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production of RV-3 kits was suspended in 1996. Continued customer demand for the single seat design resulted in VanGrunsven engineering a new wing for the RV-3. Production of kits was restarted a few years later. New aircraft completed since the wing redesign and aircraft that have been retrofitted with the new wing are referred to as an RV-3B.
223:
There is an RV-3A model, but its designation does not follow VanGrunsven's normal system, where "A" models are nosewheel equipped versions. An RV-3A is an early RV-3 that has undergone rear spar and wing root upgrades as described in Van's publication CN-1. Due to ongoing structural concerns, the
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amateur-built aircraft. The RV-3 started out as an attempt to maintain the
Playboy's layout and concept but to improve it in every regard. The RV-3 was designed to have light handling, aerobatic capabilities, fast cruise speeds, and short field
212:
operated by a handle. The main landing gear is attached directly to the welded steel engine mount and consists of tapered, sprung steel rods. Construction time for the RV-3 is reported to be 1300 hours for a first time builder.
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capabilities. The RV-3 was also designed from the start for serious travel and as such carries 30 US gallons of fuel, giving it a range of about 600 statute miles. The design horsepower is 100–150, typically using a
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versions. The RV-3 is the genesis design for the rest of the RV series, all which strongly resemble the RV-3. The
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equipped aircraft, although it is possible that some may have been completed by builders as
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The very first RV-3 built by VanGrunsven won "Best
Aerodynamic Detailing" at the 1972
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The RV-3 uses a NACA 23012 airfoil on a constant chord wing. Construction is semi-
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492:, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 74. Belvoir Publications.
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595 mi (958 km, 517 nmi) at cruise 75% power at 8,000 ft (2,500 m)
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powerplant. Some builders have fitted RV-3s with more powerful engines, however.
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of predominantly 2024-T3 aluminum sheet. The wings are built around an aluminum
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155:. Unlike many other aircraft in the RV line, the RV-3 is only available as a
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196 mph (315 km/h, 170 kn) 75% power at 8,000 ft (2,500 m)
700:
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30:
179:, designed the RV-3 in the late 1960s after experience flying the
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585:, page 234, 9th Edition, TAB Books Blue Ridge Summit PA, 1984.
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By
February 2023, 305 RV-3s had been completed and flown.
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Van's
Aircraft RV-3, showing the design's low frontal area
565:
Choosing Your
Homebuilt – The One You'll Finish And Fly
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207 mph (333 km/h, 180 kn) at sea level
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30 US gal (110 L; 25 imp gal)
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517:, page 159, Werner and Werner, Santa Monica CA 1978
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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
567:, pages 363, Butterfield Press, Templeton CA 1993.
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463:
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220:. It also won the 1973 AC/EAA Efficiency Contest.
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208:spar with a lighter rear spar. The aircraft has
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175:The architect of the line of Van's aircraft,
167:was originally developed as a two-seat RV-3.
735:
559:
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859:1970s United States civil utility aircraft
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714:
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147:is a single-seat, single-engine, low-wing
662:"Introducing the Van's RV-3 through RV-9"
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509:
507:
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388:12.22 lb/sq ft (59.7 kg/m)
243:
577:
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134:
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650:
520:
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603:"RV-3 Experience the Original RV Grin"
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364:51 mph (82 km/h, 44 kn)
337:fixed pitch, 150 hp (110 kW)
230:
709:
637:"Van Grunsven RV-3 Prototype – N17RV"
570:
678:from the original on August 22, 2022
613:from the original on January 3, 2023
252:Van's Aircraft RV-3 instrument panel
291:19 ft 11 in (6.07 m)
13:
285:19 ft 0 in (5.79 m)
14:
890:
694:
382:2,050 ft/min (10.4 m/s)
297:5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
29:
869:Single-engined tractor aircraft
490:2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide
303:90 sq ft (8.4 m)
170:
1:
447:
376:23,500 ft (7,200 m)
879:Aircraft first flown in 1971
430:Aircraft Technologies Acro 1
7:
401:
321:1,100 lb (499 kg)
315:1,100 lb (499 kg)
10:
895:
88:RV-3: Production completed
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309:750 lb (340 kg)
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488:Vandermeullen, Richard:
515:1978 Aircraft Directory
264:General characteristics
253:
244:Specifications (RV-3B)
239:– RV-3 Prototype N17RV
218:EAA Oshkosh Convention
140:
132:
633:EAA AirVenture Museum
532:"Van's Aircraft RV-3"
251:
237:EAA AirVenture Museum
138:
130:
16:American kit aircraft
563:Armstrong, Kenneth,
536:www.vansaircraft.com
90:RV-3B: In production
835:Richard VanGrunsven
701:Van's Aircraft RV-3
583:Guide to Homebuilts
418:Van's Aircraft RV-6
413:Van's Aircraft RV-4
407:Related development
319:Max takeoff weight:
231:Aircraft on display
177:Richard VanGrunsven
98:305 (February 2023)
78:Richard VanGrunsven
38:General information
854:Homebuilt aircraft
435:Rand Robinson KR-1
254:
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864:Low-wing aircraft
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581:Bowers, Peter M,
513:Plane and Pilot,
467:(February 2023).
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108:Introduction date
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542:on June 15, 2006
538:. Archived from
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374:Service ceiling:
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469:"First Flights"
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695:External links
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191:Lycoming O-235
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56:United States
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682:February 10,
680:. Retrieved
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617:February 10,
615:. Retrieved
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546:February 10,
544:. Retrieved
540:the original
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474:February 10,
472:. Retrieved
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149:kit aircraft
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95:Number built
62:Manufacturer
47:Kit aircraft
18:
343:Performance
331:Powerplant:
210:plain flaps
171:Development
848:Categories
448:References
393:Power/mass
301:Wing area:
161:nose-wheel
157:tail-wheel
145:Van's RV-3
498:0891-1851
397:7.3 lb/hp
289:Wingspan:
277:Capacity:
273:one pilot
257:Data from
202:monocoque
744:Aircraft
673:Archived
635:(2012).
611:Archived
530:(2005).
402:See also
151:sold by
73:Designer
642:May 11,
295:Height:
283:Length:
103:History
830:People
496:
368:Range:
206:I-beam
85:Status
821:RV-15
816:RV-14
811:RV-13
806:RV-12
801:RV-11
796:RV-10
676:(PDF)
665:(PDF)
271:Crew:
791:RV-9
786:RV-8
781:RV-7
776:RV-6
771:RV-5
766:RV-4
761:RV-3
756:RV-2
751:RV-1
684:2023
644:2012
619:2023
548:2023
494:ISSN
476:2023
333:1 ×
186:STOL
165:RV-4
143:The
131:RV-3
111:1971
43:Type
24:RV-3
193:or
850::
671:.
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572:^
556:^
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504:^
456:^
729:e
722:t
715:v
686:.
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478:.
395::
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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