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David Paule

Well Known Member
If you're not building it as a production version, what changes are you making?

I'm thinking of possibly building an RV-12, but haven't decided. There are things I like and things I don't like about it.

FYI, this would be my first RV but not my first homebuilt. Just the first in 35 years.

Thanks!
David Paule
 
I'm not decided yet which path to go, so I am documenting for E-AB, just in case.
If I go E-AB, the first thing I'd change is closing up the fuel windows with aluminum and putting the Moeller Marine fuel gauge in (which I will do anyway, either before or after certification).
The other thing is I don't like the avionics. I'd rather have a SkyView and the Garmin 495/496 is outdated. I really like the aera's from Garmin and I'd like to put that one in. Also I do want to have vital steam gauges as a backup for airspeed and altitude. I'd also move the location of the fuses and put resettable types in.
I already have another Rotax 912S on a different plane and I might consider putting this one in my RV-12 and swap the other one for a used 80hp, but that is just a money issue.
Basically, it really comes down to the fuel gauge and the outdated avionics and the lack of backup steam gauges for vital instruments. I'm not sure if this justifies 40 hrs of Phase 1 flying in addition to the scrutiny of an E-AB building documentation.
If there was an option for a tinted canopy, I'd buy that in a heartbeat (Southern Arizona IS BRIGHT) and then there was the problem with the window material close to the fuel spout. Plexiglas would be preferable there.
Other than that there's not really much to improve in my eyes ...
 
Last edited:
thinking E-AB

MacPara said:
I'm not decided yet which path to go, so I am documenting for E-AB, just in case.
If I go E-AB, the first thing I'd change is closing up the fuel windows with aluminum and putting the Moeller Marine fuel gauge in (which I will do anyway, either before or after certification).
The other thing is I don't like the avionics. I'd rather have a SkyView and the Garmin 495/496 is outdated. I really like the aera's from Garmin and I'd like to put that one in. Also I do want to have vital steam gauges as a backup for airspeed and altitude. I'd also move the location of the fuses and put resettable types in.
I already have another Rotax 912S on a different plane and I might consider putting this one in my RV-12 and swap the other one for a used 80hp, but that is just a money issue.
Basically, it really comes down to the fuel gauge and the outdated avionics and the lack of backup steam gauges for vital instruments. I'm not sure if this justifies 40 hrs of Phase 1 flying in addition to the scrutiny of an E-AB building documentation.
If there was an option for a tinted canopy, I'd buy that in a heartbeat (Southern Arizona IS BRIGHT) and then there was the problem with the window material close to the fuel spout. Plexiglas would be preferable there.
Other than that there's not really much to improve in my eyes ...
Click to expand...

I will build to the plans until I make some of the same decisions.
I like the Jabiru 80HP alot and I don't Like the the fuel tank or the avionics.

Joe Dallas

www.joesrv12.com
 
More Thoughts

Right on, with the elimination of the fuel tank site glass window.
Be patient on the Skyview. Rumors have it that it is on the way, as is the elimination of the 495/496.
If that is all the nit-picking that we can come up with, then I would say that the RV-12 is a pretty well thought out design!
 
I was wondering about small things like light-weighting some parts beyond what the plans suggest, or adding a fuel tank drain.

Another small change would be to replace some of the less-structural nutplates with Tinnerman fasteners. An example might be the ones on the tail fairing. They've worked well on my Cessna 180 for 55 years now.

Also about the bigger things like steam gauges, somehow making the wing tip not so ugly, or even if anyone is building a taildragger version - now that would be a change!

Thanks, everyone!
 
Think that

The kit is awesome as it is but - I'd want a 696 and SkyView. Also a welded aluminum 25 gallon fuel tank with an accurate fuel guantity sender.

Kind of like "you can never be too handsome or have enough money". :)
 
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