The Van's RV-8 is a two-seat, tandem-configuration, tailwheel experimental aircraft designed by Richard VanGrunsven. It is fully aerobatic, cross-country capable, and offered as a kit. You build it yourself — in your garage, over several thousand hours.
A completed and flying RV-8. Photo: Van's Aircraft.
Why the RV-8
The RV-8 was introduced at Oshkosh in 1995. Van's had already produced the side-by-side RV-6/6A — the most popular homebuilt design ever — but a significant number of pilots wanted centerline (tandem) seating. The RV-8 answered that. Kits went on sale in 1996 and complete kits were available by end of 1998.
I chose the RV-8 specifically for the tandem seating. If I am going to build a plane and fly it across continents, it had better seat two people in a fighter-like arrangement. The RV-8 also has the range, the climb, and the aerobatic capability to make the journey interesting.
Specifications
| Wingspan | 24 ft |
| Length | 21 ft |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in |
| Wing Area | 116 sq ft |
| Empty Weight | 1,067 – 1,120 lbs |
| Gross Weight | 1,800 lbs |
| Fuel Capacity | 42 US gal |
| Baggage | 125 lbs |
| Engine | 150 – 215 HP |
| Propeller | Fixed or Constant-Speed |
| Seats | 2 (tandem) |
| Gear | Tailwheel (RV-8) / Tricycle (RV-8A) |
Performance (180 HP, solo)
| Top Speed | 214 mph |
| Cruise (75% @ 8,000 ft) | 204 mph |
| Cruise (55% @ 8,000 ft) | 182 mph |
| Stall Speed | 51 mph |
| Rate of Climb | 2,300 fpm |
| Ceiling | 22,000 ft |
| Range (75%) | 790 sm |
| Range (55%) | 955 sm |
| Takeoff Distance | 275 ft |
| Landing Distance | 350 ft |
Aerobatics
At the aerobatic gross weight of 1,600 lbs, the RV-8 complies with the +6/−3G standards of the FAA Aerobatic Category. It can carry two people at that weight, making it possible to receive aerobatic instruction before flying solo maneuvers. The control balance and harmony make aerobatics a delight rather than a workout.
The Kit
Van's sells the RV-8 as a kit: thousands of pre-punched aluminum parts, blueprint drawings, and assembly instructions. The builder is responsible for fabrication, assembly, and airworthiness. The FAA classifies it as an Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft. Upon completion, the builder applies for an airworthiness certificate and conducts Phase 1 flight testing.
The kit is divided into sections: Empennage (tail), Wings, Fuselage, and Firewall Forward (engine and cowling). Each section is ordered and built separately. I started with the Empennage in 2021 on an RV-7, sold that kit, and restarted with the RV-8 Empennage kit in 2026.
Build Sections
- Empennage — In progress
- Wings — Not started
- Fuselage — Not started
- Firewall Forward — Not started
- Avionics — Not started
- Finishing — Not started
My Build
| Kit | Van's RV-8 (tailwheel) |
| Kit ordered | 2026 |
| Location | Cupertino, California |
| Current phase | Empennage |
| Build hours | 35 |
Follow the progress in the Build Log.
Specifications sourced from Van's Aircraft RV-8 page. Performance figures are for the RV-8 with 180 HP engine, solo weight 1,400 lbs, Hartzell 2-blade constant-speed prop.