Saw RV-12 "Blue Ship"...Wow

[Bullseye]

Hello, everyone.

While patiently waiting until my RV-7 empennage gets ordered, I managed to join and attend EAA 1114's Novemeber meeting. Mitch Lock, Van's Aircraft East Coast Rep and builder of the very first RV-12 ESLA kit was there with the infamous "blue ship."

Mitch was a really nice guy, and explained a lot of things about the RV-12. A couple things of note:

• 555 hours from first kit to first flight
• 65 hours for both wings to be completed.
• ?100 or so? holes to be drilled (almost all match-drilled)
• Most of the holes on the kit are prepunched to final size (no drilling, deburring, dimpling)

Here's one picture, but check out my build log for more.

Ha, what a teaser photo...

[noelf]

...it was good to see you again at the Chapter meeting. I agree, the RV-12 is quite impressive!! Mitch gave rides to about 5 very interested folks before he had to head back to Pax River. I am planning a trip up to visit him (really the RV-12) after the first of the year.

As a long time builder, I feel that something is missing if I'm not building something. My plan is to talk my father in law out of a Sxxxx design and into a -12. I will be traveling up to Oshkosh next week to pick him up and helping him with a permanent move to our house in Cary.

[Bullseye]

I was truly impressed with the kit.

If my primary mission profile didn't fit so well with the -7, the -12 would definitely have been an option.

The -12 would also be a great father-son kit. I think you two would have fun with it.