Trying to Make Progress

Over six years have passed since Liz earned her pilot’s certificate and there is still no substantive news about the certification of the DeltaHawk. We are looking at other diesel alternatives but nothing has emerged as a good fit for the RTW. Now is the time to make some hard decisions and we’ve test flown the Sling 4 TSi, which so far has emerged as the best choice for us.


A few years ago we made an offer on a V35B Bonanza with the 100 gallon Dolly Parton tip tanks. The plane has made not one, not two, but three RTWs, so its performance was certainly proven. Alas, the pre-purchase inspection showed some unanticipated problems and the owner was largely unwilling to change his asking price, so the affair was unconsummated!


This was our third attempt to purchase an airplane and the third pre-purchase inspection we’ve paid for - and that is money we’ll never see again. So, out of frustration we decided to buy a new airplane that we could just fly to improve our skills and get used to sharing cockpit management chores. So, in September 2013 we purchased an RV-12 from a builder in Oregon that had 57 hours of total time. We flew it from Lebanon, Oregon to Coeur d’Alene and after a few adjustments my wife, Liz, and her friend Heather, departed for Vero Beach, Florida, the home of Triton Submarines.


Liz’s trip was great. There were significant delays due to weather and the three day trip took six, but the 25 hours of flight time was terrific experience. The little RV-12 departed KCOE for Great Falls, MT, then, Lewistown, MT, Miles City, MT, Winner, SD, Carney, NE, Superior, NE, Claremore, OK, Pine Bluff, AR, Demopolis, AL, Perry Foley, FL to Vero Beach, FL. Our RV-12, 612DH, was then domiciled in a hangar at Vero Beach Municipal Airport (KVRB).



Flying out of Vero Beach has been great practice as it is a towered airport that is really busy, being the home of a large fleet of training aircraft. Flight Safety alone has over 100 aircraft based there so it is not unusual to join the conga line and be number 6 for takeoff.


THE RV-12

Our RV-12 was built by a retired Flying Tigers pilot living in Lebanon Oregon and it was the third aircraft he’s constructed. On inspection, the aircraft was obviously built with painstaking attention to detail by an experienced builder who equipped it with all of Van’s E-LSA options. Even the rivets were filled. With 57 hours it was new in all respects but had enough time on it for us to feel comfortable that all the bugs were worked out. A local pre-purchase inspection was passed with flying colors, the price was undeniably reasonable and the transaction was complete in record time with no hassles at all.


An RV-12 might seem to be a strange choice for a couple that is planning an RTW but our primary goal was to allow Liz to build some time and for the two of us to have an opportunity to fly together. 
Moreover, my business interests will not allow for a near-term RTW departure so building time in an airplane that is inexpensive to fly makes good sense.


Over the last few years I have taken demo flights on a dozen LSAs. To me, the flight characteristics of the RV-12 were the best of the bunch, including the CTLS & Remos. Our preference was for a low wing aircraft with excellent visibility and the RV-12’s seat forward design provides terrific downward viewing. And the price was half of what a new factory built S-LSA costs.


We added a Garmin 796 with XM Weather and an iPad with Foreflight connected to a Stratus ADS-B. Also, a Zaon traffic avoidance unit.


After a flight from Florida to central Texas our RV-12 is back in the Northwest now and is domiciled at KCOE in Coeur d’Alene.