KITPLANES The Independent Voice for Homebuilt Aviation

Van's RV-12

Van's Aircraft is coming to the Light Sport market with the RV-12 rather late. There are already 80-some approved Light Sport aircraft out there, but this is the first RV LSA--an airplane emerging from a clean sheet, sketched and thoroughly tested by the folks from arguably the most successful kit company ever.

The RV-12 is offered as an ELSA, meaning you put it together. Everything from hardware to wiring harness is in the box. No poring through catalogs and web pages to outfit your project. In fact, you cannot modify the airplane unless you opt to build your RV under the amateur-built rules rather than assemble it under the ELSA requirement.

Click Here for the full Table of Contents for the October 2008 Issue

Follow these links to visit the web sites of companies you read about in the October issue.

What's New
Air Gyro Aviation
QC Avionix
Trio Avionics

RV-12
Van's Aircraft

Lancair ES-P
Lancair

Build Your Skills: Fabric
SportAir Workshops
Stewart Systems

To Launch a Light Sport
Jabiru Pacific

Home Machinist
The Wright Experience

MGL Avionics Stratomaster Maxi Single E1
MGL Avionics
KS Avionics

VedaloHD Sunglasses
VedaloHD

Light Stuff
Eagle Aircraft

* * * View Reader Links from previous months:
Table of Contents and Reader's Links from December 2006 to Present

Other Aviation Publications
Aviation Consumer
Aviation Safety
AvWeb
IFR Magazine
IFR Refresher
Light Plane Maintenance

No Comp Air (ison)
"Wind? We don't worry about the wind," Ron Lueck says. " Not unless it's been given a name." The mid-Florida coastline still showed the ravages of several major hurricanes . . .

Turbo Power, Part 1
I first met Bob Goodman on a trip to the '93 Sun 'n Fun fly-in in Lakeland, Florida. He was a friend of a friend who was there with his Piper Seneca. We didn't get a chance to talk until we were in the rental car and waiting in the traffic jam that indicates you have arrived at the world's second biggest homebuilt aircraft fly-in, but what he had to say intrigued me.

Flying the Baby Belle
Looking for a rugged, nostalgic helicopter that uses a certified aircraft engine? The Baby Belle from Canadian Home Rotors, Inc. (CHRI) is a proven kit helicopter . . .. Pilots see the Baby Belle as a viable commercial helicopter for insecticide spraying, farm fertilizing, cattle and sheep mustering, commuting, surveying real estate or construction sites and flight training (in China).

Headset Buyers Guide, Part 1
Passive noise reduction units under $200.

Headset Buyers Guide, Part 2
Passive noise reduction units over $200.

Headset Buyers Guide, Part 3
Active noise reduction units.

Fly-in Flying
Before you venture out to special events, take to prep.

The Safe Homebuilt
Take these tips into consideration when it comes to safe homebuilding and piloting.

Calculating Weight and Balance
This lazy man's guide removes some of the headaches.

Selling Your Aircraft
These tips will help you market your aircraft.

Selling Aircraft Documents
Prebuy Checklist, Purchase Agreement, Builders Release.

Metal Workshop Setup
Every great homebuilt starts with a comfortable and efficient workshop.

Engine Comparison
Selecting a good alternative engine is about separating fact from fiction.

Engine Spreadsheets
Here's the additional auto and aircraft engine data referred to in the Engine Comparison article.