RV-12 Factory Fuel Tank & New Carbmate

Vans RV12 Factory Fuel Tank with sight gauge & Grey Flightdesign baggage floor & fuel tank cover. Used 50 hours. No leaks or damage. $700 US delivered to US lower 48. N49DD

Carbmate Carburator Synchronization Kit. Includes Rotax 912/914 accessory kit and storage pouch. $150. US delivered to US lower 48.

Reply by E-mail only [email protected]. Hearing problem on the telephone.

RV12 wing tank

Dan,

Just curious about the tank and wondering if you have replaced it with something else. I do not care for the location of the tank although i understand it is required so that the wings can be removed. I am hoping that someone will develop a wing tank mod for this aircraft for most of us who will never take the wings off unless there is a maintenance issue.

Pat Stewart said:

for most of us who will never take the wings off unless there is a maintenance issue.

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Actually most in the know/experienced owners take the wings off when they do maint. or inspections. It provides much simpler access to a lot of the airplane.

In fact, if you do not remove the wings at least during the condition inspection, you are not completing all of the items on the inspection checklist, and there are things of importance that you just can not inspect.

Well building four RV aircraft myself and helping with a dozen others, oh not to mention another 30 years in the aircraft maintenance business may not qualify me as "in the know" but this is an obvious problem. Everyone is saying the same thing (I am sure a few don't) and that is the fuel tank is a significant issue. Vans needs to do the engineering and provide a mod to move it for those (most everyone) interested. Great airplane, bad fuel tank. As for wing maintenance putting the fuel in the wing could still allow for wing removal, just not done in three minutes. Vans please consider this.

Everyone has their personal opinion.....me, I'd rather keep fuel inside; however, the current design (as soon as I get certified) is history. Getting to destination with say 3 gallons in the tank, when upon short final someone pulls onto active requiring a missed approach.....pulling the nose up and engine sputters from fuel starvation.

Another issue is the "boat tank" fuel gauge and black goo sealant (possible **** in fuel over time).

I'm having a "welded fuel cell" constructed w/sump positioned horizontally behind seats with a pressure sensor that measures volume to decimal 3 digit accuracy. Not only will it give fuel volume, but also rate per hour fuel burn.

Will get some professional help with means of attachment....great that we are in the "experimental" category!
Yes..it will be addition cost, and yes..it will hold more than 20 gallons which will require figuring weight of pilot & passenger/baggage closely.

Pat Stewart said:

Well building four RV aircraft myself and helping with a dozen others, oh not to mention another 30 years in the aircraft maintenance business may not qualify me as "in the know" but this is an obvious problem. Everyone is saying the same thing (I am sure a few don't) and that is the fuel tank is a significant issue. Vans needs to do the engineering and provide a mod to move it for those (most everyone) interested. Great airplane, bad fuel tank. As for wing maintenance putting the fuel in the wing could still allow for wing removal, just not done in three minutes. Vans please consider this.

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As is repeated here in the forums often... everyone is entitled to their own opinion.... I think you are mistaken in thinking that everyone (except a few) thinks that the current fuel tank design is a significant issue.

As for Van's "needing" to provide a mod to move it.... I am interested in what basis you make that statement since the current location is the same as it was when the airplane was originally introduced. Everyone that has purchased an RV-12 since that time, has chosen the RV-12 with the knowledge of that design feature.

It is not a feature that is going to change, but since an RV-12 can be built as E-AB, people have the freedom to engineer something more to their liking if they choose.

Phantom30 said:

Everyone has their personal opinion.....me, I'd rather keep fuel inside; however, the current design (as soon as I get certified) is history. Getting to destination with say 3 gallons in the tank, when upon short final someone pulls onto active requiring a missed approach.....pulling the nose up and engine sputters from fuel starvation.
.

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You're right about the opinions, but when opinions get presented as being facts that are false, I feel the need to correct.

Pulling the nose up on an RV-12 during a go around with only three gallons in the tank will not make the engine sputter.

The reason for the no take-off with less than 4 gallons restriction is that "take-off" could translate to climbing steeply to 8000 ft afterward. That could possibly cause an engine stoppage (depends on the specific circumstances).

I recommend caution in the design of your replacement fuel tank.... there are a lot of different aspects that are important to understand, if you alternate tank is to be safe.

Oh well, just for the record I'm not one of the `everyone' group that has a problem with the tank, its location, or removing the wings for maintenance. In fact, being one of the `few' has a certain appeal.

I don't mind the fuel in the back as much as I miss the lack of adequate baggage space. I do a lot of cross country flying and packing is always an adventure. I don't have the engineering knowledge to re-design the fuel tank but I welcome the efforts of others. That's how a number of other minor changes (other models) have become part of the kit, though I doubt Van's will (or needs to) change the tank design.

f1rocket said:

I don't mind the fuel in the back as much as I miss the lack of adequate baggage space. I do a lot of cross country flying and packing is always an adventure. I don't have the engineering knowledge to re-design the fuel tank but I welcome the efforts of others. That's how a number of other minor changes (other models) have become part of the kit, though I doubt Van's will (or needs to) change the tank design.

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Randy...those issues and the ones I mentioned. I, however, am a puttser by nature and have been molling over a fix (not knocking Van's what so ever)..

AND...Scott, your words of caution are not lightly dismissed! That being said, I feel there are ways to accomplish this (and if Scott would look over my shoulder) when drawings showing tank design and anchoring are done his two cents...would be nice.