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11-20-2018, 06:13 PM
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Senior Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Dayton Airpark, NV A34
Posts: 15,420
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Welcome to VAF
Quote:
Originally Posted by petizo1
Hello, I'm new to the forum
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David, welcome aboard the good ship VAF 
__________________
Mike Starkey
VAF 909
Rv-10, N210LM.
Flying as of 12/4/2010
Phase 1 done, 2/4/2011 
Sold after 240+ wonderful hours of flight.
"Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it."
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11-20-2018, 06:33 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: San Francisco, CA (KDVO)
Posts: 46
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I too am a relatively new pilot with only a few more hours than you. I bought an RV12 last year even before finishing my license and keep it at KDVO. I think my mission is similar - bum around this part of the country on short/medium trips.
This summer I did an overnight trip with a passenger to Socal and was perfectly comfortable going that distance; I wouldn't hesitate going further. After taking a mountain flying course this summer I've now also crossed the sierras a couple times, at Tahoe and Yosemete. There wasn't much wind when I did it so I can't speak to how it handled turbulence but performance was still fine at altitude.
With regard to the nose wheel - you get used to it. Also, the -12 I transitioned in had the nose wheel fork friction set pretty high and required a lot more effort to keep straight. My plane is set properly to the specs and is much more manageable.
__________________
2020 Donation ✔
RV-12 N647RM Bought Flying from Builder
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11-20-2018, 06:34 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Madison, AL
Posts: 338
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I've flow my 12 everywhere I flew my 9 including yearly to Oshkosh. As others have said it just takes a little longer with more fuel stops. I do enjoy being faster than the Cessna 172s using only about 5 GPH.
__________________
Scott- 2020 donation
New RV-7A N579RV, only 80 hours now without 2020 fly-in destinations
Built RV-12, 328 hours-sold, purchased RV-12 sold, Built RV-9A, 536 hours-sold, Not completed RV-7 sold, Built Kitfox sold
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11-20-2018, 07:01 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ellsworth, ME
Posts: 842
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottmillhouse
I've flow my 12 everywhere I flew my 9 including yearly to Oshkosh. As others have said it just takes a little longer with more fuel stops. I do enjoy being faster than the Cessna 172s using only about 5 GPH.
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I agree with Scott?s post and 3 of us camped close to Scott at Air Aventure. A short video of the flight of three RV12s on a Xcounty 1 from Maine, 1 from Pa, and 1 from NJ to Oshkosh.
https://youtu.be/rRCOpa4O7EA
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11-20-2018, 09:26 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: St Louis, MO
Posts: 323
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pstraub
If you have 20 minutes, this link may be helpful to you. My opinion about the RV-12 and its cross-country capabilities will be obvious
https://youtu.be/SR69XQj4jZg
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Great job Paul!
I?m a wannabe x-country dude. Say for my edification, did you hand fly it mostly or call on the AP? How do you pass your time during longest legs? And did you stay connected to ATC, any dead spots? What spare parts do you carry?
Thank you for sharing how it?s done.
Doug in IL
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11-20-2018, 09:36 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Torrance, CA
Posts: 5
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Wow Paul, had to watch your Oshkosh and First couple RV12 build videos. Very impressive! I also watched the great video from David (Dvalcik) and thought how great to see 3 of the RV12's flying together. I was also at Oshkosh the last couple of years and saw your planes without meeting you.
I must say I was feeling a bit down after my experience last weekend about the idea of buying an RV12 but feel rejuvinated from all of your experiences and help. Really appreciate the warm welcome as well.
David
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11-20-2018, 09:57 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 2,820
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I?m 67. I routinely fly my 12 almost every weekend on a three hour cross country. It?s plenty capable and comfortable for that. Coast to coast might leave me a bit stiff at the end of the day, but 3 hour legs are plenty doable.
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11-21-2018, 12:27 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Hensley Airpark, TN
Posts: 143
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AirHound
Great job Paul!
I?m a wannabe x-country dude. Say for my edification, did you hand fly it mostly or call on the AP? How do you pass your time during longest legs? And did you stay connected to ATC, any dead spots? What spare parts do you carry?
Doug in IL
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Hi Doug, I would say I was about 50/50 hand flying vs AP. I took advantage of all that AP time to really learn my Skyview system. I have two 10" displays, so it was a lot of fun to learn how capable the RV-12 is with that setup. No issues or dead spots with ATC, although I didn't use flight following all of the time. I didn't really carry any spare parts, just basic tools and the normal supply of spare fuses.
Quote:
Originally Posted by petizo1
Wow Paul, had to watch your Oshkosh and First couple RV12 build videos. Very impressive! David
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Glad you enjoyed them David. I feel I could fly anywhere in the RV-12 using 3 - 3.5 hour legs. All the best in your search!
__________________
Paul Straub, First Flight May 5, 2017
N917PB, SN 120971
175 hours and counting.....
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11-21-2018, 09:48 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 19
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LSA x-country machine
Welcome petizo1. You mentioned you are from KTOA. I used to fly the Sling LSA regularly out of KTOA and it is a great airplane. The RV12 is similar and I would not hesitate to own one for x-country flights. We flew to FL Lakeland in it! I believe it took us 3 days but it was not bad at all. I am now stationed at CPM and own an RV4. Look forward to meeting you someday!
__________________
RV-4 @ CPM
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11-21-2018, 12:55 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Prosser, WA
Posts: 107
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Vans are great planes. I purchased my RV7a with less than five hours after getting my PPL. Best investment ever. Flew it from Florida to Oregon with Mike Seager and learned so much. We cruised 8-10k up to the Rockies then jumped up to 10-12 south of the Rockies from Amarillo to Oregon with a couple bumps up to 12.5k. I live in northern Arizona now and have flown over 200 hours between Colorado (Telluride), Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington and Idaho and Tohatchipi California. Even flown it up to 17.5k to escape the smoke and haze of western wildfires this summer, didn?t work to well. I routinely fly from KPGA to KYKM with a stop in KLWL for fuel and usually have to fly 10-12k to clear mountains and try to only do so in early mornings through the summer. That trip usually takes 4.5 hrs not including one fuel stop.
Recently talked with another transition pilot flying a RV12 through Page and he thought it was way underpowered for the Rockies.
As for the castor wheel, per Mike Seager, ?Its not a landing gear. It?s a taxi gear? no three point landings!
Good luck on your choice, all the vans are well designed, builts however can differ. I saw one that was completed with pop rivets entirely.
__________________
N122EF RV7A
S40 Prosser Washington
=VAF Dues paid 2019=
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