$ OUCH!
Surprise, surprise ... my first annual inspection (plus 100 hour Rotax Inspection) takes 5 1/2 weeks and still counting and will cost about $3,000.00. Approximately 1/2 of the expense was Service Bulletin #11-12-14. As you know, this bulletin was issued December 14, 2011 in response to an exceptionally, unfortunate hard landing of an RV-12, when a breach of the RV-12's 20 gallon fuel tank occured ... but having built my plane as an ELSA, I believed I did not have to comply.
The FAA refered me to document AC65-32 to back up my case for non-compliance. Lockwood Aviation, my FBO performing the annual inspection disagree with their interpretation and insisted the Special Bulletin had to be performed... Perhaps, if I had taken the ELSA Repairman's Course ... and was performing the annual myself ... I could have decided to practice my landings instead of upgrading my fuel tank.
But many months ago, I decided my building days were behind me ... and only piloting days were in my future. I'm now realizing the only way to save money in aviation is "once you're a builder, you're a builder for life" ... not my intentions.
In all my years of association with Lockwood Aviation, they have always been 100% professional and fair on in the care and feeding of my Rotax 912ULS and repair of my RV-12 as well as my Sport Pilot Certification. So I ordered the $20.00 gas tank repair kit which arrived about a week later. Upon the arrival of the repair kit and the susequent removal of my perfectly good non-upgraded gas tank ... it was determined it would cost more to perform the upgrade than to order a new, completely assembled gas tank from Van's Aircraft The new fully assembled tank cost $755.00 plus about $100.00 for shipping and took another week of waiting for the new tank to arrive ... It just arrived this morning.
I won't share my personal feeling about SB #11-12-14 ... I'm the furthest thing from an aeronautical engineer ... I just have my common sense to guide me ... I do know my cross-country to AirVenture 2012 will have to be put on hold for another year since my plane won't be done till next week sometime.
Disappointed and broke in Sarasota, FL ...