There have been over 500 designs for homebuilt aircraft over the past six decades, the majority being for single- and two-place aircraft. It’s unlikely that there have been 15 four-seat designs, and not many have enjoyed any kind of success as kits. Very few have shown up at Oshkosh. Of those in production, the RV-10 stands out as one of the fastest, most economical (to build and operate), and though it’s a subjective call, it may be the most pleasing to look at. Being a four-place, it requires a longer build time and costs more than most two-place kits (but not all).
Chris Lucas recently finished his RV-10 project, has logged 13 hours in it and is thrilled with the outcome. He enjoyed the building so much that he’s thinking of building another tail section just for the fun of it (he’d sell it when completed). Between the day he first saw the RV-10 at Oshkosh 2003, which prompted him to write out a check for serial number 72, and his first flight on Nov. 27, 2011, a little over 8 years elapsed.
