I am not saying that I am going to do this, but just supposing that once the RV-12 has flown off the 5 hours of testing, that one wanted to fly the RV-12 under IFR rules. The instrument rated private pilot gets his medical and becomes IFR current and equips the RV-12 with the proper IFR avionics. Now what about the engine? Rotax states that the 912ULS is not to be flown IFR. How does the engine know if the pilot writes IFR or VFR on the flight plan? Does the FAA require that the engine be approved for IFR by the engine manufacturer? Since the RV-12 is an experimental aircraft, can the engine be modified by the owner to allow it to be flown IFR? The engine obeys the laws of physics, not the law of the land. It seems that the only way the engine can tell if it is in IFR conditions or not is by the humidity. If a carburetor heat system were added, then could the owner state that he has modified the engine and that now it is capable of flying IFR? Perhaps Mel can offer his input.
Joe
Joe