RV12 for x-country stuff out west?

[petizo1]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Alvord

As for the castor wheel, per Mike Seager, ?Its not a landing gear. It?s a taxi gear? no three point landings!.

Thanks for all the great stories and advice! For the nosewheel I do think in maybe 10 hours I?d feel more capable, and I was ok on taxi and even landing. It was the takeoff as the speed was lower and rudder not quite effective that I would head a bit left then correct and head right and back and just prayed for rotation speed to get there quick! Never in any sort of danger but not something I?ve dealt with before. Somehow the landings were fine as still good speed and rudder authority, and as exiting the runway at higher than taxi speed felt good.

[rvbuilder2002]

Originally Posted by petizo1

Thanks for all the great stories and advice! For the nosewheel I do think in maybe 10 hours I?d feel more capable, and I was ok on taxi and even landing. It was the takeoff as the speed was lower and rudder not quite effective that I would head a bit left then correct and head right and back and just prayed for rotation speed to get there quick! Never in any sort of danger but not something I?ve dealt with before. Somehow the landings were fine as still good speed and rudder authority, and as exiting the runway at higher than taxi speed felt good.

In an RV-12, ideal rotation speed is 20 - 25 MPH.
Once the nose is up and you are running on just the main wheels (ala soft field take-off) with the nose wheel just barely off ground, steering is only influenced by rudder and the rudder becomes about 30% more effective.
Hold that attitude an the airplane will fly off when it is ready.

In a left cross wind, this technique can mean the difference between a long take-off while dragging the R brake to stay straight, of a normal (or quite short depending on the actual wind direction) take-off.

[Piper J3]

Originally Posted by petizo1

Thanks for all the great stories and advice! For the nosewheel I do think in maybe 10 hours I’d feel more capable, and I was ok on taxi and even landing. It was the takeoff as the speed was lower and rudder not quite effective that I would head a bit left then correct and head right and back and just prayed for rotation speed to get there quick! Never in any sort of danger but not something I’ve dealt with before. Somehow the landings were fine as still good speed and rudder authority, and as exiting the runway at higher than taxi speed felt good.

For takeoff run... start with airplane pointed about 10 degrees to the right of centerline. As power comes up, torque will pull airplane left and about the time it reaches centerline the rudder will become effective and you will start holding some right rudder to track straight. You'll also be holding right rudder in climb-out to keep the "ball" centered. I guess your right foot will be applying 1-2 lbs pressure to center the ball.

Just saw Scott's post - yes, for sure, lift the nose wheel early as possible and hold it off a few inches during the entire takeoff run. Airplane will simply levitate when its ready...

[f1rocket]

Originally Posted by petizo1

When I talked to the experienced 15K hour instructor he advised against one for anything except local around the patch flights.

Baloney. I've been to 42 of the 48 lower states in mine before I retired from flying due to medical issues. I've owned Rockets, RVs, and LSAs. I thought the RV12 was one of the most enjoyable cross country machines that I flew.

[rgmwa]

Originally Posted by petizo1

When I talked to the experienced 15K hour instructor he advised against one for anything except local around the patch flights.

That's nonsense! I've flown mine half way around Australia. The 12 is a perfectly capable long distance flyer if that's what you want to do.

[Piper J3]

Flew with a friend in his RV-12 today? 88 KTS IAS, 111 KTS TAS, and 160 KTS GS (184MPH) - 49 KTS tail wind at 14,000 MSL and 16F OAT.

[RFSchaller]

Dave,

Just because someone has impressive ratings and hours doesn?t mean much. I?m a CFI too, and every flight I still think more about what I don?t know than what I do. My best friend is a retired USAF fighter pilot and airline pilot. What has always impressed me about him is that safety comes before hubris with him.

The RV-12 is certainly more capable than a Cessna 150 or a J-3 Cub, and people routinely take them on long cross country flights. Maybe you should ask your 15000 hr CFI to explain the basis of his conclusion.

Rich

[rv3flier]

Another experience -- I picked up my new to me RV-12 south of Oklahoma City in April several years ago and flew west via Amarillo, Albuquerque, Gallup, Las Vegas, Henderson and up the eastern side of Oregon to SW Washington. 16 hours flight time doing 2.5 - 3 hour legs usually from 8500-10500, sometimes higher. I had 1 hour transition training, but did have 10 years flying an RV-3A and had 3 hours with Mike Seager in an RV-6 before flying the 3. Most of my flying has been 2.5 hour flights to and from Idaho.

As others have said, it's a very capable airplane.

[mikefox]

The 12 hauled two normal sized adults from E16 in California to KOSH one year and from E16 to LL10 the next. And the fun factor was OFF the scale! The 12 is a very capable plane with excellent fuel economy to boot!

[NinerBikes]

Originally Posted by rvbuilder2002

In an RV-12, ideal rotation speed is 20 - 25 MPH.
Once the nose is up and you are running on just the main wheels (ala soft field take-off) with the nose wheel just barely off ground, steering is only influenced by rudder and the rudder becomes about 30% more effective.
Hold that attitude an the airplane will fly off when it is ready.

In a left cross wind, this technique can mean the difference between a long take-off while dragging the R brake to stay straight, of a normal (or quite short depending on the actual wind direction) take-off.

Duly noted.... good information, this should be made a sticky.