Just sitting here on a rainy day thinking about my 12?

Just sitting here on a rainy day thinking about my 12...

I?m coming up on one-year ownership of the RV-12 that I bought as a retirement present for myself. I purchased the plane from the original builder with 48 TT. Maybe you followed some of my threads as I worked away thru the squawk list. I still need to do the landing gear and fuel tank SB?s which will be completed this winter. I?ve decided to install cherry rivets in the latest engine mount SB so it?s not recurring. A big thank you to VAF and the many kind folks who reach out to help others.

I?ve put 125 hours on the plane and it?s been an absolute joy to fly. I come from a background of 23 years of J-3 Cub ownership and now I?m finally moving up in the world. I thought I?d miss the Cub but never looked back. I used to fly the Cub with zero amenities - now I fly with flat screen color EFIS/EMS, moving map GPS, and mini iPad running ForeFlight which automatically updates my electronic logbook. Also have a flip/flop digital comm radio. Like my grandmother used to say ?such things they have today?. Old dog/new tricks?

I attended Rainbow Aviation Service?s LSA Repairman Inspection Course at AirVenture this summer so I?m now legally allowed to do my own condition inspections. This is a huge privilege and benefit of owning an ELSA. Also, while at AirVenture this summer I shook hands with Richard VanGrunsven and thanked him for his wonderfully designed Light Sport Aircraft. This has to be a near perfect marriage of airframe design for the Rotax 912 engine.

A non-aviation friend asked me the typical mpg question and I told him the RV-12 gets a little over 20 miles per gallon. He then asked how far the plane has traveled in the 170 TT since new. I never thought about it. I suppose the plane averages about 100 mph when you take into account ground operations and takeoff/landings. So 170 x 100 = 17,000 miles.

So for what its worth, I?m just sitting here on a rainy Saturday morning musing about the 12 and planning the next excursion...

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Nice story Jim, thanks for sharing. I am impatiently waiting for my Finish Kit, should have timed the order better. I have been without parts to work on for 4-5 weeks and going crazy! Wishing you blue skies ahead...Paul

I've often wished for a mileage totalizer in the Skyview. It has no real useful purpose other than a jee wiz out of curiosity number. It would be easy enough to do. I've tried some apps in my android tablet but haven't found anything that worked very well.

In the mean time, could you please send some of that rain this way?

No rain here. Just blue sky.

125 hours/17,000 NM is a respectable amount of flying. Good motivation.

Sorta doing the same as you, except only sun and blue sky here. Can you send us some of that rain please.

Using Foreflight Web to plan a flight in my RV-8 to Reno.

Chkaharyer99 said:

Using Foreflight Web to plan a flight in my RV-8 to Reno.

Click to expand...

I like the new "data-driven" map in FF. Pretty cool...

Yea, I just updated to the new Foreflight format. Starting to get used to it. The PC format doesn't work too well. I wish it was more like Skyvector.

I have to say, being a low time pilot, and flying back to Osh this year and experiencing your summer weather (low ceilings, rain, TS...). I'm very impressed you could log that many hours. I got ask, do you fly in the rain often?

I retired in 2015 and expected to do more flying. Your 125 hours challenges me to get out more. I wish I was closer to the hangar.