Richard VanGrunsven
Richard "Van" VanGrunsven learned to fly in 1956 at the age of 16. An engineer and aircraft designer, he founded and developed Van's Aircraft, Inc. into the acknowledged leader in kit aircraft. He often speaks and writes about flying skills and safety. A life in aviation, including thousands of hours piloting both powered aircraft and sailplanes, has given him plenty of time to consider what makes pilots unsafe…or safe. He prefers the latter.
Error Chain
The takeoff might better have been described as a launch. With the new 150-hp Lycoming engine in my 700-pound RV-3, it was off in...
Unusual Attitude
Vans Aircraft founder Richard VanGrunsven considers flight safety, and how improving our building and piloting skills would do more to reduce the number of mishaps than additional regulations would.
In Case You Missed It
Parts Is Parts
A major part of any Experimental kit will be hundreds of products that the kit supplier didn’t manufacture or fabricate but simply sourced from the open market to supply with their custom kit components.
It’s Not Like You’re Building an Airplane
The skills needed to build an airplane are not unique to aviation, nor are they uncommon.
