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Kit number 1 flies

J

jamescone

Well Known Member
Hello all,

After several medical problems for me and a death in my family, I finally finished serial number 120001 and it flew with a local flight instructor at the controls. He said that it flew great; hands off with no heavy wing. He will be flying off the test period and then I will get to fly in it with him. I only wish it was mine, but since I keep having strokes, I know that I should not be flying any more. It was great fun to build and I hope that some of my suggestions during the building were useful to the group.
 
Congratulations!

I'm sorry that you won't be able to get the full enjoyment out of your -12, but it's still a great feeling (for the fourth time!) to complete an airplane and get some air under the tires!
 
Jim,

Congratulations on completing your-12! Even though I'm not building one, I've enjoyed reading your trials and tribulations of the build and look forward to hearing about your impressions of how it flies.

Best of luck with your health issues!
 
Congratulations, Jim...

....but remember this: A flight with another guy in the left seat sure beats staying on the ground!:)

Best,
 
Jim,

Of course we all are wishing you the best and thrilled that you finished what you started. Your help at the beginning of the 12 was not only helpful but essential. You may have forgotten the barrage of requests you received for additional information. When you got sick and we were left on our own it was time to group together and pick each other's brain to weave through the "beta testing". It would have been much easier with you there to save us but of course we mangaged and love the plane. Best of luck, congratulations and I'm sure the new owner will consider this plane something special.
 
Jim

Sorry to hear about your health issues. You really helped us early guys get things going. Glad you can still go up for rides. Keep posting notes on how things are going for you.

John Bender
 
Jim

Jim, I join the chorus of builders that appreciate the early work and help and photos you posted...they always answered many of the questions I had and helped resolve many confusing points. I wish you the best of luck with your medical problem...having just recovered from some mystery illness I can understand your concern...somehow I managed to do a little every day even though I felt terrible and had to lay down on a creeper every now and then.

Good luck, Jim
 
Good Going!

Way to go, Jim.

You will always know that you have done something that only an extremely small sample of the population has done. And being a multiple repeat offender, ...well let's just say you're one rare bird. :)

All the best!
 
Congradulations Jim. Your info was groundbreaking for us early starters on the 12. Best of luck with your health issues. I also think Pierre is right on. Flying right seat beats no flying anytime.
Dick Seiders
 
Thank You

Jim,

Very sorry to hear of your ongoing health issues. Your service to us early builders was exceptional and very much appreciated. I am getting ready to install the engine and hope to be flying by this fall - just within the two years I allowed myself. Thanks for being there..............

John
 
Hi Jim,

CONGRATS...I am so sorry to hear about your heath!
YES thank you during your build you were very helpful!

Regards
Rudi
 
Thanks

It was watching your detailed photos and tips that gave me the confidence that I could build an airplane, and I'm sure I'm not alone. I sure appreciate you, and I'm sure 300 other 12 builders do too.

John
 
Thank you for all the great pictures you posted and your suggestions on this site. It was greatly appreciated. I too wish you the best of luck with your health.

Mark Henderson
RV 120149-now N815W
 
Jim,

Your pictures and messages here on the forum helped me immensely during the build. I would venture to say, without your help, Van's would have had to hire a few more people for telephone support. Please get well, and hope to see you at Oshkosh this coming summer. I am so happy to see your RV-12 flying. (#001). Thanks ever so much.

We expect your report on the way she flies as soon as you can get into the left or right seat with your CFI.
 
Congratulations Jim! I'm glad you were able to finish the project. I've followed your progress since the beginning and still reference your online construction log from time to time. Thanks for all your tips. I'm currently finished with canopy and after I deal with a few details on the fuse I'll be moving out of the basement and out to the hanger to put the big pieces together.

Last year I met the new owner of your -12 from Southbury, CT- I assume he still is the owner. He and his wife dropped by on there way to vacation in ME. He was interested in seeing an in process kit and mine was the only one in New England that he knew about. I believe there was one other in MA.

I'm sure he will be thrilled to recieve the plane. I hope he drops in to visit so I can see it. We live next to Windsock Village Airport in West Ossipee, NH.

Art Pennanen
 
Jim, reading your posts, enjoying your photos, & work on the -12 early on was the inspiration for me to buy a kit and get started. Good luck with your health. Like Pierre said, sitting right seat in an airplane is certainly better than driving!

Thank you for the inspiration.
 
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Jim,
Congratulations! Good to see that Kit#1 is flying. Thanks for posting all of your early progress. I made my RV-12 decision based on your photos and observations. Van owes you a commission!
Bruce
 
Jim,
I don't think you have to sit in the right seat if you have an instructor along. The instructor is PIC and you can sit in the left seat I believe. Thanks for all your posts, they really helped us all. Good luck with your health problems. You will be in my prayers!
Larry
 
Kit #1 AND Builder #1

Jim, I also want to thank you for all the contributions that you made toward this website; my partner may more building experience, but I enjoyed reading your insight into the build process for this great aircraft.
Our prayers and wishes are with you and your health concerns.
Meade and George
Kit #16
 
Congrats on the first flight, Jim. It would be hard to put in words, just how helpful you were to us early builders. Many thanks for all that help. Steve
 
Thanks, Jim Cone

Let me tell you about Jim Cone. In September 2008, Marilyn and I had just received our Wing Kit for the RV-12. We had ZERO experience working with aluminum and rivets. We thought "deburring" was what you did to your hunting dog when he came out of the bushes!

We made an appointment with Jim Cone, asking for an hour or so to learn how to build this aluminum plane. He graciously gave us 4 hours of his Sunday afternoon, patiently teaching both of us how to rivet, to debur, to drill out bad rivets, and what tools work best.

What impressed me is that he had me perform all the needed tasks, then proceeded to have Marilyn do the same. Because of this, Marilyn became enthused to help with the building process, as well as to make the constuction log. I was impressed with Jim's ability to share.

Jim Cone, come to Montana and take the left seat of our soon-to-fly RV-12, anytime.

John Sheffels
 
Way to go uncle Jim. One rivet at a time has gotten you through a bunch of airplanes...keep up the good work.

Tim
 
Thank You

Jim, Best of luck to you and your 12. Not only were your postings on the 12 helpful to me but I'm not forgetting the great pieces you wrote in the Tri State Newlsetter 15 years ago which were instrumental in helping me complete my 6A.

There are a lot of good builders out there but there aren't that many who will share their experience with a couple generations of RV'ers. And, I might add, in the clear, concise language which characterized all your writing.

Jim
RV12 finish kit
RV6A CS/0360 soon to be for sale
 
let me add

my congratulations and a whole lot of thanks. Your posts. along with many others, have sure helped to keep me (and 241) going. best of luck to you, along with thanks!

Wayne 1202412/143WM
 
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