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RV-12 Builders Conducting Own First Flight...

I did mine. I had kit number 18. At the time I was ready, there was no RV-12 transition training available.

My previous 400+ hours had been in a C-150. I spent a few hours in an Evektor Sportstar and a few in a Tecnam Sierra to at least have some LSA time. I also spent some extra dual time going over emergency procedures and locating local places suitable for emergency landings. The first flight went very well and all was great.

That said, if I had the opportunity I would have loved to get a few hours with Mike Seager, or at least in an actual RV-12.
 
I did mine too. I describe exactly how it went in a YouTube video. Not trying to promote the video, just want to give you the info, so go to the 57:13 mark in the video, which is where I cover the first flight. The link is below, best of luck!!

https://youtu.be/Ch4lyqv1IcQ
 
I did mine with no issue. I had been flying ~250 hours a year in a twin engine airplane and made a couple attempts to get time in an RV12 first for familiarization, but it just didn’t work out.

I won’t downplay the importance of transition training, however, with 30+ years of flying in so many different airplanes, I think the RV12 is the simplest powered airplane to fly I’ve ever flown.

I do recommend heeding Van’s advice and not attempt “high speed taxiing”. Certainly go taxi around and do all of the ground testing and become familiar with the braking and steering, but when you decide to go fly, use the longest runway you have on a calm day and just go. A critical phase is at first lift off: stay in ground effect and manipulate the controls to ensure positive operation (better to find a problem near the ground), and then just climb out and follow the PAP. Easy peasy. If you think anything is abnormal on takeoff, just pull the power back and stop, go check it out and start over. If you feel pressured to go, then just don’t; phone a friend.

Here’s my first flight for some inspiration. Fast forward to ~8 min for the take off. https://youtu.be/NjS8LDEWnPk

Note the ground effect control check. I didn’t go do the whole first flight as my wife wanted to be there, (which I don’t recommend), so I just did a quick trip around the patch to call it good and come back in to check out the airplane. And then did all of my flight testing after that.

I want to add that the hardest part for me so far has been getting slowed down for final. I am so used to coming in at 120KT and touching down at 95, so slowing to 65 and touching down at ~55 is so weird, but I’m getting there... the -12 will make you look like a rock star on landing squeaking the mains on and then you can old the nose off for a very long time (until ~41KT for me).
 
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Did first flight for a 12 built by another. New owner bought it completed but unflown and I did the test flight and subsequent fly off period.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYb5D8AfDyw

The early turn is because it is a shared airfield - ultralights and gliders.

Our first 12 is now completed and I was doing taxi runs yesterday - now waiting for the paperwork so test flight imminent !

Second is having its avionics fitted, then it will be test 2 time !
 
I did mine - -

Since you don't know where the trim should be set for sure, be very sure it is working properly before actual first flight. You will need to adjust it once the wheels come off the runway. First time I flew, it went very well, but wanted to climb too much, so a quick trim down corrected it in 2 seconds. All went very well. Don't try in serious winds. I did it very late afternoon with friends standing close by.
 
I did mine as well. I had a friend who let me fly his -12 for a couple of hours before I flew mine. Not real transition training but was really useful and let me get used to a lower approach and landing speed than I was used to.

re. T.O. trim position, saw something that advised setting the T.O. trim so the trailing edge of the AST was 2" above the trailing edge of the stabilator when the stab was in the full up position. Worked perfectly.
 
I did mine also. I had 400 hrs in my RV7A. Insurance wanted a sign off from an instructor. Did my BFR with him in his RV12. Felt very comfortable with the first flight.

TO trim is very important on this plane. Make sure to follow Vans instructions
 
First flight

I got transition training with Jetguy in the Dallas area a couple of weeks before my first flight. Ended up with about 9 hours with John. We did things in his -12 that had only been talked about during PPL training. I had about 130 hours total at the time. When I left Dallas I knew exactly what the -12, AND I could do. First flight, with my wife watching was a enjoyable and rewarding experience. I also had found the take off trim setting suggestion, probably from TomKK, and it was about perfect for my plane. With just 11 gallons of fuel and me solo, the prop set up for climb, the deck angle at best rate was awesome! Climb rate was 1200-1300 fpm. You can do it, get some transition training. If you have the training and the confidence, go for it.
 
Tacco -

I flew the bird for the first flight and it was quite a rewarding experience. However, I did spend quite a bit of time receiving transition training at Scanlon Aviation in Novato California to REALLY get to know the RV-12 in preparation for the first flight.

Since you are close to Van's, would suggest you ask them about receiving some transition training.

