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Build Measurements

Cth6

Well Known Member
Doing some calculations to make sure I have enough space to get most of the build done at home. Plenty of space during the build sessions (3 car garage), but only can use 1 bay to store plane at night as all cars have to be off the street in my community at night. Kids get driveway and we park two in the garage. To put a Florida garage in perspective, a two car garage means you can fit two average cars in, but forget about trying to open the door to get out of the car.

Is there a scale drawing somewhere of the -12?

I found most of the dimensions I was looking for, but can't find tip of pitot to back of tailcone assembly. This looks like the longest the 12 needs to be before a final assembly at the field. Figure the tail surfaces can be trial fit and then removed until final assembly

Thanks

CT
 
Mine is 221 in. to end of tailbone excl stab and rudder. I didn't delay quite this long but you prob could hold off attaching tailbone until you got to hanger. Not a lot of stuff to do back there after attachment. I temporarily attached it fairly early to make sure I got it right but removed it until way late in the build.
 
built mine in a one car garage. Wings and tail feathers lived in the house for more than a year. Lot's of stuff hanging from the ceiling. it was tight but it can be done.
 
Hanging is going to be limited in my garage. 8' ceiling height.

Plan is to keep the tailcone in the corner of the garage while I build the wings. Once wings are done, both tailcone and wings will make it down the street to the local storage (10x15) unit. Complete most of the fuselage, finish kit, Avionics and engine. Mate the tailcone to the fuselage. Finalize the build and then move to the airport.

Unfortunately only options I have found for hangars in the short term are shade hangars or community hangars in my area. I have found a few T-hangars starting at $600/mo at KORL. I would have to drive 60+ mins to get to a place that has private hangars under $300.
 
Wings Last

This subject is one of many opinions.

I built my wings after the fuselage kit and I have a large working area.
The wings are always in the way and not needed until the end of the build, There are easy to build and go pretty fast. ( if you don't build wing tanks )

If I was building in a small place I would built the wings after the fuselage is complete and engine is installed.

You can roll the aircraft outside and work on the wings or take the aircraft to the hanger and build the wings at home.

My View

Joe Dallas
 
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I thought there were a few steps in the fuselage build that required the wings to be complete to template off of.
 
Build order

It's probably best to follow Van's order of build as that is probably the easiest way to do it. You have a space problem for sure but you can build it out of order with just a few induced problems.

My tail cone has resided in my living room for more than a year. I am currently working on the fuselage. Wings are finished. There will be another build in my future and even with my two car garage, I have a space problem. So, the order of build in my next build will be #1, fuselage as complete as I can make it. #2, emp and #3 wings.

I'd build the front of the fuselage complete (engine and electronics included), then the empenage, then the tail cone, then the wings. This would reduce the storage space required as I build. ymmv
 
Build the wings last

You need to order the W-1207A and the W-1207B Spar doublers with the fuselage kit
Just ask Barbara at Vans to include them.

This is the only thing you need to order.


This is the only thing you need to build the wings last.

There is no problem to build the wings last and you won't need to protect and store them for over a year.

My View

Joe Dallas






I thought there were a few steps in the fuselage build that required the wings to be complete to template off of.
 
I built my wings last and I did exactly what Joe suggested.

I also completed my plane using one bay of a three car garage, in mine I was able to have the vertical and horizontal stabilizer attached. It is well worth it, you will get so much done in a short space of time having access to the bulld at home.

I used wooden saw horses from Home Depot (cheap) to make temporary work surfaces that I could move around, worked out great.

I did use a spare room to store everything so I had a clutter free work area.
 
This subject is one of many opinions.

If I was building in a small place I would built the wings after the fuselage is complete and engine is installed.

You can roll the aircraft outside and work on the wings or take the aircraft to the hanger and build the wings at home.

My View

Joe Dallas

Are you suggesting Empennage -> Fuselage -> Finnish Kit and THEN Wings? :confused:
My understanding is the gear, wheels and engine mount are part of the Finnish Kit. You can't mount the engine and roll it without those...
 
Wings Last

Yes

Empennage -> Fuselage -> Finnish Kit -> Engine -> Avionics and Then the Wings.
Or Empennage and Wings Last

Finish the complete Fuselage then the wings.

Joe Dallas


Are you suggesting Empennage -> Fuselage -> Finnish Kit and THEN Wings? :confused:
My understanding is the gear, wheels and engine mount are part of the Finnish Kit. You can't mount the engine and roll it without those...
 
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Are you suggesting Empennage -> Fuselage -> Finnish Kit and THEN Wings? :confused:
My understanding is the gear, wheels and engine mount are part of the Finnish Kit. You can't mount the engine and roll it without those...

If I were going modify the order for build space reasons I guess I'd get both the Fuselage and Finish kits together. Most of the parts are relatively small and easy to store except the canopy, rear window and cowling. That represents a huge amount of the build. Then I'd add the Engine and Avionics kits. I'd probably do the Wings next to get the Flapperon linkage in the aft fuselage right and the Empennage last.
 
update coming ?

This may be ok if he is a quick builder, however the finish kit may have updates if he waits until he finishes the fuselage kit.

I think there is a change in the wiring harness update coming if he is to use Garmin avionics .

This change may even effect the Empennage kit.

Joe Dallas




If I were going modify the order for build space reasons I guess I'd get both the Fuselage and Finish kits together. Most of the parts are relatively small and easy to store except the canopy, rear window and cowling. That represents a huge amount of the build. Then I'd add the Engine and Avionics kits. I'd probably do the Wings next to get the Flapperon linkage in the aft fuselage right and the Empennage last.
 
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This may be ok if he is a quick builder, however the finish kit may have updates if he waits until he finishes the fuselage kit.

I think there is a change in the wiring harness update coming if he is to use Garmin avionics .

This change may even effect the Empennage kit.

Joe Dallas
Yeah, that's true. At least for me, the Fuselage & Finish kits were about 25% each of my total build time. Van's shows the lead time for both of those is about 8 weeks. I guess you could use that to estimate when to order the Finish kit so it would arrive near the time it was needed in the build sequence.
 
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