N439RC; Ron's RV-12

After completing both the left and right wings, and getting them into the sling, I started on the flaperons.

After completing the left wing, fondly referred to around the house as ”lefty”, it was time to move onto “righty.”  Below are some photos of the right wing going together.

Basically showing the aft ribs going onto main spar.

I was pleasantly surprised when I received an email from RV-12 builder/owner, John Bender.  He said  that he had seen a photograph that I had taken of his RV-12 in my recent blog posting about AirVenture 2010, and he wanted to know if he and another RV-12 owner (Marty Santic) could fly in to Fort Atkinson to see my project!  Well, “of course” was my response and we immediately began to make plans.  I was thinking maybe during the upcoming weekend, but quickly discovered that they were talking about the very next day!  The weather was going to be perfect … and they wanted to adventure out from the Iowa area.  I soon found myself participating in three-way email exchange that felt like we were in a chat room; I shared information about our local airport and we quickly finalized our plans to meet at the Fort Atkinson airport somewhere around my lunch-hour the very next day.  Everything was set!  Until, that is, when Marty actually read the remarks in the METAR, and discovered that the Fort Atkinson runway would be closed!  Well, I quickly called a local pilot and discovered that the newly sealed runway needed to have the centerline painted, and that the contractor was going to do it tomorrow.  Just my luck;  not one, but TWO RV-12 owners wanted to fly into MY AIRPORT, not five minutes from my house to see MY PROJECT, and the local airport was going to be closed!   

Well, needless to say, I wasn’t going to let this perfect day go to waste, so we made arrangements to meet in Watertown, which was a 30 minute drive from my house.  We agreed to meet, but we decided that the distance was too much for them to be able to see my project, but the weather was good enough for them to want to share their airplanes with me.   

John and Marty's RV-12s at RYV

 

I shared my situation with my boss and easily got permission to take a good LONG lunch break to meet up with John and Marty.   

John was the first to arrive at RYV.  He actually arrived before I pulled up.  I introduced myself and we were walking around his RV-12 when Marty landed and joined us on the ramp.  See photo!    I’m not sure RYV has seen many RV-12s on its ramp, but on this perfect day there were TWO!

 

I was allowed to crawl around their planes, and asked a bunch of questions about their builds.  Both John and Marty were one of the firsts to get their RV-12 kits built and flying.   They were a wealth of information.

 

We grabbed a bite to eat at a small sandwich shop that had a patio area that overlooked the airport, and continued talking shop until I had to head back to work and they had to head back home. 

 

What a great day!  ….  a pleasant surprise!

 

I’m hoping they will return some day to see my project, for I really enjoyed seeing the finished plane!

The highlight of  AirVenture 2010 was easily the morning that I was able to get a “demo” ride in an actual RV-12.   I got up early to get my “ticket”, then returned later in the morning for my demo ride.

I flew in N912VA, which is one of the early models completed and owned by Van’s Aircraft. 

Video ONE:  “Taxi”

Video TWO:  “Take-off”  (Notice the PINK dot we pass over).

Video THREE:  “Return”

I absolutely loved the demo flight, and only reinforced my decision to go with the RV-12. 

On my last morning at AirVenture 2010, I got to meet “the man” himself.  Pictured below is me and Richard VanGrunsven, the proprietor at Van’s Aircraft … and the complete family of RV aircraft! 

Oh yeah! … and by the way!   I really like THIS blog posting!

I took the weekend off to prepare for a first couple days of AirVenture 2010 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  This is the largest aviation gathering in the world.  Oshkosh had received more than 10 inches of rain by the time the show started, so rather than pitching my tent on the ground … I put it into the back of my truck.

 It was at AirVenture 2009 where I sat in my first RV-12, and made the decision that this was the model aircraft I was going to build.  I was excited about this year’s event, for I had a year of building under my belt and was looking forward to seeing the various RV-12s that had been built during the previous year.

Below are some other photos from the couple days I spent at AirVenture 2010.

I was there for the opening concert … “Chicago” … which was awesome!