What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Buying a Built RV-12

Jose_Antonio

Member
Patron
Hi Everyone,

I'm a student pilot learning in RV-12s and love the aircraft over the traditional C172 and PA28. I've started thinking of buying my own (built) RV-12 to finish training and for short flights around New England after. I prefer an ESLA that I can make upgrades to as time and budget allows later. Does anyone have any advice on what to look for? Where to look? Rules of thumb, cautionary words, etc. Asking prices are a bit inconsistent, so any insights there would be appreciated too.

Thank you!
 
A good place to start would be with Vic Syracuse's book: "PRE-BUY GUIDE FOR AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT"

I would avoid non-standard engines (if you stick with E-LSA should not be a problem)

Put a "WTB" ad here in classifieds section

I see RV-12's listed on Barnstormers and Trade-A-Plane, but not much on Controller.

Once you find one you like be sure to make a deal contingent on pre-buy inspection. If you know a builder of any RV but especially a 12 who can look at one with you that's a good start but still you'll be well served by paying an expert for the full pre-buy inspection.
 
Last edited:
Building one

If you do stick with an E-LSA, it was built to spec. , with only Vans supplied parts, to be certified airworthy. That’s a great starting point. Whether or not they messed with it afterwards, is the unknown.
 
Last edited:
SLSA?

Heck, maybe check into an S-LSA, the numbers might just work. Then you’re really buying a known quantity. Resale might be much easier too.
 
Does not take long to build one. Could probably get out of it what you pay into it and still get the experience of the build.

Hi Everyone,

I'm a student pilot learning in RV-12s and love the aircraft over the traditional C172 and PA28. I've started thinking of buying my own (built) RV-12 to finish training and for short flights around New England after. I prefer an ESLA that I can make upgrades to as time and budget allows later. Does anyone have any advice on what to look for? Where to look? Rules of thumb, cautionary words, etc. Asking prices are a bit inconsistent, so any insights there would be appreciated too.

Thank you!
 
I bought a E-LSA, so I could learn to fly in my own plane.

Make sure you are mechanically inclined, if you do so, have good mentors also in the form of fellow Experimental builders and owners at yours or local airports, as well as a good AP for your inspections.

Otherwise, owning and learning to fly can be a lot on your plate at the same time, as the Service Bulletins just keep on coming from Van's, or at least they did for 2020.

62 and brand new to owing and operating any plane. Owning an experimental plane, working on it and maintaining it, and flying it, is a lifestyle.

I've found that the break even point, at least for me with a T hangar at $360/mo, and insurance at $1300, at least last year... is at least 100 hrs of Hobbs time, per year. YMMV. My opinion is if you have to ask how much it's going to cost, the ownership aspect and maintenance, it might be a very expensive or too expensive hobby for you. The $15 to $18 an hour for mogas, here in CA, is the least of the expenses.

I would suggest you solicit here, and what you have to work with, budget wise, for the airplane.

I'd avoid any that have spent much time near salt water or coastal areas, even if stored in a hangar. Salt air invades everything, and does bad things to electronic circuit boards, switches, connectors, you name it, not to mention corrosion on aluminum surfaces. A plane with 150 to 300 hours on it, would probably be ideal, and priced well, to move. That was my criteria, and it took over 18 months for me to find the right one. For me, I wanted a Skyview Classic or newer glass EFIS, with wheel pants and AP, 2020 ADS-B Out and In, because the airport I am at is under Mode C veil of LAX.

If you hang out here, long enough, something good will find you... going out, being in a rush and looking for it, in my experience, was not the best way, for me. You need to be ready to move quickly if a good deal finds you, make your decision and get the money changing hands, good deals do NOT last long around VAF, usually days, or less, if that.

Don't come asking here if something is a good deal, most everyone here is looking for something for nothing, someone else might grab it instead of you.



Randy

All good advice, Randy. Thank you. On being mechanically inclined, I built an am/fm radio in middle school back in the 80s and have changed my car's oil.

Also, I'm on the opposite coast to you... in equally expensive MA. Can I assume that salt corrosion is something coastal owners, of any aircraft, accept and not something of special concern for RVs?

I've been lining up everything to be able to act quickly, as you suggest. Then, yesterday I get an insurance quote from AOPA for $9,100. The broker said based on being a student on an ELSA. If that's the case, I think I'll be fininishing my training in rentals.
 
All good advice, Randy. Thank you. On being mechanically inclined, I built an am/fm radio in middle school back in the 80s and have changed my car's oil.

Also, I'm on the opposite coast to you... in equally expensive MA. Can I assume that salt corrosion is something coastal owners, of any aircraft, accept and not something of special concern for RVs?

I've been lining up everything to be able to act quickly, as you suggest. Then, yesterday I get an insurance quote from AOPA for $9,100. The broker said based on being a student on an ELSA. If that's the case, I think I'll be fininishing my training in rentals.

Go get some other quotes. I doubt you will be able to get insurance for the hull, being a student, probably only liability. That means you will have to underwrite any fix it's on mistakes/damage you make in your own RV-12. Just the way it is.

You will HAVE to buy the plane outright, no financing, no liens, no loans. If you have a loan on it, you have to have hull insurance on it., to cover the lien on the plane. That's the only way to keep the insurance costs reasonable, as a student.

Understand that the RV-12, being a Light Sport, is a "fair weather" flyer. I usually won't take mine up if directional winds aloft exceed 25-30 mph. Another big consideration is crosswinds at where you land.
 
