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First Flight of 120186

V

vernhendershott

Well Known Member
7 February at 1230 EST Capt. Mike Kelly (Retired United Airlines, EAA Flight & Technical counselor, RV-8 builder/owner, and A&P) test flew RV-12 Sr. No. 120186 N397JC for its first flight at Spruce Creek (7FL6) Florida, the aircraft flew very well and Mike commented that the control balance was better than a RV-8. This RV-12 was built by Vern Hendershott (retired aviation executive, EAA Technical Counselor, commercial pilot and A&P) and his partner Chester in about a year with some time lost while waiting for the next kits to be released. The aircraft has been sold to Jim Corley of Spruce Creek who built the fin, rudder, stabilator and anti-servo tabs from another RV-12 kit and these units were used on his new aircraft. Vern Hendershott will complete his second RV-12 when the rest of the kit previously started by Jim Corley arrives this month.

Best regards,
Vern Hendershott


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Congrats Vern, It must be a good feeling to watch that plane fly after you worked on it over the year.
 
New Guy In The Air

Way to go Vern!! It's a great flying plane and you'll really enjoy it.
Meade and George
N612RV
Kit #16
 
Great News

Vern,

Great job completing and getting the RV-12 into the air. I'm jealous ... very jealous.

Jim,

Enjoy your new RV-12. I wish you many, many years of enjoyment and safe flying in the new plane.

Jerry
 
Congratulations, Vern!

Way to go, Vern! Nice to see your pictures, including one showing air under your tires!

I will list you in the RV-12 First Flights: Photo Album as the 21st RV-12 to fly. However, Van's web site has had for a while now a count of 21. So if another RV-12 shows up I may have to adjust the count.

Thanks for the notice, and thanks for your pictures! And, you have the lights installed! They look great!

Don
 
Vern Hendershott

I would like to add my thanks to Vern Hendershott and Chester for all the work and help they have given me. As a result I am the proud owner of a plane that was built by real "craftsmen".

I had started my own kit and had the tail parts almost done by last September when medical issues intervened that are now "almost over". But I would not have been able to do any work until now. Vern graciously offered to put my parts on his plane , sell the plane to me and he would finish my kit/ I still need a cute foriegn phrase for the plane that says "my tail".

Vern is a natural builder and occasional flyer. I was a pilot and a First-time builder. Every so often these things work out beautifully. My Good friend and fellow retired airline pilot, Mike Kelly, has volunteered to fly off the hours while I finish recovering.

Mike said the first flight was great and he thinks the plane is very responsive .

We are very lucky here at Spruce Creek Fly-in (7fl6). There are 5 more RV12s under construction and numerous other Rv7-8 and 9s.This is a great place for a pilot to live, particularly if he is a builder . The amount of help is phenomenal.

Thanks again Vern
Jim Corley



vernhendershott said:
7 February at 1230 EST Capt. Mike Kelly (Retired United Airlines, EAA Flight & Technical counselor, RV-8 builder/owner, and A&P) test flew RV-12 Sr. No. 120186 N397JC for its first flight at Spruce Creek (7FL6) Florida, the aircraft flew very well and Mike commented that the control balance was better than a RV-8. This RV-12 was built by Vern Hendershott (retired aviation executive, EAA Technical Counselor, commercial pilot and A&P) and his partner Chester in about a year with some time lost while waiting for the next kits to be released. The aircraft has been sold to Jim Corley of Spruce Creek who built the fin, rudder, stabilator and anti-servo tabs from another RV-12 kit and these units were used on his new aircraft. Vern Hendershott will complete his second RV-12 when the rest of the kit previously started by Jim Corley arrives this month.

Best regards,
Vern Hendershott


2w5oi1e.jpg


35jascw.jpg
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