Delivery Date un-Delayed ?

 So, the letter I got from Van's the other day said they'd update their database of predicted shipping dates.  As of 30 minutes ago, my ship date now reads 4/21/26.   I've been moved forward by 2 months instead of back a month.

I have a guess as to what's going on.  (This assumes that the above date is not an error and will vanish in the next few days.)   I originally submitted my order and deposit back in July 2026 when Van's officially announced that they were taking orders.  I have to admit, I really didn't think they would hit their promised Dec 31, 2026 initial shipping date and lined up neither finances nor construction space.  I was surprised when they called me in the 2nd week of December and I had to give up my place in line.  This was totally fair as it was outlined in the agreement.  I also gave up $1000, which again, was fair because it was in the agreement.

I lined up finances (I sign the loan documents next Tuesday), the construction space (our garage) and re-placed my order along with a second deposit, on January 19.  I never received my first deposit back, but after several email & phone exchanges, they found the first deposit and added it to the second deposit and did not debit the $1000 in the process😊.

My suspicion is that since my July 2025 deposit is still in their account, I am being sequenced by that deposit date instead of the Jan 2026 deposit. 

Like I said, the site's database was updated only about an hour ago.  I'll be expecting a call from them with (1) a confirmation of expected shipping date, (2) quoted shipping costs and (3) a request for payment of the balance due.

Delivery Date Delayed

I got a letter from Van's yesterday.   Basically, they bit off more than they could chew and have some indigestion with respect to assembling, crating and shipping wing kits.   VAF is full of frustrated posts regarding wing kits that did not have the main spars included, but are backordered without an expected shipping date.  As you can imagine, it's very frustrating to have lots of parts (ribs, skins, etc) but no spar upon which to attach them.

Van's letter explicitly acknowledges this and states that they are holding shipments for approximately 30 days while they get back on track with their suppliers.  They will be expediting delivery of the backordered spars (and other items) to the kits that have already been shipped, and then resume shipments of complete kits.

While I'm not happy that my delivery date is being pushed back, I am very happy that Van's is doing it.  This is just another variation of "do it right or do it over" and I'll have a full kit (and hopefully updated instructions) when my kit ships sometime in July.

New name for the blog

This blog was originally named "The Building of N76012", which is the N-number of the RV-12 that I started in 2013.  Now that I'm preparing to build an RV-15, the name needs to be changed.  I don't have an N-number for the RV-15 yet, so it's not an option to just extend the title to include the new N-number.  That's also not particularly elegant.

Turns out, I already had a name and it fits perfectly.   "Hill's Air Force LLC" is a small holding company for the express purpose of titling all of my aviation assets.  Specifically, N76012 and two hangars at the Delaware Municipal Airport, H-10 and H-11.  With the upcoming addition, HAF will be comprised of two aircraft in two hangars.  Now the blog name is quite fitting.

I won't change the URL and will leave that as homage to the RV-12.

Hey, I'm Back

Hey, I'm Back

I'm back because I did a thing.   

In addition to flying N76012 more than 400 hours since the last time I posted 8 years ago,  I've also continued to expand what I want out of my aviation life.  I sold N7623V (and still have a bit of heartache) and became a partner in N883CD, an early model Cirrus SR-22.  I've renewed my tailwheel endorsement.  I got some multi-engine training.  I've been to Airventure (twice).  I earned my ATP certificate (not that I will ever need it). I joined the Commemorative Air Force and am checked out in an antique PT-26.   And I'm bored.

So, like I said, I did a thing.   I put down a deposit and am waiting for the first kit of a Van's RV-15 to be delivered to my house so I can start all over and build another plane.   My lovely wife, Lada, graciously let me have the 2 car garage at our previous house when I built N76012 and she stepped up and has bequeathed the new 3 car garage for this new project.   Delivery is tentatively set for mid June 2026.  I'm guessing I will need 3 years to build the RV-15.   When it's airworthy, I will sell my share of the Cirrus (again, with much heartache) and fly both of my RV's for a few years (perchance a decade?) before Father Time says it's time for me to make my last flight.

Why the RV-15?

Photo taken from Van's website

It's different.  The RV-12 is a fantastic, low, slow fun training airplane but it really isn't useful for going places because it's slow and has a very small luggage space and grosses out when you add 30 lb of luggage with me & Lada.   I love the Cirrus, but she is expensive.  Not only that, they cost a lot!  In exchange for that money, you can go fast to paved airports.  Paved airports with long runways.  The Cirrus crosses the fence at 77 kt.   3000' is a relatively short runway.  This is great for cities and such.

The RV-15 is very different.  It's the perfect plane to scratch several itches.   It's fast enough to be a good "go somewhere" plane, similar to the Cardinal.   It's got gobs of useful load so we can carry large suitcases (she prefers to be well prepared in her travels) or -- God forbid -- camping equipment.   It's a tail dragger.  It's designed for off-airport operations.   I doubt that I'll do a lot of off-airport ops, but I am surprised that I find myself looking forward to doing some camping.   Lada loves the outdoors, so this will be a nice tool for her to explore the US's wilderness.  Van's is predicting about 400' for both take off and landing.   Fudge that by 50 % and that's 600'.   There are lots and lots of small, grass fields that are 1000'.   If I really get ballsy, there are many more open fields of that length.   Who knows?   Maybe this machine will let the two of us go out to somewhere in Montana, find a field in the middle of nowhere, camp out on a moonless night, let my eyes will adapt to the darkness and I will see the Milky Way with my own eyes.