July 16-25, 2026 - AirVenture 2026
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| Checking out Vans Aircraft Company, also known as the Mothership. Their booth is in the usual spot. It's always well visited. | ||||||
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And the star of the show is their newest product, the RV-15, their Bush or STOL plane.
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The RV-15 prototype sports an interesting splinter camouflage with orange highlight paint scheme.
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| The elevator pitch. | ||||||
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| Pop-riveted with bum rivets. | ||||||
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| Empennage. I hear this kit goes together very quickly. | ||||||
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Cowl and windshield.
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| Love that see-through door. | ||||||
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Great visibility from this plane.
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| The landing gear suspension system is supposedly very nice. | ||||||
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| Same with the tailwheel. | ||||||
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| The RV-8 at the Van's booth is similar to mine -- black and polished aluminum -- sort of. | ||||||
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| Business end of a RV-10. How'd they get that cowl so smooth and pinhole free? | ||||||
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| Something new this year. Vans Aircraft Company has a second booth. This one offers flight training in Van's built RV-12s. Notice that this RV-12 is painted yellow like the famous trainer, the Piper Cub. Former Kitplanes editor and now Vans employee Marc Cook said the RV-12 will be the next big trainer. I was surprised to learn that Vans actually has a production line building RV-12s. They were building one every eight days but experience and improvements in the assembly line have led to them churning a new one out every three days. I believe they said eventually they will build RV-15s as well. | ||||||
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