride in a newly completed RV 4. Mind you, with two full size guys off a grass strip in the middle of a midwest summer day I was not expecting much. When we were off the ground in just a few hundred feet before he got full throttle on I was impressed. Then we went up for some light aeros, went flat out to 180 and slowed to 50 and the thing was controllable and predictable throughout the envelope I knew one day I would build one.
 
I grew up with dad building a Fisher Classic on a budget in the basement.

He always talked about building a RV-4 even though he had never even had a ride in an RV.

I was at OSH in 2002 saw a Glassair I TD for sale flying for a pretty good deal but was still more than I could swing at the time.

Several weeks later found a partially finished RV-4 with Engine, Prop, and mostly dated instruments and avionics. Went in head first having never sat in an RV much less built or flown one.

Finally got a ride in a RV-6 about 1 month before I finished the RV-4 which was 2004.

Fast forward....2009 we were married and I felt we NEEDED! to upgrade to a Harmon Rocket. I was so close to ordering the first parts of the Rocket...I mean I practically picked the phone up several times to order it but something held me back. Few days latter we found out a baby is on the way......a friend had just finished his RV-10 and by this time I had PIC time in the RV-4, RV-6, RV-7, RV-8 and RV-10. He said take my RV-10 to Virginia when you go next time and see how you like it. I was sold. I couldn't believe the speed that big ole thing would do on a relatively good fuel flow.

I ordered the -10 Kit. 22 months latter it was flying and 2 weeks or so latter we had our 2nd little girl......time flies. Literally!
 
It was in 1986 at an EAA fly in at Martin State Airport in Baltimore, Md. It was time to fulfill the dream of building my own airplane, so I was actively looking around. Glasairs and VariEzes were all the rage then, but I had reservations about the composites. Along the rows of homebuilts I saw an RV-3 built by Luther Peale (gone west many years ago). An hour of questions to Luther and I was hooked. My empennage kit arrived within a month and I was out of the starting gate.

Who would have ever thought that 30 years hence I'd be spending my retirement years working (working?) for the company that has meant so much to all of us in the VAF family.
 
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When I was 14, a copy of Jane's Pocket Book of Home-Built Aircraft found its way into my hands. On page 241, between the Turner T-40 and the Volmer VJ-22 Sportsman was a picture and write up of the Van's RV-3. The aesthetics of it grabbed me right away. I thought it was a beautiful aircraft. It planted a seed that is finally starting to bloom into my RV-8.
 
Probably Oshkosh

I remember a flight demonstration team of RV3s at Oshkosh in the early,, middle,,, 1980s. Back then I lived on a sail boat in The BVI, and later in French St Martin.
No place to build..

When I turned 50, I moved to Dallas and was able to start building a RV6. These sure are fun airplanes.
 
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Pat Hatch hooked me

About 1991 or so, my day job was in the maintenance hanger for Piedmont Airlines in Winston-Salem, and next door to us was RJ Reynolds Hangar...In that Hangar was Pat Hatch's -4, and eventually Jim Star's -4, and Tom ****'s -6. After Pat gave me a ride in his -4, I was hooked. I started my build in 1993, and have been a devoted RV owner ever since.. Thanks Pat!!
 
Early 80's

Came to the US in the late 70's and learnt to fly and wanted to build a plane, got a copy of the original VHS tape showing Van flying the RV-3 and decided that was the plane. Finally started building in 2003.

Still have the VHS tape somewhere (but no player):D:D
 
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