Van's RV-6 / RV-6A

Van's released the RV-6 in 1986. The design was the company's first attempt at a side-by-side two-seat kit and a deliberate move toward broader market appeal. The earlier RV-4 was a tandem aerobatic airplane that worked for solo flying. The RV-6 was meant for couples, for cross-country trips, and for builders who wanted an airplane the whole family could enjoy. The build process was easier than the RV-4 thanks to better documentation, pre-formed parts, and a maturing community of completed builders willing to help others.

The RV-6 sold thousands of kits over its 16-year production run. The nosewheel RV-6A appeared in 1988 and quickly outsold the taildragger version. Van's tracked completions carefully and reported over 2,500 RV-6 and 6A airplanes flying by the time the design was retired in 2002.

The RV-7 replaced the RV-6 in 2001 with a larger cabin, larger fuel tanks, and a refined wing. Most RV-6 builders accepted the new model gracefully, but a vocal minority still argues that the RV-6 has the better aerobatic feel and that the RV-7's gains came at the cost of some of the original's responsiveness. The fleet has aged into the used market, and most current RV-6 owners are second or third buyers rather than original builders. As of mid-2026, Van's estimates around 2,600 RV-6s flying.

Performance depends mostly on engine choice. A 150 hp O-320 RV-6 with a fixed-pitch Sensenich prop cruises at 150 to 160 KTAS on 6.5 to 7 gph. A 180 hp O-360 with a Hartzell constant-speed prop adds 10 to 15 knots and brings cruise burn to 7.5 to 8.5 gph. A few RV-6s run 200 hp angle-valve IO-360s, which get cruise into the 175 KTAS area and burn 8 to 9 gph.

Useful load is competitive for a two-seat airplane. A typical 180 hp RV-6 with a constant-speed prop has about 540 to 580 pounds of useful load. Full fuel is 38 gallons (228 pounds), leaving around 320 to 360 pounds for two people and bags. Two adults with normal flight bags work fine. Two adults with camping gear get tight. Range works out to 700 to 800 nm with reserves at long-range cruise or about 550 to 650 nm at high-speed cruise.

The Lycoming O-320 (150 hp) and O-360 (180 hp) carry most of the RV-6 fleet. Both are parallel-valve Lycomings with a published TBO of 2,000 hours per Lycoming Service Instruction 1009 BE. The split runs roughly half O-320, half O-360 on completed airplanes, with a small number of IO-360 conversions on the high end. Builders generally chose based on budget and how much speed they wanted.

Field overhaul of an O-320 runs $25,000 to $38,000 in 2026 at a name-brand shop. The O-360 sits in the same range. Owner-assisted overhauls are legal in experimental service and the RV community has decades of forum knowledge on which shops do good work and which to skip. Cylinder work between 1,200 and 1,800 hours is common on both engines and runs $3,000 to $6,000 depending on whether you're replacing one cylinder or all four.

Propeller choice splits the fleet roughly 50/50 between fixed-pitch Sensenich and constant-speed Hartzell. A Sensenich metal prop costs almost nothing to maintain. A Hartzell brings a 2,400-hour or six-year overhaul cycle per Hartzell Service Letter HC-SL-61-61Y Rev 12, at $1,500 to $3,500 in 2026. The Hartzell pays back in better takeoff and climb but adds about $1 to $2 per hour to operating costs.

The RV-6 is one of the best-value side-by-side two-seaters in general aviation. The cost math follows the same builder-versus-buyer pattern as the rest of the Van's line.

If you built it: fuel is the biggest line item at $40 to $55 per hour. Engine reserve runs $12 to $19 per hour. Prop reserve is $1 to $3 per hour. Airframe maintenance reserve is $6 to $12 per hour because you know the airplane and can do most of the work. All-in at 100 hours a year is $85 to $120 per hour, plus $3,000 to $5,500 in annual fixed costs.

If you bought it used: A&P sign-off on the condition inspection, professional help with anything outside your skill set, and higher insurance premiums all push the number up. Realistic all-in is $110 to $150 per hour at 100 hours a year. Insurance is a real wedge here. Original builders with hundreds of hours in type often pay $1,500 to $2,500 a year. A new buyer without RV experience might pay $3,500 to $5,000 in the first year before claims history brings it down.

Acquisition cost in mid-2026 runs $55,000 to $80,000 for an older RV-6 with steam gauges and original paint, $80,000 to $120,000 for a clean airplane with a glass panel and updated avionics. Low-time examples with recent engines and full IFR panels occasionally trade above $130,000. Compared to a comparable RV-7, the RV-6 typically saves $20,000 to $40,000 for similar performance.