About Us

Back in the stone age of Van's Aircraft, when there was only the RV-3, there were just the plans (26 hand carved tablets) for building the RV-3.   The RV-3 only had one seat; the standard fuel tank was in the fuselage, and the wing tanks were an untried option identified on one of the tablets.

The tablet for the wing tanks showed large flat plate fuel caps on the top of the wings, and the bottom of the wings had bulkhead fitting vents and external quick drains hanging out.

The tablets for RV-3 sn50 arrived in December 1973.   I finally converted the 26 tablets of information into a flying RV-3 in early 1988.   By that time, I had traveled a much longer learning road than most.

RV-3 sn50 needed to outperform the prototype, even with the aerodynamic handicap of having wing tanks, instead of a fuselage tank, the extra weight of an electrical system (75 pounds), and the serious handicap of having an overweight pilot.

The prototype performance using a Lycoming O-290-G engine was listed as 195 mph maximum speed, and 185 mph at 7,500'.   RV-3 sn50 with a Lycoming O-290-G engine turning 2720 RPM, ran at 202 mph at 7,500'.

RV-3 sn50 had numerous items incorporated which I felt could be shared with the rest of the RV builders.   The development of these extra RV items eventually became Less Drag Products, Inc.