A-Z Aircraft Manufacturers

Fournier

Fournier aircraft bear the name of their designer René Fournier, a French amateur pilot. Although not a manufacturer, his designs were manufactured by established aircraft companies, including Alpavia, Sportavia-Pützer and Rhein-Flugzeugbau (RFB)

RF-3

First flight: 1963

single-seat motor glider

Designed in 1963, this single seat aircraft was manufactured in France by Alpavia, a company owned by René Fournier and his Belgian partner Antoine d'Assche.

Alpavia closed in May 1966 after producing approximately 90 aircraft of this type.

RF3 Avion Planeur

G-AYJD @ Shoreham Airshow 2013

RF-4

First flight: 1966

single-seat motor glider

Designed in 1966 the RF-4 is an aerobatic version of the RF-3. Just over 150 of this type were manufactured under licence by Sportavia,

a company created by Alfons Putzer in West Germany and which became part of the VFW-Fokker Group.

RF-4D

G-AWEK & G-AWGN Red Hawks Aerobatic Display Team (Built by Sportavia-Putzer GMBH in 1968)

RF-5

First flight: 1968

2 seat motor glider

Designed in 1968 this 2 seat Tandem aircraft was manufactured under licence by Sportavia. Approximately 200 of this type were produced.

G-AZRM @ Shoreham Airshow 2013

G-BEVO @ Popham 2014

RF-6

First flight: 1974

2 seat aerobatic trainer / tourer

Designed by René Fournier, the RF-6 was an all-wooden construction featuring a high aspect-ratio wing similar to his motorglider designs. Production by Fournier stopped after only 40 or so had been built due to financial constraints. The RF-6C, a 4 seat version under development by Sportavia, suffered stability issues and was completely re-designed as the Sportavia RS-180. In 1981, Fournier sold the development rights of the RF-6B to Slingsby to become the T67 Firefly.

RF6B-100

G-BKIF - Goodwood 2019

RF-7

First flight: 1970

single-seat motorglider (one prototype produced - G-LTRF)

RF-10

First flight: 1981