Great post thanks!
I'm flying with Mitch next week. I would also never remove wings and wish they didn't come off. A 2nd screen (only if a backup) would be nice. REading alot about the fuel/rear window crazing issue. That seems like it needs a solution.
Your experience as a professional pilot makes you a much better candidate to fly it cross country on 1 hour training..
Thanks again-really good stuff.
I echo EBB's comments about Vans (Gus and Kaitlyn).
My insurance required just one hour of dual. The plane came with 4 or 5 I can't remember but I flew with Jose Gutierrez too. I also got one hour in my airplane before I flew it home. When I got the keys on Friday it had 5.9 hours TT including the hour I asked for.
The next day I began a 5 day trip from Vans across the USA to SC. I spent a lot of time planning the trip and asking for tips (including some great info here). I flew south to Bakersfield, across the desert to Blythe, Tuscon, El Paso, Sweetwater Texas, Tyler TX, Greenwood MS, Columbus GA and then home. The weather was good but hot and so I flew early morning to noon all but one day.
I found the airplane easy to fly and I was quick to learn Skyview and the airplane before I left OR. Again I have to say I'd studied everything I could find on the RV-12 before the trip.
I'm an experienced pilot having retired from professional flying but LSA was still pretty new to me although I've checked out in a Remos GX, Skycatcher and CTLS prior to buying the RV. This is MY experience and as EBB said a less experienced pilot might consider a co-pilot to accompany them. Vans can and do deliver new planes but not sure as to the cost of this.
I've had the airplane just over one year and have completed the first annual. The mechanic found a slightly leaking fuel line which required tightening a nut.
The problems I've experience have been the carb float debacle which has been really frustrating and I'm disappointed at the way Rotax has handled it. I've been lucky and got replacement floats quickly and even got my refund already.
I've found that the rear perspex near the fuel filler will craze with spilled fuel. Ask me how I know.
When fueling the fuel can geyser out if you pump too fast and/or spill as it reaches the top. Once spilled the perspex crazed near the filler cap. Really annoying and I wish I'd known about it before hand but no use crying over spilt milk, or spilt fuel!
The SkyView is brilliant?although my memory module recently had to be replaced. Apparently mine was one which had the old less reliable module. Overall Dynon handled it okay?but..the 10 business day downtime tuned into almost 15 and I had to pay $135 just to ship it back. They paid for shipping on the return but I feel I shouldn't have had to pay anything for a unit less than a year old and the plane was down for best part of a month including shipping the unit back and forth.
That said, I'm a fan of the Dynon avionics in my plane and the updates have been good from Dynon.
The Rotax engine is great?but..for me and the SLSA?I looked hard at finding a Rotax qualified mechanic before I bought the plane. The Vans Service center is over an hour flight time away and Lockwood is 4 hours. I've thought about taking the service/LSRM courses but I'm not experienced in repairing things and I have few tools so I'm hesitant to go that way, for now anyway.
I'm also not interested in going ELSA for much the same reasons.
I chose to buy rather than build. My hangar neighbor has been building his RV12 for 6 years and is about 2/3 done?I chose to buy SLSA and fly right away and in my first year have flown just under 150 hours. He only works on it weekends still he has had to buy quite a few tools and other things to help with the building process. it's taken so long that he's had to incorporate the new mods as they come along. I find the idea of building interesting but not practical, for ME anyway.
I also researched the availability of hangars and mogas. I'm lucky to have an airfield fairly close with 93 non-ethanol on the pumps as well as a couple of gas stations nearby. One has 93 for $2.99 gallon which requires me to schlepp it to the airfield but it doesn't take long to fill the plane and I'm adept at keeping it supplied. In the last 6 months I've only bought 2.5 gals of 100LL but I use Decalin whenever I do. This Fall I'll take a trip to the NorthEast where 93 is scarce and will use more 100LL however the vast majority of fuel is 93. I have a friend with a CTLS using 100LL all the time and he's had some engine issues with lead.
My mission has been to get a plane I can move myself, do basic servicing, is basically simple fun flying where I don't need anyone to help me. I'll never trailer or remove the wings. In that regard if I had my wish, Vans would make the option of fixed wings and 2 12-15 gallon wing tanks instead to provide longer range. Admittedly this would probably be solo due to weight but it would provide the option as well as allowing for more value (not weight necessarily) in the baggage area.
I love that Vans proved me with 765lbs empty weight and w/b is simple. Basically I can always carry 2 x 200 lb folks, full fuel and about 35lbs of bags. Since I fly solo almost exclusively w/b is simple.
The plane flies very well, excellently in fact. I would have preferred a high wing and looked at a Tecnam and a Cessna but now I love the visibility. The only drawback is the sun on the iPad which I have as a backup to SkyView. The screen isn't as bright as SV. I got Foreflight on iPad after the SVfailed in flight. That day I literally had to land with nothing other than the radio so FF does provide some level of backup although still no EMS.
If I bought today I would give serious thought to a second screen IF it had it's own ADHRS to provide really fully capable backup but that does increase the cost.
I highly recommend a trip the MD to fly with Mitch Lock before you buy. While you're up that way take a flight also in Cheseapeake Sport's new SLSA before you buy. It may help in your decision process.
I'm really glad I bought my SLSA and I'd also like to say how helpful the VAF site has been, and continues to be. Pilots, owners and builders helping each other has proved invaluable.
Good luck in whatever you decide!
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