I had no trouble at all getting a part owner pre-solo student pilot added to my insurance. He was covered after 5 hours of dual as long as he was flying under the supervision of a CFI -- whether dual or solo. Give the folks at Gallagher a call and talk to them.
 
Hi Everyone,

I'm a student pilot learning in RV-12s and love the aircraft over the traditional C172 and PA28. I've started thinking of buying my own (built) RV-12 to finish training and for short flights around New England after. I prefer an ESLA that I can make upgrades to as time and budget allows later. Does anyone have any advice on what to look for? Where to look? Rules of thumb, cautionary words, etc. Asking prices are a bit inconsistent, so any insights there would be appreciated too.

Thank you!

Jose, please pardon the the tangent but can I ask where around Boston you’re taking lessons in an RV-12? I’m south of Boston and would be grateful to hear, thanks!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...
 
Jose, please pardon the the tangent but can I ask where around Boston you’re taking lessons in an RV-12? I’m south of Boston and would be grateful to hear, thanks!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Hi, not a tangent at all. Nice to meet other folks in NE. I'm going to CHI Aerospace in Portsmouth, NH on the weekends. It's an hour from Boston, but I'm used to commuting that for work (when commuting was a thing) and I started lessons with East Coast out in Bedford (KBED). If you're in the city, it's going to be a trek to get to any flight school. South of the city, there's a school in Mansfield that uses similarly equiped SportCruiser LSAs.
 
I had no trouble at all getting a part owner pre-solo student pilot added to my insurance. He was covered after 5 hours of dual as long as he was flying under the supervision of a CFI -- whether dual or solo. Give the folks at Gallagher a call and talk to them.

Thank you for the lead, Dale. Is this because the student was a part-owner? Could the student have done it on their own?
 
Hi, not a tangent at all. Nice to meet other folks in NE. I'm going to CHI Aerospace in Portsmouth, NH on the weekends. It's an hour from Boston, but I'm used to commuting that for work (when commuting was a thing) and I started lessons with East Coast out in Bedford (KBED). If you're in the city, it's going to be a trek to get to any flight school. South of the city, there's a school in Mansfield that uses similarly equiped SportCruiser LSAs.

Many thanks!
 
Thank you for the lead, Dale. Is this because the student was a part-owner? Could the student have done it on their own?

I really don't know. If a student pilot is flying the plane, the fact that I own part of it too would not really affect the probability of his having an accident... so logically, I would think not. I don't know how logical the process is, though.

The reason he became part owner was that there were zero available light-sport airplanes around here to rent. His instructor was teaching him in a Champ, but it wasn't insured for solo student pilots. The only way he was going to be able to solo and finish up his Sport Pilot training was to buy an airplane, and I wasn't flying the thing every day, so taking on another owner wasn't a big deal. We've since added a third guy, who we took on shortly after his check ride. So, three low-time pilots aren't paying even 1/6 of what you were quoted for insurance.

Hull coverage seems to be the really expensive part. If you're going to finance the plane through a regular lender, you'll need hull coverage at least equal to what you've got financed. If you pay cash or use a more creative method of financing (one not secured by the plane), then you may not need full hull coverage. Those are questions that depend on your financial situation and only you can answer them. I've seen a few RV-12s for sale over the years, including the one I'm flying, that fall into the "airworthy and safe, but not necessarily pretty" category and are generally priced accordingly.
 
Last edited:
Jose,

I flew for almost 2 years in the right seat of my friends RV-12. I wanted to learn how to fly, and to get my own plane for the lessons, but needed to see if I would fit in a E-LSA plane first, which is how I met my friend.

I bought my RV-12, during Covid-19, in South Carolina. Had it ferried back to California.

Hired 2 flight instructors, first one felt the RV-12 was a bit too sporty on landing, the second one an old timer at 80 years of age, just loved to fly, but not so much a good teacher.

The 3rd flight instructor was an independent 25 year old with over 3000 hours, CFII, that very quickly figured out the best learning method for me. He's good, but he's also really busy.

The RV-12 is a great learning to fly aircraft... if you get an instructor that gets you SOLID on stablilizing your approaches, every single time. By doing this, it will minimize the number of "firm " landings you have that could have been a lot better. But, it's landing gear won't take gross abuse. I'd say 99% of the E-LSA RV-12 owners already had their pilots license and a lot of hours in the logbooks and even more landings, before they built or got their RV-12. Buying it to learn to fly doesn't make it the wrong tool, you just really need to respect it's limitations and intended plan for owner builders.

If you want a little more stout landing gear, look into the beefed up RV-12IS with the improvements incorporated in the mains and nose gear.
 
Randy (ninerbikes) makes a good point on main landing gear. I have posted about the main gear to this forum on a several occasions, but perhaps enlightenment is again needed for those new to the RV-12.

Van’s has SB to strengthen the aluminum gear channel carry- thru, however, a weak point remains where the large outer gear leg U-clamp bolts to the aluminum channel. See attached photos of my plane when cracks were noticed at ~500TT.

This is an area that requires repetitive annual inspection.
-
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2021-02-20 at 12.32.28 PM.jpg
    Screen Shot 2021-02-20 at 12.32.28 PM.jpg
    226.5 KB · Views: 144
  • Screen Shot 2021-02-20 at 12.31.56 PM.jpg
    Screen Shot 2021-02-20 at 12.31.56 PM.jpg
    355.6 KB · Views: 139
  • Screen Shot 2021-02-20 at 12.38.43 PM.png
    Screen Shot 2021-02-20 at 12.38.43 PM.png
    372.7 KB · Views: 126
Back
Top