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What a Fournier RF-5 costs, how far it flies, and what it costs to keep

PlaneFox tracks 5 Fournier RF-5 aircraft for sale and re-reads every one of them from the broker and dealer sites it watches, so the figures below move when the market moves. Every number on this page is measured from those live listings, not taken from a published price guide.

What does a Fournier RF-5 cost to own?

A Fournier RF-5 costs about EUR 655 a month to run, or about EUR 87 for every flight hour when it is flown 150 hours a year.

More questions about the Fournier RF-5

How much does a Fournier RF-5 cost?
Used Fournier RF-5 prices vary depending on year of manufacture, airframe hours, avionics and overall condition. Browse the current Fournier RF-5 listings on PlaneFox to see real-time asking prices from European brokers and private sellers.
What is the price range for a used Fournier RF-5?
Fournier RF-5 prices depend heavily on year, airframe hours, engine time since overhaul and equipment level. Check the live Fournier RF-5 listings on PlaneFox to see the current asking-price range from brokers and private sellers.
How many Fournier RF-5 aircraft are for sale right now?
PlaneFox lists 5 Fournier RF-5 aircraft for sale right now, gathered from the broker and dealer sites it watches. The count moves through the week as those sources are re-read. Because PlaneFox reads the same listings repeatedly over time, it also shows which have cut their asking price and which have sold.
Where can I find a Fournier RF-5 for sale?
Every Fournier RF-5 PlaneFox can see is on this page — 5 of them, gathered from the broker and dealer sites it re-reads continuously. Most are listed in United States (1), followed by Germany (1) and Belgium (1). Each listing links straight through to the seller, so a Fournier RF-5 in another country is worth considering rather than filtering out.
What should I check when buying a used Fournier RF-5?
On a used Fournier RF-5, check airframe hours, engine time since overhaul, avionics generation and damage history before anything else. PlaneFox recommends a pre-purchase inspection by an EASA Part-145 shop that knows the type, which typically costs EUR 1,500 to EUR 3,500. Under 1,500 airframe hours is low-time and above 3,500 means budgeting for higher maintenance; most piston engines run a 2,000-hour TBO, so past 1,500 to 1,700 hours since overhaul expect the overhaul within one to three years at EUR 25,000 to EUR 45,000. Read the full logbook history for prop strikes, gear-up landings and structural repair, and confirm ADs and SBs are complied with.

About the Fournier RF-5

Aircraft overview

The Fournier RF-5 is a two-seat touring motor glider designed by René Fournier and produced mainly by Sportavia-Pützer in West Germany. It first flew in 1968 and entered production around the late 1960s, with the type forming the practical two-seat counterpart to Fournier’s earlier single-seat RF-4D. Built with a long-span wooden wing, fabric covering and a low-drag airframe, the Fournier RF-5 matters because it combines sailplane handling with self-launching touring capability in a compact, economical vintage package.

Performance & specifications

Typical published figures for the Fournier RF-5 include a cruise speed of about 90 knots, with maximum speed commonly cited around 103 knots. Range is approximately 400 nautical miles in powered cruise, depending on fuel, loading and operating technique. The aircraft is usually fitted with a Limbach SL 1700 series air-cooled engine of about 68 hp, driving a fixed-pitch propeller. Published weight data indicate an empty weight near 1,050 lb and a maximum takeoff weight near 1,650 lb, giving a useful load in the region of 600 lb before equipment and individual aircraft changes. Service ceiling is commonly quoted at about 18,000 feet.

Cabin & avionics

The Fournier RF-5 seats two occupants in tandem under a long canopy, with the pilot typically in the front seat. The cockpit is narrow by modern touring-aircraft standards, but visibility is good and the layout reflects its motor-glider role: flight instruments, engine gauges, airbrake controls and soaring instrumentation take priority over panel space. Original avionics were basic VFR equipment. Used examples may have an 8.33 kHz radio, transponder, variometer, portable or panel GPS, FLARM in European operations and updated engine monitoring. Integrated glass systems such as Garmin G1000 or Garmin Perspective are not typical for the Fournier RF-5.

Buying & value

Prospective buyers should focus on airframe condition rather than equipment lists. Key inspection areas include the wooden wing and structure, glue joints, moisture history, fabric age, canopy condition, airbrake operation, landing gear condition, control rigging and propeller status. Engine records for the Limbach installation, parts availability and documented maintenance by shops familiar with vintage motor gliders are important. The related RF-5B Sperber is often discussed alongside the Fournier RF-5, but buyers should confirm the exact variant, paperwork and certification basis. In the used market, the Fournier RF-5 occupies a specialist niche: less complex than modern composite self-launching gliders, more capable for soaring than many light sport tourers, and valued primarily on condition, documentation and usability.

5 Fournier RF-5 aircraft are for sale on PlaneFox today.

See all 5 listings