Van's RV-8

Van's Aircraft · United States · first flew 1995 · light aircraft

The Van's RV-8 is an updated tandem two-seat homebuilt kit aircraft that replaced the RV-4 with a wider fuselage and improved ergonomics while retaining the same sporty character.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Wider fuselage allowing larger occupants than RV-4
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Updated tandem two-seat homebuilt successor to RV-4
Wider fuselage allowing larger occupants than RV-4
Conventional tailwheel gear with side-hinged canopy

Nearly identical to the RV-4 in planform but with a slightly wider, deeper fuselage and a different canopy arrangement; the swept Van's tail is common to the entire family.

Specifications

The Van's RV-8 has a length of 6.27 m (21 ft).
It has a wingspan of 7.01 m (23 ft).
Its maximum speed is 338 km/h (210 mph).
Typical crew: 2 (tandem).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1995, the RV-8 addressed criticism of the narrow RV-4 cockpit by widening the fuselage to accommodate larger pilots comfortably. It quickly became one of Van's most popular tandem designs.

Variants

The RV-8A features tricycle undercarriage instead of the tailwheel; both variants share the same fuselage and wing.

Where you'll see it

Widely completed by homebuilders across North America, Europe, and Australia; a common competition and aerobatics aircraft in the amateur-built category.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.