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Pioneer 300 versus RV 12

From here

WilliamF wrote:

A new one costs €80k for the kit, plus the engine/prop/avionics

That’s an insane price. An RV-12 (which is similar in performance, engine and size) including engine/prop/avionics is abbout €80k

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

What is the OEM price of the RV12 engine?

Last I heard, an IO540-C4 is about $60k, or about $40k uncertified.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

What is the OEM price of the RV12 engine?

These are some US retail prices.

OK; that is a Rotax 912ULS, at $18k. No wonder the whole kit costs a lot less.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Don’t the Alpi 300 and the RV-12 use the same Rotax 912 engine? I’d have guessed the difference in kit price between the two results from the RV-12 having fixed landing gear whereas I believe most Alpi 300s are retractable, plus the economy of scale that comes from Vans producing a lot of kits of all RV types.

Incidentally, the $18K price of an uncertified 100 HP Rotax 912 is roughly what people could otherwise pay to buy a run-out 150-180 HP engine and overhaul it for use in a larger RV link Some might also buy new 150-180 HP engines for prices in the range $26K-$29K link I’ve known several people consider building an Alpi 300 (it is a very attractive plane) but in the end, given the high price, they’ve ended up building RV-7s. The same is often true for RV-12 versus RV-7, unless you need a Light Sport aircraft for license or medical issues the RV-7 tends to make more financial sense.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 13 Nov 18:17

The RV-12 is sold with “everything”.

For instance the cheapest “standard” option is the plane + 912 ULS + Dynon skyview HDX at a total of $67k. The sky is the limit with options, but the most expensive “standard” option is the plane + 912iS Sport + Garmin G3x touch with nav at $88k. The Alpi 300 cost €80k for the kit alone. Then add 912 iS and full Garmin G3X touch panel, and the price will be well above €120k. The Alpi 300 is wood and fabric, the RV-12 is all metal. I have no idea why the Alpi is so expensive, unless the kit is in a very finished state when you get it. Wood and fabric doesn’t cost 80k.

Few people go for the ULS these days when the iS Sport is a much better engine, and doesn’t cost that much more, not when the total package is 100k.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

LeSving wrote:

An RV-12 (which is similar in performance

The Pioneer cruises with 130KTAS whereas the RV12 does about 100KTAS (75%). That’s not quite “similar in performance”.

EDLE

RV-12 Performance

Looks like about 115 KTAS cruise to me. Van’s data is known to be accurate.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 15 Nov 22:00

Yes, and the Alpi 300 LSA cruses at 220 km/h = 119 knots.

The elephant is the circulation
ENVA ENOP ENMO, Norway

It seems difficult to find how much the Alpi aircraft cost, either the kit or finished, but I did find this from New Zealand, which seems to indicate you can buy a finished fixed gear aircraft roughly comparable to the RV-12 for roughly 97K Euro.

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