Van's Aircraft RV-3
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The Van's RV-3 is a single-seat, single-engine, low-wing homebuilt airplane sold in kit form by Van's Aircraft.
Unlike many other aircraft in the RV line the RV-3 is only available as a tail-wheel equipped aircraft, although it is possible that some may have been completed by builders as nose-wheel versions. The RV-3 is the genesis design of the rest of the RV series, all which strongly resemble the RV-3. The RV-4 was originally developed as a two-seat RV-3.
Development
The architect of the line of Van’s aircraft, Richard VanGrunsven, designed the RV-3 in the late 1960s after experience flying the Stits Playboy amateur-built aircraft. The RV-3 started out as an attempt to maintain the Playboy’s layout and concept but to improve it in every regard. The RV-3 was designed to have light handling, aerobatic capabilities, fast cruise speeds and short field STOL capabilities. The RV-3 was also designed from the start for serious travel and as such carries 30 US gallons of fuel giving it a range of about 600 statute miles. The design horsepower is 100-150 typically using a Lycoming O-235 or Lycoming O-320 powerplant, although some builders have fitted RV-3s with more powerful engines.
The RV-3 uses a NACA 23015 airfoil on a constant chord wing. Construction is semi-monocoque of predominantly 2024-T3 aluminum sheet. The wings are built around an aluminum “I” beam spar with a lighter rear spar. The aircraft has simple flaps operated by a handle. The main landing gear is attached directly to the welded steel engine mount and consists of tapered, sprung steel tubes. Construction time for the RV-3 is reported to be 1300 hours for a first time builder.
The very first RV-3 built by VanGrunsven won “Best Aerodynamic Detailing” at the 1972 EAA Convention in Oshkosh in 1972.
Due to structural concerns the production of RV-3 kits was suspended in 1996. Continued customer demand for the single seat design resulted in VanGrunsven engineering a new wing for the RV-3. Production of kits was re-started a few years later. New aircraft completed since the wing redesign and aircraft that have been retrofitted with the new wing are referred to as an RV-3B. There is no RV-3A as in VanGrunsven’s designation system “A” models refer to nosewheel equipped versions.
Aircraft Type Club
The RV-3 and the rest of the RV series share a very active aircraft type club Van's Air Force that provides support for owners and pilots of all these aircraft.
Specifications (RV-3)
Performance for an RV-3 equipped with a Lycoming O-320 150 BHP and fixed pitch wooden propellerRelated content
Related development
Similar aircraft
- Stits Playboy
Designation series
RV-3 - RV-4 - RV-6 - RV-7 - RV-8 - RV-9 - RV-10 - RV-11 - RV-12External links
References
- [Van's Aircraft Website]
- Armstrong, Kenneth, Choosing Your Homebuilt – The One You’ll Finish And Fly, Butterfield Press, Templeton CA 1993.
- Bowers, Peter M, Guide to Homebuilts 9th Edition, TAB Books Blue Ridge Summit PA, 1984.
- Plane and Pilot, 1978 Aircraft Directory, Werner and Werner, Santa Monica CA 1978
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