The only thing that took me by surprise during my first flight was how fast the RV-12 got off the ground. All my transition training had been performed during hot California sun baked days and at near gross weight. So when I took my first flight on a crisp 48 degree day with a gentle breeze down the runway the RV-12 got off the ground surprisingly quick.

Also, as others have mentioned, make sure you verify that the take off trim position is set during the Dynon (or Garmin) trim motor calibration process. You don't want any surprises. Based on a tip here in the forums, my anti-servo tab was adjusted so the takeoff AST trim position was 1 7/8" measured as Tom stated above ... that seemed to work out OK for me (may have to try 2" out of curiosity). Prior to the first flight, I made sure the measurement was set correctly and did not touch the trim switch until the bird was in the air. (Interestingly, for landing with full flaps you will likely find yourself adjusting the trim to about the same position used for takeoff).

Enjoy your new bird,
 
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At least one RV-12 crashed on takeoff because the trim was set to climb. The airplane jumped off the ground, climbed steeply, stalled and nosed into the runway. Another crashed when the pilot was distracted by an unlatched canopy. Fly the plane. It will fly just fine with the canopy open. The hardest part for me on first flight was managing the energy: altitude and airspeed. I went around 3 times before getting it slowed down enough to land. The RV-12 will float.
 
I bought a flying 12 with a partner and had a 1/2 hour transition from the builder. Just had to get use to lower performance and more float than other RV. First flight for the new one I built and a first flight for a friend's were no brainers. If built per Vans, they all fly the same. I did take care to fly a 12 just before the first flight in the new ones and to make sure the trim matched at the tail regardless to what was shown on the Dynon to make sure of no abrupt climbs.

I also transitioned a couple of pilots in my plane. Both had a hard time getting use to the slower approach speed required for a 12 not to float. You need to get about 50 landings in at a long paved runway to gain enough experience and comfort to drop her into a short grass strip. Until you gain experience you will not realize how much field your using. I let one builder have my hanger to do first flight and gain that experience before he moved to his home grass field.
 
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Interesting discussion...

When I did the flight test on the 12 some years ago, it had a D180.

Ours have Skyview HDX's. We were finishing the calibrations today and the trim intrigued me. Set full down, set full up, set neutral :rolleyes:

Where is neutral ?

I have probably missed a really straight forward instruction, however it would be good to have a simple measurement from full down to full up and neutral on the stabilator. Our jets at work have trimmable stabilisers but they have a zero reference point we check on the walk round. Would be quite simple to ascertain a neutral point so you could put a daub on the fuselage for flight test purposes.

Scott ..... ?
 
I did my first flight. The only surprise was it does not like to shed speed quickly unlike my Cherokee. I did one go around before I got a stabilized approach and landed.
 
... The only surprise was it does not like to shed speed quickly ...

My ground idle was originally set at 1800 RPM and it was real hard to slow down. Now I set my ground idle to 1550 - 1600 and that really helped. IIRC, that put the idle RPM at 60 kts at around 2100 or 2200. Still doesn't slow down easily and will float if I don't get it slowed down but it did help. I'm careful not to taxi or let it actually idle below 1800.
 
I did mine. My comment to my wife when I got back was that it flew just like my old Alon A2 on steroids. Wow!! What a kick!!

360 hours and counting............Tom
 
I did mine, after transition training

with Mike Seager. Highly valuable and strong preparation for going it alone. As others have said, be comfortable with trim and managing energy. On mine, I was not ready for a heavy right wing and this distracted me a bit but all's well that ends well. Pick a calm day.
 
+1 for Mike Seager. As a former Mooney driver, my the first flight in my -12 was a non event thanks to Mike.
 
I?ve done 4 First flights in my homebuilts over the years. The first in a WAR FW-190 I built. I remember as it lifted off the thought went through my mind: you're in it now! I told that story to a friend with a MiG-15. He told me when he first lifted off solo his thought was: what have I done! Moral of these stories is that it?s OK to be apprehensive on that first flight!😁
 
I think it really depends on the type of flying experience you have, I participated in mine as I used the FAAs rule that allowed two to be present during first flight. The friend I had with me had a ton of experience in different planes, and in different scenarios as a pretty seasoned CFI. With two of you, it?s easy to split the workload if you have to deal with a problem etc.
 
I did mine. I received translation training from Jetguy which not only familiarized me with the flight controls of the RV12, but operating suggestions of the Rotax engine and some details of final construction ideas. The time in make and model also made the insurance company happy.

I had over a 1000 hours in an RV6 prior to the 12 but it does operate differently and getting the training was complimented by most, but some acted surprised based on my prior experience. I?m glad I received the training and it made the first flight a non-event.
 
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