What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Thinking of buying a -12

P

Pat Stewart

Well Known Member
Ok, I will admit I have paid little attention to all the RV12 stuff the past couple of years however i am starting to think about buying one. I have read the ELSA and EAB threads (some of them). Can someone tell me what an SLSA is.

Pat
 
Buy a well built ELSA and not only can you do all maintenance work on it yourself if you like, you are also free to modify it with additional avionics, inexpensive AOA, etc. Take a 16 hour EAA weekend class and you will be able to perform and signoff on the annual condition inspection. None of that is possible with an SLSA.
 
Bill_H said:
Buy a well built ELSA and not only can you do all maintenance work on it yourself if you like, you are also free to modify it with additional avionics, inexpensive AOA, etc. Take a 16 hour EAA weekend class and you will be able to perform and signoff on the annual condition inspection. None of that is possible with an SLSA.
Click to expand...

Actually it is possible.
An S-LSA can be re-certified to an E-LSA. After which, all of the same benefits apply.
 
Ah, but then it's not an SLSA! Say Scott, I see 353 completed RV12s on the website. What's the latest serial number shipped?
 
Well I have built and flown three RV aircraft (8,8A,10). And I am an A&P. I have just began my interest in the 12. What are the restrictions or pros and cons to the SLSA
 
Last edited:
The LSA category, whether E or S, has weight, speed, and pax restrictions. The big plus is the ability to fly these with only a drivers license medical. An outcome of the above restrictions is lower fuel burn.

My hope is that the FAA and / or Congress gets off its dead butt and revises the third class medical to allow recreational usage pilots to fly larger, faster airplanes with more than 1 passenger.
 
Search SLSA in the RV12 forum. answers there, lots of previous discussion.
In some ways the SLSA is more restrictive on mods than buying a certified aircraft. - and WAY more restrictive than either building or buying an ELSA.

Regarding building one in the USA, as an ELSA or an EAB, unless you are doing something far different (like engine choice) you are way better off building ELSA, then doing mods post-certification. Plenty of existing discussions on that are already posted as well.
 
Bill_H said:
Ah, but then it's not an SLSA! Say Scott, I see 353 completed RV12s on the website. What's the latest serial number shipped?
Click to expand...

True, it would not longer be an S-LSA (that is the whole point of recertifying to E-LSA).
I was just pointing out that all the benefits of E-AB or E-LSA you mentioned, could be experienced by someone that had purchased an S-LSA RV-12 if they re-certified as an E-LSA (which gets done a lot more than some people might think).
The one major benefit to an S-LSA that is often overlooked, is that it can be used for hire. If 100 hr inspections are completed, it can be rented to students at a flight school/FBO. I think at least one RV-12 is now doing this as a leaseback agreement. That is something that is impossible with E-AB or E-LSA

Our shipping guys told me they just recently shipped empenage/tail cone serial # 880.
 
rvbuilder2002 said:
The one major benefit to an S-LSA that is often overlooked, is that it can be used for hire. If 100 hr inspections are completed, it can be rented to students at a flight school/FBO.
Click to expand...
That's a pretty big deal and may have an impact at resale. And is it the case that SLSA to ELSA is a one-way trip? If so, that should be considered too.
 
Dgamble said:
That's a pretty big deal and may have an impact at resale. And is it the case that SLSA to ELSA is a one-way trip? If so, that should be considered too.
Click to expand...

For practical purposes, Yes! Although it is possible to return to SLSA, that can only be done by the factory. They would have to inspect the aircraft and re-certify that it meets all SLSA specifications, and that's not likely to happen.

I do a LOT of both SLSA and ELSA certifications and I've never heard of this happening.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top