Powerplant -- The Final Piece Of The RV-12 Assembly

Van's Aircraft, Inc. says the final kit for the RV-12, the powerplant, is available as of Wednesday.  Priced at $24,985.00, the kit includes a brand new Rotax 912ULS engine, a new Sensenich ground-adjustable propeller, and all the necessary components to install them in an RV-12. The Rotax engine is designed to run on autogas, but it can be configured to burn 100LL.

The Powerplant Kit is the last of the six kits needed to complete the aircraft. Its release establishes the cost of a complete RV-12 kit (which includes avionics, engine, propeller and every other component of the airplane except the paint) at $59,335.00

Van's introduced the E-LSA RV-12 in April 2008 and about 260 of them are under construction today. The company estimates an RV-12 can be built and flown in about 800 hours, although the builder of the first one completed the airplane in just 550.  According to the Vans website, it’s a two-seat all-metal side-by-side airplane with a large cabin that seats the occupants ahead of the wing spar for maximum room and superb visibility. There are several features that make it a unique RV.

Vans RV 12

The wings are quickly and easily removable. Using methods proven over decades by high-performance sailplanes, two people can have the wings off an RV-12 in less than five minutes, making the airplane easy to transport on a trailer and keep off-airport.  It meets the certification standards of the Light Sport Aircraft category. Extensive and thorough testing has demonstrated compliance with LSA performance and structural requirements. The low empty weight allows a generous useful load — two 210 lb people, 20 gallons of fuel and 50 lbs of baggage.

FMI: www.vansaircraft.com