AIRCRAFT BUILDS
AIRCRAFT BUILD NUMBER 1
Aircraft build number 1 is a Van's Aircraft RV-12iS Experimental Light Sport Aircraft. Work on this aircraft began in September 2022.
Aircraft build number 1 is a Van's Aircraft RV-12iS built to Van's requirements for a youth educational build program. The aircraft will have the ROTAX 912iS engine and VFR avionics. This will be the first aircraft our students will build from start to finish. Joy To The Child, Inc. DBA Teen Aviation of New Jersey is registered as a Youth Educational Build Program with Van's Aircraft.
In addition to our first build aircraft that we purchased from Van's Aircraft, we also purchased the airframe for a Van's Aircraft Legacy RV-12ULS aircraft from the Teen Aircraft Factory of Manasota in October 2021. The original owner of the kit started construction in 2016, and partially completed the tail, wings, and fuselage. The kit was transferred to another builder, and then subsequently donated to the Teen Aircraft Factory. We currently use this airframe as reference for our students to see how the aircraft they are building will eventually all come together.
The airframe arrived at Flying W Airport from Florida on October 20, 2021. Two members of our team flew to Sarasota, rented the truck, loaded it up with help from our friends at the Teen Aircraft Factory of Manasota, and made the 20 hour drive to New Jersey the next day. The parts were unloaded from the truck and stored in one of our team member's hangar until we finished cleaning up and making improvements to our hangar. The airframe is currently in our hangar, and is serving us well as an example for our students to refer to when building their first aircraft.