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RV-12 Formation Clinic June

Peterk

Well Known Member
KC Flight is having a formation clinic near Kansas City over the last weekend in June of this year. They have been kind enough to offer including RV12's if there are four interested aircraft/pilots. Because of the speed differences, a formation of 12's is much preferred over mixing aircraft in a training environment.

It is being held at LXT, Lee's Summit in Missouri. LXT is one of the few airports in the US that sells 93 Octane mogas for the 912ULS....plenty of opportunities to refuel while training.

Bill H. has expressed an interest so we currently have myself and maybe Bill. Please take a a serious look at this. It is not simply an opportunity to look like an airshow pilot. It is a chance to further develop the precision of your flying skills. Consider the benefit to be much the same as the precision that comes with an instrument rating where your VFR skills realize such an impact. And we all know, a precise pilot is a safer pilot.

Please....I will beg if that helps. Thank you.

You can find more info on the following thread in case you missed it.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=112209
 
I was thinking about the details of training a newbie in a -12 with the rotax. What does the rotax, with its gearbox, think about the continuous large rapid throttle changes that are always involved when teaching a newbie how to be IN? It seems to me that that wouldn't be very nice to the gearbox.
 
I was thinking about the details of training a newbie in a -12 with the rotax. What does the rotax, with its gearbox, think about the continuous large rapid throttle changes that are always involved when teaching a newbie how to be IN? It seems to me that that wouldn't be very nice to the gearbox.

I was priveledged to be able to fly one of the RV12's of the Eagles Nest project at Sun n Fun in formation with two other RV12's. All of us have considerable experience in formation and while not hard, it was work.

Light wing loading, low power and slower response of the FP prop all added up to busy hands.

I'm not saying it won't work, but for a beginner to learn formation flying in it will be a handful.

Add Steins sign off here..
 
There are -12s on the East Coast doing formation. I went to a formation clinic in Arkansas a few months ago. I did not fly my -12 in formation but rode along on 3 flights, right seat. A GREAT introduction. I had also done a lot of reading preparation before that.

I was able to get a good understanding of the sight picture in the various positions. I took video.

It was a very fun weekend.

On a later weekend I did some initial formation learning with a throttled-back RV7.

I intend to be at this one! C'mon, two more! Contact me via email (billhollifield AT iname DOT com) for the two books (PDF files) you should review beforehand.

Bill H.
RV12 N412BR "Sweetie."
 
I'm still interested to hear from someone that knows a whole lot more about the internals of that gearbox than I do. The power gyrations of learning to fly formation don't compute for me with any interest of it's long term health. Just a different beast that I'm guessing will require an adjustment of the newbie standard.
Yes, of course it it completely doable. With a bunch of experience and time, our throttle movements change from being measured in feet to 32nds of an inch. I'm thinking about new formation pilots showing up with an RV12 gearbox here.

Bill, I was the one that gave the 'newbie brief' that you sat in on for some of it. I was happy to have you there just consuming information like everybody else.
 
Formation in the RV-12 is a lot of fun. It's more like a slow motion ballet rather than the normal FFI flight experience. We've been doing quite a bit of it at Van's during testing and reposition flights for airshows. Just remember things happen more slowly and the aircraft have a might lighter wing loading.

For more info on sight pictures/reference lines, see this post/thread:

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=824053&postcount=23
 
Thank you Joe! Hopefully, your first-hand insight will encourage at least two more RV12 owners to join in. (are you sure you don't have a re-positioning scheduled for LXT?) Your persuasive comments are certainly appreciated. Maybe Bill and I need to have a telethon.
 
The last I heard, there were two (2) FFI Check Pilots and one (1) FFI Flight Lead that had volunteered to help RV-12 pilots that wanted to learn formation. The biggest problem has been getting four (4) RV-12s and their pilots together with the Formation Pilots to make it happen. KC Formation Clinic may be the first time that everything comes together to make it happen.
 
Four of a Kind?

Thanks to everyone's encouraging comments, we now have RV12 number three committed to the June clinic. Tom Delaney of St Louis is excited and wants to part of this unique event with his RV12. We still need a four. As mentioned in the previous thread, three FFI pilots (two checks and a lead) have volunteered to work with the RV12's...what an opportunity!

Four of a kind is hard to beat. Please consider. Thanks!
 
Thanks to everyone's encouraging comments, we now have RV12 number three committed to the June clinic. Tom Delaney of St Louis is excited and wants to part of this unique event with his RV12. We still need a four. As mentioned in the previous thread, three FFI pilots (two checks and a lead) have volunteered to work with the RV12's...what an opportunity!

Four of a kind is hard to beat. Please consider. Thanks!

Sounds like fun. Count me in as #4.
-Bruce
 
Bruce. That's terrific! You're right...it will be fun. If you haven't read the blog that Bill H posted, you should - probably the best write-up ever of a formation clinic. I have notified the Kansas City Group and asked just how they would like us to register...separate or as an exception etc. Not sure exactly just what their preferences will be to be able to handle us separately. Will let all know if I hear first. Thanks again!

Pete
 
Bruce - email me and I'll send you the pre-read booklets. Billhollifield AT iname DOT COM
 
Thank you Joe! Hopefully, your first-hand insight will encourage at least two more RV12 owners to join in. (are you sure you don't have a re-positioning scheduled for LXT?) Your persuasive comments are certainly appreciated. Maybe Bill and I need to have a telethon.

Peter,

I'll see if there is anything 'repos' scheduled to be moved in the direction of LXT. Great bunch of guys there and it should be a very fun and informational clinic. ;) Post some pics and get some data points if you do get a RV-12 4-ship flight together. As far as I know that will be a first...! Blue Skies!
 
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New RV12 Database

That would be pretty special Joe. Hopefully, we can pull it off. Yes, pictures, data...whatever we can record. Thanks again for your positive comments on the formation flying capabilities of the 12.

Kansas City Formation has now opened a separate database within the Yahoo Group exclusively for those who wish to register as an RV12. I have registered and would be happy to help anyone else do so if need be. The first time with Yahoo groups can be daunting.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=112209
 
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