Van's Air Force
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RV-12is Pre-buy in Texas
- Thread starter thahn65
- Start date
By any chance was that built by one of the TangoFlight programs? I own one such plane myself, at TX42. Picked it up in Georgetown, TX in 2019. Great plane.
John - sure is, been a great experience so far! Do you have any lessons learned about taking ownership? New to airplane ownership - almost all my flying has been for someone else (Coast Guard & Corporate)
Mine was painted at Rose-Wood Aircraft Completions (rose-wood.com) in Mena, Arkansas. They did an excellent job. I think there are several paint shops on the field. Don't know the cost...it was included in the price I paid, and was done prior to my picking the plane up.
This is lengthy but worth reading. If you get down my way (TX42), will be glad to chat and go for a flight. If you'd like to talk by phone let me know.
- Be very certain the airworthiness certificate is for an E-LSA, not E-AB. Ask me how I know. I had to get that fixed. My FSDO was extremely helpful making that happen. Turns out that even though I had a certificate, the DAR had *never filed the paperwork*, and the cert was incorrect. My FSDO contact had to chase down the DAR and was beyond helpful.
- Make sure you see a transponder inspection in the logbook. I showed up to pick up the plane and one wasn't done. It got done on the field before I left.
- Make sure you get the plans for *that* aircraft *at the time you pick it up*.
- Take off the cowling and inspect for any fluid leaks. While you're there, check for completion of the SB for exhaust flat springs.
- Check clearance of exhaust pipe to cowling.
- Verify all SBs are up to date. Make a list in advance and go thru every single one. Recent ones include the new HIC module, ignition module/arduino, stabilator reinforcement, exhaust flat springs, tailcone clips. Some of these are a fair amount of work...don't take that on as they should be done.
- Get some ADSB reports for the plane's recent flights. You can do that now. Mine didn't show any. Turns out a cable was not connected. This was fixed before pickup.
- Obviously, make sure you get the logbooks.
- Get the prop balanced if not already done, if one is not shown in logbook.
- Do NOT expect to have to change transponder modes (standby, etc) manually. Don't make manual changes to anything but squawk code. Mode changes are automatic. I screwed that up on the flight home and tower advised me it was not working...my bad.
- Expect the Garmin databases to be out of date. Not a big deal.
- Get ownership of the plane in Van's records changed to you once you have the bill of sale, etc, and setup a Vans account.
- Register with Rotax and Garmin (the display and all the parts). Get the System ID of the display. You'll need that to get an account at flygarmin.com and to get a database subscription.
- Make sure you get the packing list from SteinAir for the avionics. It'll have all the part numbers, etc. Yea, you can get most of that from the display, but get the paperwork.
- Get the beacon ID from the ELT. Do that ahead of time or at pickup. Can be a pain to get to.
- Register the ELT with NOAA when you get home. It probably isn't registered now.
- Consider getting your LSRM-I certificate for that aircraft. Enables you to signoff on your own condition inspections. I took the Rainbow Aviation course four months before I picked up the plane, then did the thing with the FSDO subsequent to taking delivery.
- Get the Vans towbar. It's pricey now but I use mine all the time.
- Order spare keys from Vans.
- Order tiedown bolts from Vans.
- Order a Koger shade if one's not installed. You'll be glad you did. I negotiated that with my purchase.
- Get a canopy cover from Bruce's.
- Get or make a pitot tube cover. I got mine from Amazon, but I don't see them there any more.
- Don't bother carrying a quart of oil around. I was used to carrying 2 when I owned a C182. Have not had to add oil in 4 1/2 years.
- Have them show you how to burp the engine.
- If you plan on burning 100LL, get a bottle of Decalin. For mogas, I picked up three 5-gal fuel jugs. They get a lot of use. I've gone thru 520 gal of Exxon Premium and 125 gal of 100LL. Oh, and the plane also loves UL94, but had to find.
- It's a castering nose-wheel, which takes getting used to. Just get some transition training or fly with someone who has -12 time. It's easy to get used to and you'll love it.
- Small oil leak. A connection to the oil cooler was hand tight. Easy fix.
- Fuel smell in cabin before flight. A little tightening of a fitting between the seats fixed that.
- Canopy latch warning goes off unexpectedly. I've fiddled with it off and on and it keeps recurring. I finally taped the switch closed. One day I'll deal with it.
- Autopilot not configured correctly. Experienced runaway trim occasionally. I actually pulled the fuse on it the first time it happened. The AP was set to control trim, which is not correct. If set there, it expects to see a GSA 28 servo, but ours are Ray Allens. Easily fixed, but it took me time to research and figure it out.
- Be prepared to enjoy a fuel-sipping engine. I keep track of every drop I've put in. Over 210 hours, I've burned an average of 3.4 gal/hour in the Rotax iS.
- The fuel remaining shown at the bottom of the left column of the display tops out at 15. That's just the way it is. So even with 20 gal on board, it'll show 15. Once you get below 15 actual, it's very accurate.
