Sportavia-Putzer RF5
8 on the U.S. register. Built from 1972 to 1977; half of them date from 1974 or earlier. Oregon has the most (2). 25% are registered to companies, flight schools, clubs and other organisations; the rest to individuals, who are not named here at this time.
About the RF5 from the FAA's model table
- Type
- Glider · Gliders
- Power
- Piston (reciprocating), 1 engine
- Common engines
- Limbach 1700E (5), Volkswagen Conversion (1), Limbach Limbach L2000 (1)
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas
- Seats
- 2
- Cruise speed
- about 60 mph
- Built of
- steel tube, wood and fabric · The Fournier motor gliders: all wood.
- Maker on the register
- Sportavia Putzer
- Registered
- earliest certificate August 6, 1974; newest August 4, 2025
Where they are owner's state
By state, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Oregon | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | 1 |
| New York | 1 |
| New Mexico | 1 |
| North Dakota | 1 |
| Colorado | 1 |
| California | 1 |
Who owns them registrant type
By owner type, as a table
| aircraft | share | |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | 4 | 50% |
| Co-owned | 2 | 25% |
| LLC | 1 | 12% |
| Corporation | 1 | 12% |
Versions as the FAA records them · click one to list only those aircraft
| Version | Registered | Built | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| RF5B SPERBER | 8 | 1972 to 1977 | 100.0% |
Airworthiness certificate class
By airworthiness certificate, as a table
| aircraft | share | |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental | 8 | 100% |
Biggest operators companies, schools and clubs
Largest fleets, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Triple Cities Soaring Society | 1 |
| N99809 LLC | 1 |
Accident history NTSB records · 2 cases since 1982, 0 fatal
The 2 most recent of 2 cases where the NTSB's make and model match this family's versions. Each aircraft's own page also shows its record. How this model compares with others, with the fleet taken into account: Accidents by model in Aviation Analytics.
Questions people ask answers refresh every morning
How many Sportavia-Putzer RF5 aircraft are registered in the U.S.?
8 as of November 9, 2026, counting 1 version the FAA records separately.
Which state has the most Sportavia-Putzer RF5s?
Oregon, with 2.
Who owns the Sportavia-Putzer RF5?
25% are registered to companies, flight schools, clubs and other organisations; the rest to individuals and co-owners, who are not named on this site at this time.
When were the Sportavia-Putzer RF5s on the register built?
Between 1972 and 1977; half of them in 1974 or earlier.
How many Sportavia-Putzer RF5 accidents has the NTSB recorded?
2 accidents and incidents since 1982, 0 of them fatal. A model flown more shows more; the accident analytics compare models per thousand registered.
What is the Sportavia-Putzer RF5 made of?
A welded steel-tube fuselage and wooden wings, all covered in fabric: the construction of the 1930s and 1940s, which makes wood rot and fabric age the inspection items. The Fournier motor gliders: all wood. The FAA's type certificate data sheet is the authority for any one model.
Connections how the RF5 links to the rest of the register
- Sportavia-Putzer 14 aircraft on the register
- Sportavia-Putzer RF5B SPERBER 8 registered
- Built of steel tube, wood and fabric · The Fournier motor gliders: all wood.
- Limbach 1700E 5 of these aircraft · 68 hp
- Volkswagen (converted) CONVERSION 1 of these aircraft · 36 hp
- Limbach LIMBACH L2000 1 of these aircraft · 80 hp
- Oregon 2 of these aircraft
- Pennsylvania 1 of these aircraft
- New York 1 of these aircraft
- New Mexico 1 of these aircraft
- North Dakota 1 of these aircraft
- Triple Cities Soaring Society 1 of these aircraft
- N99809 LLC 1 of these aircraft
- NTSB accidents and incidents involving the RF5 2 cases since 1982 · 0 fatal
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/model/sportavia-putzer/rf5.json.
Aircraft newest certificates first · 8
| Tail no. | Maker and model | Owner and base | Certificate | Registered | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N99809 | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
N99809 LLC Boulder, Colorado |
Experimental | 2025-08-04 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N55SM | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
Individual owner Oregon |
Experimental | 2019-06-27 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N99818 | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
Co-owned owner New Mexico |
Experimental | 2019-06-05 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N99814 | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
Individual owner California |
Experimental | 2016-10-18 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N55GS | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
Triple Cities Soaring Society Endicott, New York |
Experimental | 2010-10-19 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N55BG | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
Individual owner Pennsylvania |
Experimental | 1990-11-05 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N55HG | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
Individual owner North Dakota |
Experimental | 1980-01-03 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |
| N55RN | Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER |
Co-owned owner Oregon |
Experimental | 1974-08-06 | ValidFAA registration status code V: Valid registration. All codes |