Why an experimental airplane?

Certified airplanes like the Ercoupe must meet strict requirements and cannot be significantly changed without extraordinary time, expense, and red tape. Meanwhile, experimental aircraft enjoy more freedom for what can be modified and changed. Homebuilt kit airplanes have even more freedom. As an experimental, the finished airplane can continue to evolve and adapt to changing needs.

Ask anyone in the homebuilt experimental category of aircraft for the best company in the business and their answer will most likely be Van’s Aircraft. Van’s has been building homebuilt kits since the 1970s. More than 10,000 kits have been sold (as of November 2019). The RV-10 is Van’s only 4 seat aircraft. The combination of long distance capability, payload capacity, wide cockpit, and other characteristics provide the best capability (in our opinion) for modifications and the best match for the mission.

In addition, Van’s has the highest standards for making the process of building a kit airplane relatively easy for even nonpilots. Plans include step-by-step instructions with detailed illustrations. The Van’s community of builders and pilots is active and engaged to help other builders complete their airplanes with advice and guidance. This community group is known unofficially as Van’s Airforce.

Why the RV-10?

Doesn’t Jessica already have an airplane?

Yes. Jessica currently flies a 1946 ERCO Ercoupe 415-C with tail number N26R. As mentioned at the beginning, though, the Ercoupe is not easy for Jessica to fly. She must hold her legs crisscrossed in the air in an already cramped cockpit to reach the controls. Jessica feels she can only safely maintain that position for thirty to forty-five minutes.

The Ercoupe is also not designed to be an exhibition platform. While 100 MPH sounds fast for a car, the speed is considered slow for airplanes. In the summer of 2020, Jessica wanted to use N26R to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in Washington, DC. A professional ferry pilot took four days to get N26R from Tucson, AZ, to Frederick, MD. Because of weather, headwinds, and mechanical issues, the return journey took 11 days. A quick IFR airplane like an RV-10 could complete a trip in a much shorter time and allow Jessica to visit multiple locations rapidly.

Not to mention, N26R turned 76 years old in 2022. Regular maintenance can keep her flying for several years to come. However, the engine has not been manufactured in decades, and parts are hard to find. Also, while thousands of Ercoupes were manufactured, they were designed to fly for a few decades but not become octogenarians. Spare parts for the airframe and mechanics who understand the Ercoupe’s design are likewise becoming harder to find every year.

Quick Stats

planned features

The RV-10 allows for dual controls, meaning both front seats in the airplane have the controls necessary to fly the aircraft. Only the left seat will be modified for Jessica. The right seat will remain standard, allowing another pilot to fly if needed.

Interconnected rudders and ailerons (like the Ercoupe) will likely be unsuccessful in other aircraft. Significant design elements were used in the Ercoupe to allow interconnected controls to function safely.

The only electric primary control is expected to be the throttle. Roll, yaw, and pitch require unfailing reliability, so fly-by-wire is not considered at this time.

Students from the University of Arizona have contributed a design for modified pitch, roll, yaw, and breaking.

Students from the Oregon Institute of Technology designed an automatic door Jessica can open with a safety switch and button combo.

Thanks to Advanced Flight Systems, autopilot will be added to help facilitate long cross-country flights.

A robust and redundant instrument panel will meet the standards for IFR flight. This will allow the RV-10 to fly through some clouds and light weather. It will also increase the safety of flying at night.