How to get RV-12 thru a double door?

Hi everyone,
I am strongly considering building an RV12 for my 2nd aircraft project (1st one was a RANS S6ES). I have purchased a large (12? x 20?) storage room in the underground of my condo which would be used for this purpose if I decide to proceed. The storage room currently has a single door and I have to blow it away and install a double door in its place in order to accommodate larger objects. I have done some research but so far have not found an answer to some questions that I need answered before I go ahead with the new door install such as;
1. Tail width - Regardless of the exact opening width of my double door I?m sure the RV12 tail (8? wide?) will not fit through it ? how much work is it to remove and install the stabilator? Is removing it something that is not recommended on a casual basis (i.e. should be done only if repair needed)?
2. Landing gear width - I read somewhere that the distance between the outside edges of the tires is 7?. Can someone give me an exact measurement? If I have to remove the wheels/axles/brakes to get the plane out of the storage room or even the landing gear itself, is this a major hassle? A standard double door width in my condo appears to be only about 66-3/4? although there is one set of doors with a 70-3/4? opening, still a far cry from 7?. One person in an RV12 forum said he pulled the wheels closer by using a ratcheting device, any comments on this idea?
3. Crazy idea? ? I welcome comments about whether the whole idea of building an RV12 in a 12? x 20? room is a sensible idea or if I?m really asking for a lot of pain. I have no intention of ever buying a house so it?s either this or nothing.
Thank you for any help, much appreciated.

My experience

My garage is wide enough, but right around 20 feet deep. The completed fuselage, with empenage and tailcone attached, and the prop spinner and pitot installed, was just a couple of feet too long to fit in the allotted 20 feet. With the empanage installed, and your wings hanging on arach, things are a bit tight in a 12-foot room, but manageable.

I would install the empennage when before getting the firewall forward, get everything adjusted on the cables, etc. and then remove the empennage so that you have room (still tight to do the firewall forward. Then re-install the empennage at the airport. Removal/re-installing is few hours of aggravating work, diddling around with difficult to place washers, etc., but nothing that major.

As far as the gear goes, getting things wheeled through a 6-foot double door most likely won't work. I haven't measured just how wide the landing gear is without the the wheel/brake assemblies installed--if the width without the assemblies was less than the door width, you would have to figure some way of wheeling the fuselage out without wheels. If the gear legs were removed (another hour or two of grief), you might push it out using some moving dollies--just a bit tricky getting over the threshold bump.

I see no real boat-in-the basement problems here--some dis-assembly/creativity required, but nothing that a little creativity, and visits to Lowe/s aerospace can't solve.

Build what you can in the space. I have not yet installed the emp (even the first time) and I'll be starting the finish kit soon. What I can't or don't want to do at in the garage will all come together later or at the airport.

Currently both wings & flaperons are sitting in my kitchen /great room. NOTE my father-in-law thinking one down, one to go:



The tailcone is hanging from the ceiling in the garage, using swimming pool floaties and rope:



The emp is wrapped in blankets in the office/bedroom/storage (I don't know where to put this) room. (No pictures I'd get killed)

Right now the fuse is setting on the finish crate kit while its being built.







I didn't want to put everything together yet. Others have said it's easier to do the wiring and fuel lines before you put the tailcone on. I've built the roll bar but not mounted it for that reason as well. Eventually before I move to the airport I'll put as much together as I can.

I'm going to wait on the dual screen systems to become available so that means holding off on the wiring as well. There's a trickle down effect here, in that I can't do the upper fuse until I'm set on the panel and I can't do the canopy until the upper fuse is done and...

The tailcone stood up on its end might make an interesting art piece in your living room (set on foam to protect the end). Emp parts can be hung on walls. If you haven't already, join the local EAA chapter, someone may have enough hanger room to allow some hanging parts there. Many EAA chapters have EAA hangers where you can rent/use space. You can work through the lower fuse (don't put on the roll bar - but you can build it!) without any issues. Just keep everything separate and put it all together in the end.

The tailcone at its widest part is about 35"x 40". The lower fuse when stood on its side is 22" wide.

The point is you can do it, you just need to be creative.

Bob

Welcome to VAF!

