Van's RV-12iS

Aircraft Overview

About Van's RV-12iS

Pilot Rise has not placed a firm RV-12 order yet. We are finalizing details, listening to feedback from current and former students, and deciding whether the RV-12iS or another Cessna 172 is the better next step.

The RV-12iS is under consideration because it could give Dallas students a modern two-seat training airplane with excellent visibility, efficient operating costs, and a cockpit built around current glass-panel workflows.

What makes it stand out is the full package: a light all-metal airframe, side-by-side seating, a wide cabin for the light-sport category, a Garmin glass-panel path, autopilot options, ADS-B capability, and efficient 100 hp Rotax 912-series power.

For students, that can mean more time learning modern avionics, better sightlines for traffic and landing references, lower operating cost potential, and a training airplane that feels closer to the technology they will see in newer aircraft.

The RV-12iS also has practical maintenance advantages. Van's highlights easier maintenance on the Rotax 912 iS Sport, computerized diagnostics, no carburetor balancing on that engine option, removable wings, and design updates aimed at flight-school durability. The goal for Pilot Rise would be less downtime and more schedule reliability for students.

Van's Aircraft is based in Aurora, Oregon, and says the large majority of RV aircraft components are manufactured in the United States. That US-made support path is another reason the RV-12iS is attractive compared with less common training aircraft.

If student feedback shows the RV-12iS is not the right fit for Pilot Rise, the fallback plan is to purchase another Cessna 172 instead.