Price on Request
EDTH, Germany
single-enginePrice on Request
single-engine€ 65.500
LIPM, Italy
single-engineCAD 3.500
Nanaimo, BC
single-engine$ 67.000
Burnet
single-enginePrice on Request
Fullerton
single-engine$ 78.000
Fort Worth
single-enginePrice on Request
St Louis
single-engine$ 65.000
Nampa (KMAN)
single-enginePlaneFox tracks 9 Vans RV-4 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.
A Vans RV-4 flies about 725 nm, roughly 1,343 km, which is about 4 h 24 min in still air at typical cruise.
A Vans RV-4 costs about EUR 1,574 a month to run, or about EUR 167 for every flight hour when it is flown 150 hours a year.
The Vans RV-4 is a two-seat, tandem, low-wing kit aircraft from Van's Aircraft. The prototype first flew in August 1979, and kits followed in the early 1980s. It established the basic Van's formula for a compact sport aircraft with responsive handling, efficient cruise performance and aerobatic capability. Unlike the side-by-side RV-6 or the later, larger RV-8, the RV-4 is a narrow tandem tailwheel aircraft, often valued by pilots who want a light, traditional stick-and-rudder sport machine.
Performance varies because each RV-4 is amateur-built, but most examples use Lycoming O-320 or O-360 engines in the 150 to 180 hp range. Typical cruise speeds are around 160 to 175 knots depending on engine, propeller, drag cleanup and weight. Published Van's figures for a representative 160 hp RV-4 include a cruise speed near 201 mph, a range around 725 statute miles, a service ceiling of about 18,500 feet and a gross weight of 1,500 pounds. Useful load is commonly in the high 500 to mid 600 pound range, but individual empty weights differ significantly.
The RV-4 seats two in tandem under a sliding canopy, with the pilot in front and a narrower rear seat behind. Cabin space is compact, especially for taller occupants, and baggage capacity must be considered carefully with weight and balance. Avionics are builder selected rather than factory standardized. Older aircraft may have basic analog instruments, while upgraded examples often feature Garmin G3X, Dynon SkyView, Advanced Flight Systems displays, modern GPS navigators, engine monitors, ADS-B and updated radios. Factory-integrated suites such as Garmin Perspective or G1000 are not typical for the RV-4.
RV-4 buyers should evaluate the individual aircraft, not only the model. Build quality, logbook completeness, weight and balance data, engine history, propeller choice, control rigging, landing gear condition and evidence of hard landings are central inspection points. Common upgrades include O-360 engines, constant-speed propellers, glass panels, autopilots, improved seats, lighting, brakes and canopy refinements. On the used market, the RV-4 usually sits below the RV-8 in price and cabin size, while offering similar sport-flying appeal. It is best suited to buyers comfortable with experimental aircraft ownership, tailwheel operations and a compact tandem cockpit.