The word ‘rare’ is defined as seldom occurring or uncommon. When used to describe airplanes, it is often applied to designs that are few in number—such as the Student Prince, an open-cockpit biplane briefly manufactured in Oregon in the late 1920s to early 1930s. The Student Prince was the first airplane to be commercially built and certified in Oregon—the second was the Van’s Aircraft RV-12, built in Aurora, Oregon. Van’s would begin turning out the 912is-powered SLSAs in 2009.
A Tale of Four Princes
The word 'rare' is often applied to aircraft designs that are few in number—such as the Student Prince, an open-cockpit biplane briefly manufactured in Oregon.
Key Takeaways:
- The Student Prince was a rare, open-cockpit biplane, significant as the first commercially built and certified aircraft in Oregon during the late 1920s to early 1930s.
- Despite being designed for mass production as a trainer, its manufacturing was cut short by the Great Depression, resulting in fewer than six produced and only three officially certified.
- The article details the personal histories and dedicated restoration efforts of the four known surviving Student Prince aircraft and their passionate owners/caretakers.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
