Van's RV-7

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

179
KTAS
Cruise Speed
665
nm
Max Range
22500
ft
Service Ceiling
2
Occupants
434
lbs
Wet Payload
In production Aircraft available new or used
Experimental Amateur-built, no type certificate

Estimated Ownership Costs

Create a free account to view or request ownership cost data.

Log in Sign up

About the Van's RV-7

Overview

The Van’s RV-7 is a two-seat, side-by-side, low-wing Experimental Amateur-Built kit aircraft from Van’s Aircraft of Aurora, Oregon, first flown in 2001 as the larger, stronger successor to the best-selling RV-6. Typically built with a 180 to 200 hp Lycoming O-360 or IO-360 turning a constant-speed propeller, it cruises about 179 knots true at 75% power, climbs around 1,900 fpm, and is fully aerobatic with a +6/-3 g envelope, delivering the “Total Performance” balance of speed, aerobatics, and short-field manners that defines the RV line. Pre-punched, match-drilled kits make it one of the more accessible builds in homebuilding, and with well over 1,900 flying it is among the most numerous RVs in the air.

The RV-7 is the all-rounder of Van’s side-by-side two-seaters, sitting above the economy-minded RV-9 and below the larger, more refined RV-14. Buyers cross-shop it against the tandem RV-8 for pilots who prefer side-by-side seating, and against certified sport singles, where it trades type-certificated status for far lower cost and owner maintenance. Choose the Van’s RV-7 when you want one airplane that cruises fast, rolls and loops, and works from short strips, built and maintained by your own hand.

Key Features for GA Buyers

  • Total Performance all-rounder. Roughly 179 KTAS cruise, a +6/-3 g aerobatic envelope, and genuine short-field ability in one airframe.
  • Accessible, well-supported build. Pre-punched, match-drilled kits and Van’s deep builder network make the RV-7 one of homebuilding’s more approachable projects.
  • Flexible Lycoming power. Accepts O-360 and IO-360 engines from 180 to 200 hp on a 2,000-hour TBO, with broad parts support and a constant-speed propeller.
  • Large, proven fleet. With over 1,900 completed, the RV-7 has a deep knowledge base, strong resale, and a mature parts and avionics ecosystem.

Trade-offs

  • Two seats only. Builders who need to carry a family step up to the four-seat RV-10.
  • Sport-pilot eligibility unconfirmed. Its clean stall sits in the borderline band against the MOSAIC 59 KCAS limit, so eligibility is not established without a calibrated stall figure.
  • Amateur-built responsibility. Expect well over a thousand build hours, or a finished example whose workmanship a pre-buy must establish, with the experimental operating and insurance profile.
  • Tailwheel and a constant-speed prop. The conventional-gear RV-7 and its constant-speed propeller reward proficiency, and insurers expect transition training.

See Also

  • Van’s RV-8 – the tandem-seat sibling on the same wing, for pilots who want a fighter-style cockpit over side-by-side seating. Compare
  • Van’s RV-9 – the non-aerobatic, economy-minded two-seater for cross-country and training. Compare
  • Van’s RV-14 – the larger, more refined two-seater with more cabin and power. Compare
  • Van’s RV-6 – the best-selling predecessor the RV-7 replaced. Compare
  • Sling TSi – a glass-panel four-seat kit tourer, for builders weighing speed against seats. Compare

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Wingspan 25.0 ft
Height
5.58 ft
Length
20.83 ft
Parking area (ft2)
904.05 ft2
Max Takeoff Weight
1,800 lbs
Useful Load
686 lbs
Fuel Capacity
42 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed
Source: manufacturer figure 179 KTAS
Never-Exceed (VNE)
Source: manufacturer figure 200 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (VNO)
Source: manufacturer figure 168 KIAS
Approach Speed
70 KIAS
Stall, Clean (VS1)
Source: manufacturer figure 56 KIAS
Range
665 NM
Service Ceiling
22,500 ft
Rate of Climb
1900 fpm

Engine

Sign in to view or request powerplant data.

Log in Sign up

Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Van's RV-7 specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

Similar to the Van's RV-7

Similar Pistons

Aero Commander 200

Cruise
183 kts (higher than this aircraft)
Range
900 nm (higher than this aircraft)
Seats
4
1 × Piston Low Wing
View details

Beechcraft Bonanza 33

Cruise
172 kts (lower than this aircraft)
Range
717 nm (higher than this aircraft)
Seats
6
1 × Piston Low Wing Used market
View details

Beechcraft Bonanza A36

Cruise
169 kts (lower than this aircraft)
Range
760 nm (higher than this aircraft)
Seats
6
1 × Piston Low Wing Used market
View details

See how the Van's RV-7 stacks up against similar aircraft

Explore Piston aircraft

Cookies and analytics. We use Mixpanel and Google Analytics to understand how this site is used. Mixpanel records session replays (interaction patterns, scroll, and click timing). Page content is masked: we do not see what you read or type. Cookies are set only if you accept. Read our privacy policy.