Van's Aircraft, Inc. has been a leading supplier of aircraft kits since 1973. Since their first offering RV Aircraft have become known their wide performance envelope and sporty handling qualities. While the RVs are excellent cross-country airplanes, they are not simply "go-fast" machines. They are also aerobatic (except RV-9A) and have outstanding low speed characteristics and short-field capabilities; a rare combination. First and foremost, though, they are fun to fly. Their controls are light, responsive, and beautifully harmonized. RVs are aluminum monocoque structures.

The aluminum skins are supported by an internal structure of ribs, spars & bulkheads, just like production light aircraft. Conventional "AN" aircraft rivets are used to fabricate the aluminum structure. The cowling, wing tips, wheel fairings and similar non-structural fairing parts are made of fiberglass. The latest design, the RV-9/9A, is designed to be an easy-to-fly, economical, versatile sportplane. It was designed for day-to-day flying, local trips and short cross-countries, with only occasional long flights. The performance it provides is useable every day. It’s so easy to fly that low time pilots can make a quick and painless transition. Its short field performance permits it to easily use all the “fun” airports around. When it’s time for that long cross-country, the RV-9/9A gets you there & back almost as quickly as many of the “go-fast” designs. Van's is now making steady progress with, a four-place airplane they've designated the RV-10. They hope to fly in the spring of 2003, and the best estimate for the aircraft to hit the market is late 2003.