LSA Was Introduced Just Three Years Ago

Van's Aircraft introduced their new Light Sport Aircraft, the RV-12, just over three years ago. Well over five hundred kits have been sold since then, and on Wednesday, the 198th kit to ship became 100th RV-12 to fly.

(L-R) John Ratliff, Sam Sullivan w/100th Flying RV-12

Sam Sullivan of Gulfport, MS intended to build the RV-12 and finish his flight training in it, but life got in the way and he had to "side-step a moment". Ed Burdick of Canyon Lake TX purchased the kit and his friend John Ratliff joined Sam in completing the airplane. John made the first flight of N312E, taking off from the grass runway at Shadetree Airport (MS82) just north of Gulfport Mississippi - a  sleepy little airport where aviation is still the way it used to be.

"I've heard the hype that the -12 flies like an RV and I thought, yeah, right…" John says. "I have a couple of hundred hours in RV-8s and I know what an RV is supposed to feel like. Well, there's no way I would have believed it but Van's nailed it. The RV-12 really does fly "like an RV". It's incredible how nimble this "LSA" feels -- a fantastic little bird!"

FMI: www.vansaircraft.com