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Brantel RV-12IS Build Thread

Built this creature this weekend….

Definitely the most complicated assembly yet for the build.

I should have a finished stabilator sometime this week.

Brian looks good. My serial number is 20 behind you. How long did you wait from order till shipped?

Which model HF puller is that and what are you using to prime?
 
Brian,

Thanks for the information and I forgot to ask which gun are you using to prime with.

Tom
 
For all that had to fab this part in the past. Sorry! Don't be jealous! Van's now provides this part completed and anodized! :p
 

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Yep, that 1" angle cut took some time to get just right. They are making the -12 too easy.
 

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Tailcone complete!

Finished up the tailcone yesterday and got started on the stabilator trim servo setup. :D

Other than the fiberglass tips (gonna go ahead and install them), I am out of parts waiting on the wings and fuse to ship. I don't have room right now to assemble all the subassemblies just to have to take them back apart so that can wait.

Van's took my final payment a good bit ago and I have been assigned to crating ever since. Hope they ship soon!

Lots more pics and comments in my blog!
 

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Christmas time today! First crate out of 8 from Van’s that was not destroyed by the freight company! Thanks for good service Old Dominion!

Check out my build blog:
https://brantel-rv12is.blogspot.com/

Brian, I'm enjoying following your blog, thanks for sharing!

Your delivery post prompted me to dig out a link to the day the builder picked up the RV-12 fuselage kit for the airplane that I now own. Turns out it fit in an RV-10 and that's how they brought it back to Sequim, WA! Apparently the original kit had been hammered in shipping.

https://faculty.washington.edu/dmasys/RV12inRV10.html

Happy Building!
 
I think the kids and I did the wings in 3 weeks around school and work....

The fuselage was another matter. Took much much longer.
 
Picked up my wing and fuse kits today! Amazingly ABF was pretty kind to the crates this time!
 

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Brantel....

So, at your current build rate, and considering Monday is a holiday......when should we expect first flight? Tuesday of next week? :D

Doug has to sometimes pre-plan for the front page cover stories, I'm sure. Hahahahaha.
 
So, at your current build rate, and considering Monday is a holiday......when should we expect first flight? Tuesday of next week? :D

Doug has to sometimes pre-plan for the front page cover stories, I'm sure. Hahahahaha.

LOL, my wife and I leave next Wednesday for a 16 day Hawaiian cruise out of LA so the test flight will have to wait….. (25th anniversary)

I am afraid my building speed is gonna outrun my wallet pretty soon!
 
Double Face Palm

Well I punted in the wings till
My new right spar shows up (factory rework defect that engineering said was a no go).

Started working on the fuse and almost immediately ran into an issue.

These two holes were incorrectly dimpled at the factory and are supposed to be left at #30 and drilled by the builder to #12 for bolts.

Anyone else run into this?
 

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Yep, I had the same question back in 2018. They said that when enlarging the holes it would clean up 98% of the dimple, but that's not actually true. Here is the response from Vans.:

I agree it would make more sense to not dimple these but they have always been dimpled during the prep of these parts. I will pass this along and see if I can get them to reconsider this.
 
It’s been a year or more since I did this but I’m pretty sure I drilled them to #12 and continued building.
 
You get any guidance from Vans?

No, but I didn't ask. I figured I'd just drill to #12 and, if necessary, find a way to flatten the dimples. I haven't bolted the F-1204R retainer block to the center section yet (Page 21iS/U-11), so I don't know if it will be necessary to flatten what's left of the dimples.
 
So based on the replies that Van's has directed others to drill out the dimples to #12 and build on, I decided to smash them flat and drill em. There is still a small bit of the dimple remaining but it should be a non issue with the bolt/washer/nut that holds the spar alignment block.

Seems the reports of this issue go way back. Its a shame that they continue to make these parts incorrectly.
 

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Anyone know what these extra holes are for in the main center section assembly?
They are right above the ones that get countersunk.
 

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That doesn't look right. They were definitely not there on my kit. I think a call to Van's is in order.

Vans stated a part change resulted in these extra holes. They say build on and if they bother me, fill em with flush rivets.
 
I guess they are the professionals and we have to take their word for it.

Not sure why they don't stop making the same errors. I see on Brandon Flores videos that he had the same mystery holes in his center section channel over 4 years ago.

Same thing with them dimpling the two holes that should not be dimpled where the wing spar guide block mounts. The report above says this has been an issue all the way back to 2018.

While all of these things are minor in the grand scheme of things, they should still be addressed and eliminated.
 
So to follow up on the issue with dried up lube on the Cherry rivets from Vans, I ordered a few from Aircraft Spruce to replace the ones that did not pull correctly. Since they are so close to me, stuff shows up fast.

So true to my luck, the replacements are a different brand and do not look the same as the ones Vans provides after correct pulling. The lock is engaged but the shop tail looks different.

My OCD can’t handle it so I just ordered more from Vans to ensure I get the same brand. Hopefully I will get all of them looking and pulling the same!

Two of these do not look like the others!
 

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Worked on getting the camper RV ready to go to Osh and worked on a bunch of the 12’s center section aft of the center channel.
 

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The replacements came from Vans and after greasing them up, all is well!

