Based upon the recommendation of Vans plans book, I ordered a boat load of tools necessary to build my airplane. I started with a spreadsheet and listed all of the tools supplied by three vendors. I was looking for quality, application and cost comparisons. The results indicated that Avery Tools was the best choice with Cleaveland Tools a close second. I ordered everything except the rivet squeezer from Avery. Cleavland supplied the squeezer. Why? I thought it looked the coolest.

I always appreciated tools and it was only later in life that I was able to purchase quality tools rather than affordable ones.

A good craftsman can make a good product with an inferior tool but a poor craftsman will make inferior parts with good tools.

I hope to improve my skills to be worthy of my tools and to build a most excellent airplane.

Why choose a RV 12?

During my first series of flying lessons in early 1993, the concept of building my own airplane seemed very appealing. I was looking in depth at a Kitfox. My training plane was a Cessna 152 and the association was natural. When I reconvened my flying lessons last year and finished in a Piper Warrior with a private pilot license, a low wing, all metal airplane seemed like a better choice. Reverting to the Light Sport Catagory and attending the Sebring LSA show, the Sun and Fun show and multiple Oshkosh conventions caused me to select the Zenith CH601 with a quickbuild option. I attended the Zenith rudder workshop in Mexico, MO last year and built the rudder seen in the photograph. With my desire to build a Experimental-Light Sport Aircraft (E-LSA) rather than a Experimental-Amateur Built (E-AB), the Vans' RV 12 fit the requirements. Rans' S-19 and Zenith's CH601 now CH650 are not E-LSA buildable. After talking with a number of RV builders (and there are vast numbers of them) I felt a trip to Aurora, OR was in order. Seeing Van's factory and flying the prototype was all of the convincing I needed. The order was placed and the wing kit should arrive in about two months.

Initial Post.

Hello. My name is Frank and I am an enthusiastic latecomer to aviation. I recently passed my private pilot checkride and am flying now in the light sport catagory. I took my flight training in the Cessna 150, 152 and Piper Warrior airplanes. I currently fly a CTsw at LPR. I purchased a Van's RV 12 airplane kit and will be using this blog to share my experiences during the construction. I've read other blog sites doing a similar thing and have gained knowledge and information about the techniques, tools and travails in airplane construction.