Light · ICAO RV8

Van's RV-8

The Van’s RV-8 is a tandem-seat kit aircraft designed to evoke the feel of a small fighter while remaining practical for private pilots. Its low wing, bubble canopy, and tailwheel gear give it an unmistakably sporty profile. The RV-8 is popular with aerobatic pilots and cross-country builders alike.

Van's RV-8, example photo from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: GerardvdSchaaf · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Did you know?

The RV-8 pairs tandem seating with a bubble canopy and tailwheel gear for a small-fighter look among Van's kit aircraft.

Specifications

Length6.3 m (21 ft)
Wingspan7 m (23 ft)
Height1.7 m (5 ft)
Maximum passengers1
Persons on board2
Crew2
Maximum take-off weight0.9 t
Range700 NM (1,296 km)
Maximum speed175 kt (324 km/h)
Stall speed50 kt (93 km/h)
Service ceiling18,000 ft (5,486 m)
Optimum ceiling13,000 ft (3,962 m)
Rate of climb1,650 ft/min (8.4 m/s)
Take-off distance175 m (574 ft)
Landing distance100 m (328 ft)
Fuel capacity155 l
Engines1x Lycoming IO-360

Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.

In CatchFlights

In CatchFlights the Van's RV-8 starts as a Uncommon catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.

A catch counts for the manufacturer Van's, the RV-8 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.

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