Van's Aircraft just announced that the RV-12 airplane is being offered as a completely built fly-away aircraft. The price will run between $105,000 and $115,000 depending on options. First deliveries are expected in early 2013.These aircraft will be produced in partnership with Synergy of Eugene, Oregon.
The RV-12 is a great airplane and this will make it available to a much larger aviation audience. Could this be the reinvention of the general aviation industry? Time will tell but either way this is cool!
Here is a link to the Introductory Video.
Showing posts with label RV-12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RV-12. Show all posts
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Picking Up the RV-12 Airframe Kits
Wednesday's weather was the best all week and the remaining RV-12 airframe kits are ready at Vans Aircraft. So Ethan and I headed up to Vans to pick up the RV-12. With some planning, 2X4 stickers and plenty of tie down straps, the RV-12 airframe (minus the tail kit) plus the finishing kit fits nicely in the back of a Toyota Tacoma. We strapped the kits together into one unit and then secured the entire load to the truck. I wouldn't drive cross country like this, but we don't live far from Vans Aircraft so this method worked well. Below is a picture, at home, with some of the straps already removed.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
RV12 Vertical Stabilizer (continued)
Reference: page 06-05, 6 hours
Step 1: Radius the edges at the narrow end of the VS-1205 Tip Rib, the VS-1206 Mid Rib and the VS-1202 Front Spar as shown in Figure 1.
Step 2: Flute (section 5N) between the holes in the flanges of the VS-1202 Front Spar and any of the other vertical stabilizer ribs as necessary to straighten the flange hole pattern.
Held off on steps 3 - 8 on page 06-05 until parts are primed.
Reference: page 06-06
Step 1: Remove the material from the VS-1204 Fwd Skin, called out in Figure 1.
Step 2: Remove the material from the VS-1201 Main Skin, called out in Figure 2, Detail A.
Step 3: Final-drill #19, the nutplate screw holes in the VS-1204 Fwd Skin per call-out in Figure 1.
Step 4: Final-drill #19, the nutplate screw holes in the VS-1201 Main Skin per call-out in Figure 2, Detail B. NOTE: Plans don't call it out but I also drilled #40 the nutplate attachment holes.
Deburr all of the final-drilled holes from Step 3 and 4.
Step 5: Dimple the #19 holes in the VS-1204 Fwd Skin using a #8 dimple die as called out in Figure 1.
Step 6: Dimple the #19 holes in the VS-1201 main Skin using a #8 dimple die as called out in Figure 2 Detail B.
Step 7: Dimple the nutplate attach rivet holes in the VS-1201 Main Skin using a 3/32 dimple die as called out in Figure 2, Detail B.
NOTE: A small diameter female die is required to dimple the nutplate attach rivet holes on a countersunk nutplate. An alternative would be grinding material from a standard female die to clear the recess of the nutplate.
Step 8: Dimple the nutplates attach rivet holes using a 3/32 dimple die as called out in Figure 3.
Finished deburring all the edges. Cleaned and alodined the vertical stabilizer parts in preparation for priming.
Step 1: Radius the edges at the narrow end of the VS-1205 Tip Rib, the VS-1206 Mid Rib and the VS-1202 Front Spar as shown in Figure 1.
Step 2: Flute (section 5N) between the holes in the flanges of the VS-1202 Front Spar and any of the other vertical stabilizer ribs as necessary to straighten the flange hole pattern.
Held off on steps 3 - 8 on page 06-05 until parts are primed.
Reference: page 06-06
Step 1: Remove the material from the VS-1204 Fwd Skin, called out in Figure 1.
Step 2: Remove the material from the VS-1201 Main Skin, called out in Figure 2, Detail A.
Step 3: Final-drill #19, the nutplate screw holes in the VS-1204 Fwd Skin per call-out in Figure 1.
Step 4: Final-drill #19, the nutplate screw holes in the VS-1201 Main Skin per call-out in Figure 2, Detail B. NOTE: Plans don't call it out but I also drilled #40 the nutplate attachment holes.
Deburr all of the final-drilled holes from Step 3 and 4.
Step 5: Dimple the #19 holes in the VS-1204 Fwd Skin using a #8 dimple die as called out in Figure 1.
Step 6: Dimple the #19 holes in the VS-1201 main Skin using a #8 dimple die as called out in Figure 2 Detail B.
Step 7: Dimple the nutplate attach rivet holes in the VS-1201 Main Skin using a 3/32 dimple die as called out in Figure 2, Detail B.
NOTE: A small diameter female die is required to dimple the nutplate attach rivet holes on a countersunk nutplate. An alternative would be grinding material from a standard female die to clear the recess of the nutplate.
Step 8: Dimple the nutplates attach rivet holes using a 3/32 dimple die as called out in Figure 3.
Finished deburring all the edges. Cleaned and alodined the vertical stabilizer parts in preparation for priming.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Light Sport Aircraft & the RV-12
I have been given the opportunity to investigate and fly LSA. So N44QT headed out to it's new owner and I started researching various airplanes that would fit my mission - our new mission statement is posted in the column to the right.
Joe Blank at Van's Aircraft offer to take me for a flight, so as soon as our schedules meshed with the weather I found myself standing on the tarmac at Van's hanger.
What's it like to fly? Fun! It's not an RV-10 but it is definitely not a Cessna 152 either. We climbed out at 900 feet per minute. After leveling off, cruise was 120 knot indicated, which is not bad for a fuel flow of 5.5 gallons per hour.
Next we did some aileron only turns. Thats right no back pressure on the stick, surprisingly there was no loss of altitude in the turns. Next was slow flight no surprises here. In case your wondering it is flown with three fingers (after all it is an RV.) Just a well mannered fun airplane to fly.
Couple of unique items are there is no mixture control. Also, Joe mentioned the need to ensure the throttle frication lock is set properly, because unlike Continentals and Lycomings the throttle is spring loaded to go to full throttle. This can happen if the friction lock is set too loss. Also in the "different" category is the sound of the Rotax as it runs happily at 5,500 rpm. Well, it sound a lot like my Toyota Prius when it accelerates so I felt right at home.
Joe Blank at Van's Aircraft offer to take me for a flight, so as soon as our schedules meshed with the weather I found myself standing on the tarmac at Van's hanger.
What's it like to fly? Fun! It's not an RV-10 but it is definitely not a Cessna 152 either. We climbed out at 900 feet per minute. After leveling off, cruise was 120 knot indicated, which is not bad for a fuel flow of 5.5 gallons per hour.
Next we did some aileron only turns. Thats right no back pressure on the stick, surprisingly there was no loss of altitude in the turns. Next was slow flight no surprises here. In case your wondering it is flown with three fingers (after all it is an RV.) Just a well mannered fun airplane to fly.
Couple of unique items are there is no mixture control. Also, Joe mentioned the need to ensure the throttle frication lock is set properly, because unlike Continentals and Lycomings the throttle is spring loaded to go to full throttle. This can happen if the friction lock is set too loss. Also in the "different" category is the sound of the Rotax as it runs happily at 5,500 rpm. Well, it sound a lot like my Toyota Prius when it accelerates so I felt right at home.
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