Once when I transport the completed project from my garage to the airport. Maybe in the future for storage if I have to, but would prefer to keep it together in a hangar. Can't imagine having to put the wings on every time I want to go flying, but who knows about the future. Maybe the feature will come in handy.
 
As thin as the side skin is I will not be taking mine off at all unless I have to. It's not that the "hole" is structural but you have to hold the the spar perfectly when you put it in or you tear up the side.
 
It's tough being thin skinned!

Yes, my RV-12 will not have its' wings removed anymore than absolutely necessary. I agree that the side skin will be an issue in no time at all if the wings are removed very often. a doubler around the slot would have been a nice touch. I expect the Vans Team will change the skin at the wing entry and make the access panel to the empennage removeable without gas tank interference in the next pass.

Jay Sluiter
S12...Albany, OR
N124CS
 
Yikes. Since one of the attractive features is the removable wing its good to get some feedback on the design. My thought was bringing it home for maintenance as my plan would be to tie down outside in the summer and keep it at home in the garage in the harsh winter months. For 10 years worth of hanger rent I can buy a whole new RV-12 kit (i.e the sheet metal parts) so paying hanger rent doesn't seem worth it to me.

Any other details about skin thicknesses on the 12 that might make it a bit more vulnerable to damage? I've noticed that Kansas products at our local airport and they seem to have thick skins which is why you see some pretty nice looking Cessnas that are 40 to 50 years old.

Thanks to all the beta builders for discovering and revealing these things.

Frank
 
Yikes - and Yikes again

I'll say it - the 'easy wing removal' feature IS extremely important to me - and I will have a trailer and my 12 will reside on that trailer inside of my garage. So, at least for me, the wings will be coming off and going on a lot. There must be a way - right???

Hope that someone wiser than I comes up with the 'answer' to this 'problem'.

And hope that someone wiser that I can design and offer for sale, a trailer that works!!!
 
E. D. Eliot said:
I'll say it - the 'easy wing removal' feature IS extremely important to me - and I will have a trailer and my 12 will reside on that trailer inside of my garage. So, at least for me, the wings will be coming off and going on a lot. There must be a way - right???

Hope that someone wiser than I comes up with the 'answer' to this 'problem'.

And hope that someone wiser that I can design and offer for sale, a trailer that works!!!
Click to expand...

If I had to take them on and off I would wait till it was certified, then you can change the process. All you need to do it change the spar entrance....beef it up...more guidance (plastic runners) just inside the skin. Not really a problem to fix....but you will need to do it.
 
Wing removal - thanks

Thanks for the reassuring words, Pete! Good advice.

Wonder if/when a trailer manufacturer will offer us a viable RV-12 trailer? Looking forward to the day of 'first wing to fuselage' fitting - likely next year.:cool:
 
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