- That display entry will show 2 when the mechanical gauge shows E. When at E, there's fuel left...1.5 gal or more, but for gosh sake's don't let it get there. If my gauge hits 1/4 I'm done. I've drained and filled the tank in steps to get some of this data.
- The "Fuel Used" in the display is almost exactly 10% less than actual. All the research I've done seems to indicate that's just the way it is. Not a big deal.
- The mechanical fuel gauge is pretty accurate.
Be prepared for your significant other to think you're high when you get home. My wife called it aviation crack. I absolutely love the plane and would buy again. I mentor at a local high school that participates in the TangoFlight build program. I tell the kids I'm a senior now (my 4th year as a volunteer). We're midway thru a second build now.
Some more thoughts, kind of obvious and not trying to talk down to you.
- Be aware of Garmin's ESP (Electronic Stability and Protection). Know how to turn it on and off. If you try to do stalls or some other maneuvers, it could kick in and you'll be fighting the autopilot. On the first flight of the first build of our program, it was on (by default), and the pilot had a heck of a time handling the plane. He didn't snap to ESP being the cause.
- The LVL button can be a best buddy. If I need to reach for my phone to take a pic or look at Foreflight, it's very handy.
- Make and keep a schedule: condition inspection, oil change, ELT and transponder inspection, ELT battery replacement, ELT registration renewal, 5-year hose replacement, etc. That's all on you now. I was co-owner in 2 different C182s, and everyone just expected things to be done by magic. I'm the guy who got stuck managing all of it.
- If not performing the condition inspection yourself, schedule it 2-3 months in advance...maybe even more. Shops get busy. Find an A&P who's Rotax-qualified.
I'll probably remember more stuff as soon as I post this ...
You might want to post this in the RV-12 forum as well.
scottmillhouse
Well Known Member
All the recommendations are good but go fly a 12. I've done a few first flights and they basically all fly the same (sweet) if built as an E-LSA. Take note of stabilator trim position to insure no unexpected pitch.
csmith3603
Active Member
All these want to be experts did not say anything about checking the Rotax 912 Engine History with a B.U.D.S Dianostics
It’s a brand new engine from a teen build program.
John,
Thanks for the awesome insights - I’ve flown about 5.5 hours in a RV-12is SLA and took the Garmin Experimental G3X course - and will bring a great CFI with me to do the flight checkout - all the areas on what to look for and post admin items are so HELPFUL!! Thank you!!
Thanks for the awesome insights - I’ve flown about 5.5 hours in a RV-12is SLA and took the Garmin Experimental G3X course - and will bring a great CFI with me to do the flight checkout - all the areas on what to look for and post admin items are so HELPFUL!! Thank you!!
Thanks Scott - will do
Hello John (@jcl777),
I'm seriously considering purchasing one of Tango Flight's aircraft that will become available later this year, but I still have some hesitation.
@jcl777, could you give your opinion of the overall quality and the attention to detail of the finished aircraft when you got it? The ones I'm considering will be made in Wichita, or California. Have you seen other aircraft from the program? Do you think quality should be consistent across different builds?
The one I am being offered will not be painted, so I'll have to do that after the fact, which I'm ok with since it will at least give me some freedom on the design.
Finally, I am planning to make it IFR-capable so I can use it for IFR/Commercial training. Does anybody know if I can get the center instrument panel plate from Vans precut to accommodate the GTN 650Xi? I might add the second G3X screen or a self-contained G5 depending on budget.
Tony (@thahn65), good luck with your delivery, I believe you aircraft is getting certified this week, how exciting! By the way, do you happen to know which tail number your are getting?
I'm seriously considering purchasing one of Tango Flight's aircraft that will become available later this year, but I still have some hesitation.
@jcl777, could you give your opinion of the overall quality and the attention to detail of the finished aircraft when you got it? The ones I'm considering will be made in Wichita, or California. Have you seen other aircraft from the program? Do you think quality should be consistent across different builds?
The one I am being offered will not be painted, so I'll have to do that after the fact, which I'm ok with since it will at least give me some freedom on the design.
Finally, I am planning to make it IFR-capable so I can use it for IFR/Commercial training. Does anybody know if I can get the center instrument panel plate from Vans precut to accommodate the GTN 650Xi? I might add the second G3X screen or a self-contained G5 depending on budget.
Tony (@thahn65), good luck with your delivery, I believe you aircraft is getting certified this week, how exciting! By the way, do you happen to know which tail number your are getting?
Quality was very good. Mine was built in Wichita, KS. Each of the schools is obviously independent of any other. I can only comment on mine, plus the one we finished locally a year ago in Porter, TX, which was excellent.
The only thing I forgot to mention previously was to look at the fit and finish of the cowling and canopy. A lot of time is spent fitting those cowling halves, and on the fiberglass work for the canopy.
The only thing I forgot to mention previously was to look at the fit and finish of the cowling and canopy. A lot of time is spent fitting those cowling halves, and on the fiberglass work for the canopy.
