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diamond

Well Known Member
Here's a question that is directed primarily at those who are/were first time builders at the time you began your RV-12. (no prior experience)

Did you attend a formal workshop in advance? If so, do you think you really needed to, given that the 12 is supposedly easier to build? If you did not attend a workshop, do you wish you had, or are you doing just fine with minimal help along the way? Thanks
 
We all come into the building process with different skill sets, experiences, and mechanical ability. If you have not worked on an airplane before I would strongly recommend attending a kit airplane building seminar. Building an airplane takes different hardware, techniques, and getting in an "airplane mode" mental attitude. The EAA sponsored seminars are good for this.

JMHO.
 
If there was a workshop in or near my town, I would go without hesitation. My situation is that by the time I travel 1000+ miles to a city where a workshop is being held, I'm in over $700 with tuition, travel, room and board, not to mention lost income from time off work. Under these parameters, I would still go if I were building anything other than an RV-12, but if I decide on a 12, I want to know that a mechanically inclined person such as myself would stand to gain enough to justify the cost.
 
I have never worked on airplanes before, but have lots of experience with hand and power tools.
 
I can understand the cost thing.

How about talking to several EAA tech counselors in your area? They are usually very interested in getting new guys pointed in the right direction.
 
Find a builder in your area and offer to buck rivets. That isn't directly applicable experience per se, but it can be the start of just the relationship with an experience builder that you need.
 
diamond said:
If there was a workshop in or near my town, I would go without hesitation. My situation is that by the time I travel 1000+ miles to a city where a workshop is being held, I'm in over $700 with tuition, travel, room and board, not to mention lost income from time off work. Under these parameters, I would still go if I were building anything other than an RV-12, but if I decide on a 12, I want to know that a mechanically inclined person such as myself would stand to gain enough to justify the cost.
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Diamond... From a safety point of view, I would indeed consider this a good investment if you are new to aircraft construction as aircraft construction standards are unique. Alternatively you could hook up with a good local experienced builder as suggested by offering to help buck rivets. I would make sure that the course covers the removal of pulled rivets as opposed to concentrating only on setting and removing solid rivets. I would also ask them to show you how to de-burr and flute materials. In the course that I took, we spent a lot of time learning how to buck rivets, but, of course, there is very little need to buck rivets on the RV-12.

Jeff
 
I've been to two of them, both through SportAir...the RV assembly class in Watsonville, CA and the composites class here in Denver. So I've done it both ways, traveled and did it locally. Locally is obviously better from a cost standpoint, but gosh, Watsonville was a great place to get away for a weekend too....great GA airport.

Do you NEED it, probably not depending on your mechanical background....and no disrespect, but building a -12 would be a little easier. But I can tell ya, I'm a Mechanical Engineer, but never worked on an airplane...I not only loved the classes but learned a lot along the way. I highly recommend them, and to me, they were well worth the price of admission. They provide a skill set foundation that will last you a lifetime, what kind of the price would you pay for that? I plan to take another one, the 'Aero Electric' version, when I am ready for the FWF.
 
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Keep in mind, there is more to building the 12 than rivets. You do plumbing, you do electrical, you do fiberglass, you tear apart an engine, etc. You will use tools and techniques unique to aviation. Take the class or as they say, find a local EAA Tech Counselor to lean on. You may will people in the class that have already built planes but would like to learn how to improve their technique.
 
I would recommend it. I took the basic RV workshop just prior to starting my project, worth every minute. I made a weekend vacation out of it in SoCal. Just recently took the electrical workshop because I didn't know why large wires have small numbers and visa versa. Took the family along and they had fun while I went to class. Just my .02 cents. Glenn
 
I did the Synergy Air class before I bought my first kit just to see if I enjoyed doing the work. The class gave me a lot of confidence when I started my kit.
 
RV Classes

I REALLY wish I would've gone to a class. (I fully intended to go, but I met someone else I knew who wanted to build one, and he convinced me that he had enough knowledge for the both of us...) I would have known some of the things that George was talking about. The plane's done and I did learn a lot from George and I would have learned even more had I attended one of the RV classes.
Meade
N612RV
 
Newbie

I did not attend a builder's class, but I did find a local RV builder, who offered me many tips and even loaned me some tools while I collected my own.

I'm still early in my build (EM), but I'm really impressed with how well everything is going together, and the instructions are excellent. (I'm an engineer ... which helps a bit too!)
 
I took the Sheet Metal Basics with Sportair and highly recommend it. I can do minor repairs on my car and plane (Cessna 152) but I've never done any sheet metal work. The class gave me the confidence to start my RV-12 in a few years. I also found that I can't drill holes in a straight line worth a darn, even after dimpling them. Good thing most of the rivet holes in the -12 are pre-punched.
 
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