I have ordered my kit and am waiting for it to be shipped soon. The problem is that I am in Russia and most likely there will be no support for me because of the sanctions. I'm very worried about laser-cut parts. We don't have builders who could help me assess their quality, and I'm building for the first time. What can you advise me? I also wanted to ask about the spar, are there many cases of such a marriage? It would be a shame to get one of the most important parts in a bad performance, because vans probably won't send me a new one. As my kit moves towards shipment, I begin to doubt more and more, I see that the problems are one after another and it scares me. I pay 80-90% more for customs, delivery by complex routes, and I'm not sure about support.
 
I have ordered my kit [...] I am in Russia [..] the sanctions. [...] and I'm not sure about support.

You may want to make real sure that Van's will be able to ship to you.

The RV-12 is extremely clearly intended for non-military purposes, but there can be a lot of aerospace components that fall under "dual use" categories.

See this link for examples of companies facing federal charges over civilian aircraft components.
https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/d...isruptive-tech-strike-force-announcement/file
 
I have ordered my kit and am waiting for it to be shipped soon. The problem is that I am in Russia and most likely there will be no support for me because of the sanctions. I'm very worried about laser-cut parts. We don't have builders who could help me assess their quality, and I'm building for the first time. What can you advise me? I also wanted to ask about the spar, are there many cases of such a marriage? It would be a shame to get one of the most important parts in a bad performance, because vans probably won't send me a new one. As my kit moves towards shipment, I begin to doubt more and more, I see that the problems are one after another and it scares me. I pay 80-90% more for customs, delivery by complex routes, and I'm not sure about support.

Don't know what to tell you about laser cut parts and the RV-12. Van's seems to be excluding the 12 from any action this past week or so. I would call them to be sure.

There are plenty of examples that have been posted on this forum of parts with defects. It is fairly obvious when you see it.

As for the spar, that should be very uncommon. The RV7 wings that I built and flew came with a perfect spar, so did the RV10 wings I partially built. I think what I originally received in my 12 wing kit was a rare case. The replacement they sent me is flawless.

I suggest you discuss your concerns directly with Van's. They have shipped RV kits all over the world for decades.
 
You may want to make real sure that Van's will be able to ship to you.

The RV-12 is extremely clearly intended for non-military purposes, but there can be a lot of aerospace components that fall under "dual use" categories.

See this link for examples of companies facing federal charges over civilian aircraft components.
https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/d...isruptive-tech-strike-force-announcement/file

thank you for answers. My question in general was about your thoughts about laser cutting on RV 12. As well as the percentage of the marriage of large nodes such as the wing spar. Van has already replied that he will not be able to deliver directly. I made an order through friends in the USA, this will remove the risks associated with sanctions from Van.
 
So it has been a bit since my last update and I wanted to show you where I am at this point in the build. Vacation season slowed me down a bit as we did a 2.5 week Hawaiian cruise and then of course Osh. Even still I am making progress on the fuselage. Since I am priming, the pace is a bit slower than those that don't and I am anal about part edge treatment and deburring which just takes time.

Since this thing is getting bigger, I had to spend a bunch of time this weekend to clear some clutter out of the garage, get rid of crate materials and go as vertical as possible on the crates and subassemblies that I have finished. I now have a ton more room to work and stuff is more organized. I have the empennage parts stored in the 5th wheel. :eek:

Tons more pics and details within my blog link below!
 

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Build update:

Working on closing out the fuse bottom. I am straying from the KAI's order by not fully riveting the front of the bottom skin in the area of the floorboard under the knees. This is so I can temp install the front footwell/lower firewall section and then fabricate and flare the fuel lines that go in the center channel area without having to purchase another $200 tool that will work in that tight space for 4 flares.

I have pulled > 4000 rivets so far! ~8000 more to go!

Lots more pics and commentary on my build blog....
 

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Brian,

Just curious if any of your kit parts were effected by the punch/laser fiasco.

Your kit number is 20 behind mine and it has 4 items to be replaced. Luckily I have not started the build.
 
Brian,

Just curious if any of your kit parts were effected by the punch/laser fiasco.

Your kit number is 20 behind mine and it has 4 items to be replaced. Luckily I have not started the build.

Yes, my emp/tailcone kit was full of LCP’s. Only two of the red category though. The wings have a few LCP’s but most are for stuff like the wing tips and other non structural stuff. Some of the ribs are LCP’s and I will be replacing them.

The only LCP’s in my fuse were two inner tank ribs.
 
Gonna try to give updates when I finish a section in the KAI’s.

Finished the main center fuse assembly and the side skins! Also the fuel lines in the center channel are all done!

Also completed my first pilot controls for this airplane! The air vents!

On to the roll bar assy!
 

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Yes, my emp/tailcone kit was full of LCP’s. Only two of the red category though. The wings have a few LCP’s but most are for stuff like the wing tips and other non structural stuff. Some of the ribs are LCP’s and I will be replacing them.

The only LCP’s in my fuse were two inner tank ribs.
Glad to see that you were not affected too much as you are into your build.

We will be starting our build this weekend. Keep your information flowing so we can refer to it as we proceed.
 
Finished up the rollover bar and the rear bulkhead sections.

On to the seat backs!
 

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