I met Allan Tolle at an EAA meeting where he gave an RV talk and at many Fly-Ins. One thing I remember Allan saying and I quote him often is about RVs being second to most airplanes. "Comparing Horsepower to horsepower, the RV may not be as fast a the 'fast glass' airplanes but the RV is second. On a typically cross-country flight, the 'fast glass' airplane may be touching down when the RV enters the pattern. When it comes to aerobatics, horsepower to horsepower, the Pitts may be better but the RV is second. When it comes to short field capability, the 'Super Cub' may be better but horsepower to horsepower, the RV is second."
My understand of his talk is that Van's "Total Performance" airplane made compromises so it may not be first in anything but it does a LOT of things very well. The ability to do a lot of things well is why Allen Tolle's sold me on Van's RV series of airplanes.
Allen Tolle help spread the word about Van's Aircraft to a very large number of people and I will miss him.