Hawkes Bay Student Aircraft Build RV-12 | Hastings, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand RV-12 #121059

We received this report from New Zealand about the first flight of this student-build RV-12. Congrats to the whole team!

Peter Steers, project manager, selected 12 Young Eagles and Air Cadets to join the project “Hawkes Bay Student Aircraft Build.” The project was completely funded by grants from around the Hawkes Bay community. When completed and once the students have reached a solo standard in the RV-12, the Aircraft will be sold, a new RV-12 kit purchased and new students selected to start again. The skills they learn from the build are not taught in schools. With the aid of two aircraft builders at our Aero club we were able within two years to complete the project, taking five hours every Saturday morning. On the 30.11.2019 we watched its first flight with nervous anticipation. One hour later it arrived back on Terrafirma all intact. Hamish Ross, our intrepid test pilot, had two minor observations. The tail needed a trim tab, too much right rudder needed and the VSI gauge was under reading. That gauge turned out to be faulty. So all in all, a sigh of relief all round. 10 hours of test flying is required before the aircraft can be released for general use, and as of the 07.01.2020 there is one more hour left to fly due to our weather being poor these last two months. Huge thank you to the grant providers for donating the money and the club members for their knowledge and support.