FROM THE ARCHIVES The stories behind items in the LAA’s collection PFA’S FIRST VAN’S RV

As Francis Donaldson mentioned in the flight test on page 20, the UK homebuilding world saw the appearance of its first RV kit aircraft in late 1979, when a Popular Flying Association member by the name of Peter Hing wrote to F I V ‘John’ Walker, who was then head of PFA Engineering, and asked John to register his RV-3 as a new homebuilt project.

Peter had been in correspondence with Van’s Aircraft’s Dick VanGrunsven during the summer of 1979 asking various questions about the aircraft, before finally taking the plunge and ordering plans and his first consignment of airframe parts. Peter’s letter in October 1979, promised John that he would, “…submit more detailed paperwork in due course.”

When I purchased this little RV in spring 2020, I never realised the project had any history beyond two-time RVbuilder Ian Glenn, who completed the little RV-3B. So it was amazing when I learned all about Peter Hing and his love for the RV-3. While he may never have been able to enjoy flying it himself, Peter started something that now sees more than 750 active RV projects and flying aircraft in the UK.

Ed Hicks