Van's RV-6

Piston single engine • Low Wing • Fixed gear

Range Map

Origin:

• nm at current load

• two fingers to move map

Payload vs. Range

Configure weights

Default: 190 lbs

Default: 30 lbs

Occupants
lbs lbs / pax

gal

Fuel on board

lbs

Extra weight

nm

Range

Available Range / nm
Mission capable. Aircraft can handle the current load with full fuel tanks.
Fuel tradeoff required. You'll need to leave gallons of fuel behind ( gal usable for nm range).
Over max gross weight. Reduce payload by lbs to safely operate this aircraft.
Extra weight is the additional payload available with your selected passengers.

Mission Profile

172
KTAS
Cruise Speed
626
nm
Max Range
20800
ft
Service Ceiling
2
Occupants
407
lbs
Wet Payload
MOSAIC Eligible
Used market Only available used
Experimental Amateur-built, no type certificate

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Van's RV-6

Overview

The Van’s RV-6 is a two-seat, side-by-side, low-wing Experimental Amateur-Built kit aircraft from Van’s Aircraft of Aurora, Oregon, first flown in 1985 and the best-selling kit of its era, with more than 2,700 built before the RV-7 replaced it in 2001. Built with a 150 to 180 hp Lycoming O-320 or O-360, it cruises about 172 knots true, climbs around 1,790 fpm, and is a sport-aerobatic airframe rated to +6/-3 g. It is the airplane that brought side-by-side seating to the RV line and helped make Van’s the dominant kit-aircraft maker.

The RV-6 is the predecessor to the RV-7, which superseded it with a larger wing and an improved CNC-punched, match-drilled kit. Today the RV-6 is bought used rather than built new: Van’s no longer sells the kit but continues to supply parts, and a large flying fleet and an active owner community keep it well-supported. Buyers cross-shop a used RV-6 against a new-build RV-7, the choice being cost-now versus build-it-yourself, and against certified two-seaters it outruns for the money. Choose the Van’s RV-6 when you want a proven, fast, side-by-side sport two-seater at used-market prices and accept buying a completed homebuilt over building new.

Key Features for GA Buyers

  • Proven best-seller. Over 2,700 built, the RV-6 has the deepest fleet knowledge and parts availability of the early side-by-side RVs.
  • Fast on modest power. About 172 KTAS on a 150 to 180 hp Lycoming, with the light, responsive handling that defines the line.
  • Sport-aerobatic. A +6/-3 g airframe capable of basic aerobatics, unlike the later non-aerobatic RV-9.
  • Strong used value. A mature market and active type community make a well-built RV-6 a sound, supportable buy.

Trade-offs

  • Out of production. No new kits; you buy a completed or partially-built airplane, so a thorough pre-buy of workmanship is essential.
  • Superseded by the RV-7. The RV-7 offers a better kit, a larger wing, and more fuel and gross weight for new builders.
  • Sport-pilot eligible, with homebuilt caveats. Its clean stall sits under the MOSAIC limit, but it remains an experimental airplane with the associated operating and insurance profile.
  • Builder-dependent quality. As with any homebuilt, the airframe is only as good as its builder, and condition varies widely.

See Also

  • Van’s RV-7 – the successor that replaced the RV-6 with a better kit and larger wing. Compare
  • Van’s RV-9 – the efficient, non-aerobatic two-seater on the same fuselage. Compare
  • Van’s RV-4 – the tandem two-seater of the same generation. Compare
  • Van’s RV-8 – the tandem two-seater that the RV-6’s successor generation produced. Compare
  • Sling 2 – a modern Rotax light-sport two-seater, for buyers weighing a new LSA against a used RV. Compare

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Wingspan 23.0 ft
Height
5.25 ft
Length
20.17 ft
Parking area (ft2)
830.61 ft2
Max Takeoff Weight
1,600 lbs
Useful Load
635 lbs
Fuel Capacity
38 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed
Source: manufacturer figure 172 KTAS
Never-Exceed (VNE)
Source: manufacturer figure 182 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (VNO)
Source: third-party reference 156 KIAS
Approach Speed
65 KIAS
Stall, Clean (VS1)
Source: manufacturer figure 51 KIAS
Range
626 NM
Service Ceiling
20,800 ft
Rate of Climb
1790 fpm

Engine

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Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Van's RV-6 specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

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