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Flying RV-12, stored wings off?

E

esco

Well Known Member
Friend
Is there anyone who stores their RV-12 with wings removed?
I have searched this forum and found a number of "trailering" posts, comments, and prototype designs, but haven't read of anyone who actually stores their RV-12 wings off. (I just posed this question to Vans Tech Support, and will provide relevant responses.)

If you do store yours wings-off, where do you keep it? On-airport? Off-airport?
How do you move the aircraft, and how frequently?
Do you find you fly as much as you thought you would, or less because of the setup time?
Do you find the design works well, or do you see additional wear on the spar, pins, slot?
Do you have any other observations?

Thanks,
 
I wouldn't recommend it. It takes two 800lb gorillas to put them back on the airplane if you use the wing seal.
Dick Seiders
 
Dick is right if you use the wing seals provided by Van's and you did not trim the wing root skins to provide at least 3/16 in. even gaps all the way around it can take way to much force to get the wings on, the problem is not the weight of the wings as they only weigh about 83 pounds each, the problem is the rubber seal that will not compress. Seals that work well can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot, then it is no problem to remove and install the wings just like in the video.

We take the wings off each time the first RV-12 I built comes to my hangar for work as there is more room that way and the RV-12 is easier to work on with the wings out of the way. If I keep my second RV-12 it will have the wings off each flight, just not room in the hangar to do other work with the wings on.

Have a good day.

Best regards,
Vern
 
Vern:

Thanks very much for the insight. For me, one of the perceived valuable features of the RV-12 was the ability to store it, wings off, at home, vice at a distant hangar, at additional expense to me. Your approach (store in a hangar, wings off) is the first time I've heard that solution. It makes sense to save room if you already have a hangar, and certainly makes it easier to work on the aircraft.

From what I understand, you don't regularly fly the first RV-12 you built.
1. Do you know if that owner leave the wings on all the time?

2. Did you see much wear on components as a result of removing and reinstalling the wings?

For your second RV-12, will the additional setup time affect how readily you fly?

Thanks again for your time,

Ron
 
esco said:
Vern:

Thanks very much for the insight. For me, one of the perceived valuable features of the RV-12 was the ability to store it, wings off, at home, vice at a distant hangar, at additional expense to me. Your approach (store in a hangar, wings off) is the first time I've heard that solution. It makes sense to save room if you already have a hangar, and certainly makes it easier to work on the aircraft.

From what I understand, you don't regularly fly the first RV-12 you built.
1. Do you know if that owner leave the wings on all the time?

2. Did you see much wear on components as a result of removing and reinstalling the wings?

For your second RV-12, will the additional setup time affect how readily you fly?

Thanks again for your time,

Ron
Click to expand...

Hi Ron,

Yes the owner leaves the wings on as he has a large hangar and no need to remove them.

No I have not seen any wear yet.

I also have a glider background so the installing wings is not a big issue to me, it may motivate me to get on with a rigging stand so that I can do it all with out any other assistance so that I will not have to ask for an assistant each time I fly. We normally fly to breakfast Wend & Sat and just go flying on any other nice day when someone gets motivated. We will soon have six RV-12's here so it will be easier to find someone to fly with soon (three are in the paint shop). Now all we need to do is to come up with a great name for our formation flight so that the local towers will know who we are.

Best regards,
Vern
 
vernhendershott said:
Hi Ron,

Yes the owner leaves the wings on as he has a large hangar and no need to remove them.

No I have not seen any wear yet.

I also have a glider background so the installing wings is not a big issue to me, it may motivate me to get on with a rigging stand so that I can do it all with out any other assistance so that I will not have to ask for an assistant each time I fly. We normally fly to breakfast Wend & Sat and just go flying on any other nice day when someone gets motivated. We will soon have six RV-12's here so it will be easier to find someone to fly with soon (three are in the paint shop). Now all we need to do is to come up with a great name for our formation flight so that the local towers will know who we are.

Best regards,
Vern
Click to expand...

Name could be "the half dozen"... or "the six pack"...:)
 
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