The RV-12: My Future Project?

It looks like Van's LSA aeroplane is well on it's way.  It looks like there may be a slight technology shift happening at the world's most popular kit plane manufacturer.  Van's has always advocated traditional aircraft engines and even the build techniques have used good old-fashioned riveted aluminium.  Van's latest prototype, the RV-12, has seen a bit of a departure from tradition.

For a start, and this is somewhat trivial, the name is slightly different - Van's tricycle gear aircraft have had an "A" designator.  Except for the RV-10.  I guess we can take it that there are no plans for a taildragging RV-12.  A more substantive departure is the RV-12's powerplant.  Instead of the usual Lycoming, this fledgling is powered by a Rotax 912S.  Compared to Lycoming, Rotax is the new kid on the block - though the Rotax is powering thousands of aircraft, and has been for some time now.

The build techniques differ too.  Since the LSA requirements in the US stipulate a top speed of 120knots - flush riveting doesn't really offer much advantages.  With this in mind Vans are opting to build with pulled rivets.  This will simplify the build as there's no need for the dimpling and bucking usually associated with solid rivet RVs.

For the first time, Vans has opted to fit the prototype with 2 EFIS display: one from Dynon and one from Advanced Flight Systems. Vans have said that they're their for a side-by-side comparison.  Does this mean, I wonder, that Vans are planning to offer one or the other as an option when the kit finally goes on sale?

Another new development from Van's is web-based.  With the RV-12 we're not just getting still images, Vans decided to treat us to a video of the first flight.  You can watch it here courtesy of YouTube.  I like the way things are moving over at Van's and the RV-12 could well be my future build project.  But hey, that's another posting altogether.

PS: I do hope they go with the removable wings ideas that they're playing with.

Comments

[DaveG]

I'm torn between the RV-12 and the Titan T-51 3/4 scale Mustang. Both can be built to LSA requirements/restrictions, both use the Rotax engine,and both are simpler to build than an RV or the like. I'll have my RV-6 for the foreseeable future, but I can see myself "retiring" to an LSA eventually. The removable wings of the RV-12 could be the tie-breaker, though. That could end up being a very desireable feature.

PS - Thanks for the link in your blogroll. I ought to get one going on PapaGolf one of these days.

[David]

The tie for me at the moment is building a Tecnam Sierra or buying a Vans ...... though getting the actual PPL probably should come first.