How stable is an RV-12 in the bumps and wind?
I'm becoming more and more curious about the little RV-12, as I daydream about a retirement project. I guess my question applies to any similar LSA capable aircraft...... but since I've been looking at the RV-14 for a while, van's has my eye....
I'm wondering though....how rough is the ride?
How well does it do in the bumps, crosswind landing, etc...? What kind of IFR platform does it make?
I know it's not all that fast, but trying to wrap my head around the question...is it a calm evening local flyer, or would it be an ok cross country traveler?
I'm curious in a comparison of something I might know....such as a fly-off comparison between an RV-12 and say a Cessna 152 and Cessna 172.
It has an almost identical wing loading as a 152, so that would tell me that it's about the same....but I think there's probably a little more to it than just wing loading...speed, stability, etc...
I'm a rusty pilot and it's been a pretty long time since I've flown a 152, but I still remember the last time I did. I trained initially in 152's and 150's...but hadn't flown any in quite a while. I had been flying 172's mostly, and quite a bit in 172RG's around that time...working on instrument re-currency and just starting work towards a commercial rating. Took the school's 152 up for a joy ride on a windy day...and by comparison to the only slightly larger planes, I really felt like I took a beating. Was taken by surprise a bit in the bumps and crosswind on landing.
So that's my measuring scale.....
I'm becoming more and more curious about the little RV-12, as I daydream about a retirement project. I guess my question applies to any similar LSA capable aircraft...... but since I've been looking at the RV-14 for a while, van's has my eye....
I'm wondering though....how rough is the ride?
How well does it do in the bumps, crosswind landing, etc...? What kind of IFR platform does it make?
I know it's not all that fast, but trying to wrap my head around the question...is it a calm evening local flyer, or would it be an ok cross country traveler?
I'm curious in a comparison of something I might know....such as a fly-off comparison between an RV-12 and say a Cessna 152 and Cessna 172.
It has an almost identical wing loading as a 152, so that would tell me that it's about the same....but I think there's probably a little more to it than just wing loading...speed, stability, etc...
I'm a rusty pilot and it's been a pretty long time since I've flown a 152, but I still remember the last time I did. I trained initially in 152's and 150's...but hadn't flown any in quite a while. I had been flying 172's mostly, and quite a bit in 172RG's around that time...working on instrument re-currency and just starting work towards a commercial rating. Took the school's 152 up for a joy ride on a windy day...and by comparison to the only slightly larger planes, I really felt like I took a beating. Was taken by surprise a bit in the bumps and crosswind on landing.
So that's my measuring scale.....