Work continues at a steady pace on Van’s RV-15, the company’s first high-wing design aimed at the backcountry market. Since its debut, the RV-15 has seen extensive flight testing, evaluation, and refinement as Van’s works to fine-tune the airplane for both performance and buildability.
The latest prototype sports a longer tailcone and an all-new empennage with a conventional elevator and horizontal stabilizer. As expected, the control system has been significantly updated from the original engineering test article—an early prototype built for initial flight and handling evaluation. Following the redesign, the RV-15 now offers harmonized pitch and roll control, tuned for what Van’s calls the “RV feel,” while accommodating the demands of backcountry flying.
In early May 2025, the airplane passed a critical milestone: a wing-load test that confirmed the accuracy of the engineering models. Van’s also confirmed that the RV-15 will carry 60 gallons of fuel in large, integral wing tanks—positioned entirely between the forward and aft spars. This tank configuration is both structurally strong and proven in other general aviation designs for its durability.
A set of production-representative wings is now under construction, and the goal is to have the RV-15 flying to AirVenture this July.
More information: www.vansaircraft.com/rv-15