Jerry, welcome aboard the good ship VAF

Door

Hi there,

I have pretty much the same issue than you. I'm building in the basement and the basement door is not wide enough to get RV 8a out, when on its gear. I built the complete fuselage and empanage in the basement. The empanage was just removed, since it is now ready for painting.

For getting the plane out of the basement I have welded together a simple temporary gear, which is much narrower than the original gear and will fit through the door. So, besides final assembly of main gear, wings and empanage I can do everything in the basement.

Thilo

You do not have to final-mount the HS until you move to the airport. I put it on during the construction process once, then took it off, then left it off until after the fuselage was painted. I put it back on and don't intend to take it off again. (Will use an endoscope for the HS rib SB.) It was painted in pieces before flying, see this thread.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=67760

With tires on and full, the distance on mine was 7 feet. Had to squeeze just a bit on the transport trailer (maybe a half inch) because the wheel wells projected up into the trailer bed and the distance between them was exactly 7 feet.

I saw some of the Eagles Nest (high school students building RV12s) rolling one down the school hallway with the wheels and tires off (to make it narrower), but the gear legs attached to a 2x4 with casters underneath.

Thank you for your responses guys. According to your feedback I have gathered that it is a lot of work to remove and install the stabilator and gear legs but that it can be done in any case. It doesn't sound like it's something I would want to be doing on a regular basis i.e. when I store the plane every fall and haul it back to the airport in the spring so I'm going to see if I can make my door opening 8ft wide which I then hope would preclude having to remove those items.

Frankly though, whenever I read someone's blog on building an RV12 it scares the pants off me despite my having built a RANS Coyote before. I enjoy putting together a kit a/c as long as the frustration level is kept fairly low but that's not the impression I'm getting with the RV12...

I think you are getting an incorrect idea of its complexity. Compared to other kits, I would rate the RV12 tops in having no surprises. I often tell people it is designed to be assembled by a lonely housewife with pliers and screwdriver!

First time builder. It is EASY! We are all just whiners about the least little thing? The HS is no big deal to take off and put on with a couple of people. You have some finicky stuff with washers. If you have ever worked on a car or washing machine or something like that, you will have been more frustrated than in building a 12.

Bill_H said:

First time builder. It is EASY! We are all just whiners about the least little thing? The HS is no big deal to take off and put on with a couple of people. You have some finicky stuff with washers. If you have ever worked on a car or washing machine or something like that, you will have been more frustrated than in building a 12.

Click to expand...

Yeah I've worked on many vehicles in extremely tight spaces and I have always found that as long as you have the right tools you can do almost any job once you figure out the "tricks" required.

The worst thing I found about my RANS Coyote is that there were so many parts that didn't fit and I had to spend countless hours filing metal to make them fit. These were parts that I felt should have been produced at the factory with greater care but was simply left to the builder to modify to make them fit rather than just assemble. I swore after that I would never buy another RANS kit. I hope the RV12 is not like that should I decide to purchase one.

Want to be entertained? Want to have a thorough understanding about building a -12? Read this blog. On the right you can download all entries in a chronological PDF for easy reading. http://www.schmetterlingaviation.com/

I read the blog as part of my pre-build decision. Glad I did. Also Marty Santic's blog. The newest kits have gotten rid of some of the minor glitches these blogs mention.

Also Tony T's excellent picture set.
http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV

And even my own build picture set gives a quick overview without being complicated. You can go all the way through in just a few minutes.
Public Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.151245628228677.26907.100000297210697&type=1&l=d038dc92ef

Bill_H said:

Want to be entertained? Want to have a thorough understanding about building a -12? Read this blog. On the right you can download all entries in a chronological PDF for easy reading. http://www.schmetterlingaviation.com/

I read the blog as part of my pre-build decision. Glad I did. Also Marty Santic's blog. The newest kits have gotten rid of some of the minor glitches these blogs mention.

Also Tony T's excellent picture set.
http://tonytessitore.smugmug.com/RV-12-Project-N577RV

And even my own build picture set gives a quick overview without being complicated. You can go all the way through in just a few minutes.
Public Link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.151245628228677.26907.100000297210697&type=1&l=d038dc92ef

Click to expand...

Thanks that looks very helpful!

Mr. Gamble's blog was one of the biggest influences in my decision to build a RV-12

if you need some motovation for building in tight spaces check out this guy who built a RV-3 *IN* his town house