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OK I am officially now a new RV-12 Builder

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newamiga

Well Known Member
Just ordered my empennage kit today from Van's. It has been an interesting experience exploring the LSA market and deciding to build versus buy. Once getting past that, deciding between the RANS S-19 and RV-12 was also an interesting exploration.

I went to Sebring this year and closely checked out various options. I then went to visit Mitch in MD and flew in his RV-12. It was a great flight and a really nice plane. I went to Hays KS and toured the RANS plant and flew the S-19. Again a very nice plane. I ordered the manual set for the S-19 and the homebuilt helper videos for the RV-12 to try and get a feel for build complexity for me as a first time builder.

In the end my decision came down to a few factors. First was ease of build and the documentation with the kit. One very important factor that also figured in was empty gross weight. The S-19 just was going to be too heavy to provide a usable cross country load for myself and my wife. I also have been lurking in the forums here for a couple months and really like the way that the builders here are all over helping each other. I am looking very forward to getting my kit and getting the build under way.

Carl
 
Welcome! I think you made a wise choice.

The search function will provide a ton of answers to questions on the -12. Let us know if you have any more questions.

Good luck.
 
Way to go!

Carl,

I know the feeling as I will be faxing in my order tomorrow!

I sit here debating if I should order the wing kit at the same time. A quick phone call to Van's yesterday told me the present lead time for the wing and fuselage kits are 9-10 weeks out. Sleepless night ahead!

I admire your tenacity in the decision process. I tend to settle in to my final choice rather quickly but feel quite comfortable after reading all the great information put forth on this website.

Enjoy the build. I know I will.

Tom
 
Happy building

... and you're right about the forum. I've learned a lot from the many experienced builders and fliers who regularly post here, particularly the `old-timers'... well, in RV-12 terms anyway.

Van's must be very happy with the way their latest addition to the fleet is selling, given the relatively short time it's been on the market. They must have sold close to 550-600 kits by now. Wonder how many engines they've sold so far. Anybody know?
 
This place has been the most valuable asset in the building process. I can run into a problem, come in and put it on the forum, and often get the correct answer in minutes!
Please rethink your ordering sequences. I ordered all except the avionics and engine at once, saved 7 or 8 hundred dollars in shipping by combining the order, AND take a look at my kitlog, click on the below link, and check the dates of it all. I am barely a month into building, and have finished the tail end and one wing already! Having to wait for parts would put a big damper on my building for sure.
I did not want my engine laying around while I built, and I am hoping the Skyview is standard by the time I get the avionics kit, and those do not have a long wait time either.
Tom Delaney said:
Carl,

I know the feeling as I will be faxing in my order tomorrow!

I sit here debating if I should order the wing kit at the same time. A quick phone call to Van's yesterday told me the present lead time for the wing and fuselage kits are 9-10 weeks out. Sleepless night ahead!

I admire your tenacity in the decision process. I tend to settle in to my final choice rather quickly but feel quite comfortable after reading all the great information put forth on this website.

Enjoy the build. I know I will.

Tom
Click to expand...
 
We dropped our order in on the first of the month. Still waiting for our kit number etc. For savings on freight we ordered the wings, fuselage, and tail feathers at one time. Expecting it to ship in early May due to parts shortage.

We have a 4 person building team and a dedicated 2 car garage. Tools (Cleaveland) will be here soon, EAA sheet metal class in 12 days.
 
I had my serial number for a couple of months and did not know it. Any piece of correspondence you get that has a "Customer Number" is actually your serial number. My customer number was 120461 for instance.
 
Curious.. I faxed in my order today.. do they usually email you at some point or call you after receiving the order to give you an approximate delivery date?

Thanks Carl
 
Carl,

Last year I faxed in an order for the RV-10 tail and never received a reply until the freight company called to set up a delivery time for the following day.

Don,

If I receive good news from my accountant concerning taxes in the next few days I may order as you suggest. One option would be to get the tail coming first to get started and then order the next two kits together. I just cleared the shop of the RV-10 tail with the sale to be completed in the next day or two so I am chomping at the bit to get started. I got some good experience from the -10 and have built a helicopter so I feel prepared for this journey. A recent medical issue led me to the LSA world but I feel it is the type of flying I will enjoy at this stage.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Tom
 
New Builders, Blog your Build!

Blogging why you build is a useful and rewarding experience:

- It will help you put your work in perspective

- It may help other builders as you are helped by others blogs

- One fellow builder warned me by looking at my blog that I had made a mistake: priceless! (I was building two left flapperons!)

- If you have a problem you want to discuss, document and illustrate, it provides a convenient link to post on VAF Forum

- Your family & friends will keep bugging you about where you are in your project: give them the link to your blog! :cool:

- and I kept the best for last: the bragging factor, Man! :D

... I also suspect that some fellows use their blog as a substitute for going to a shrink but this is another story. :eek:
 
newamiga said:
Curious.. I faxed in my order today.. do they usually email you at some point or call you after receiving the order to give you an approximate delivery date?

Thanks Carl
Click to expand...

The Van's order and admin staff are the best. I would wait a few days and then call them. I certainly cannot speak for them, but I get the feeling they like to get to know their customers and help them over the phone also. They can give you the approximate shipping date then, and your builder number. It has been my experience the shipping date is accurate.

Time to get your shop ready for action!
 
Welcome to the group, Carl!

I watched your decision process and saw myself in you as I was going through the same thoughts a year ago. I, too, liked the S-19 a lot, particularly as I was and am still flying a S-12S. It finally came down to ease of build and support, uncertainty of ELSA paperwork availability through RANS and, most importantly, the lmited traval capability due to high empty weight.

Now, get the shop ready, make some storage room and let the journey begin!
 
Serial Number

Got my serial number today from Van's 513. They expect to ship the empennage kit in the next couple days. I think I am going to go ahead and order the wing kit next week too as they are still on a 8 week lead time for the wing and fuselage kits.
 
Welcome, newamiga and Dan Wright, I'm sure you will enjoy the build process! We've got nothing but good things to say about the kit and Vans staff.

I never considered an experimental AC until I saw my hangar neighbor working on RV12 #177. We ended up partners, finished the plane and enjoyed it so much we now have another kitplane on order. Have fun
 
Thanks Gary...we are the foursome who came up to see you a while back.

Is your plane back from the paint shop yet?
 
Empennage Kit scheduled for delivery tomorrow!

Ok now I am really getting excited. Got the call from Fedex Freight today and the empennage kit delivers tomorrow. My wife gets the fun of taking the delivery. I am going to go for a flying lesson and work.. really need to get this sport pilot cert knocked out :) I have been watching the homebuilt help DVD's a couple times to try to get ready for the build. I am sure that reality of doing it myself will not be quite as easy as they make most of it look in the videos but I am sure happy to see those video examples.

I have taken the other advice here and ordered the wing kit to get in the queue. I also have a builders blog set up. It is kind of sad at this stage as it has only 3 posts. I am looking forward to populating it soon with build posts!

http://carlsrv12.blogspot.com/
 
Carl, congrats on the first delivery. Very clever of you to have you to have your wife receive the shipment. All part of the Master Plan, I'm sure. Will you be asking her to fill out the avionics order, knowing she'll want that 2nd 10" screen? <g>

Have fun and think of those of us who are in life's queue behind you...

Jack
 
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