Exactly one week after construction began on the Van's Aircraft RV-12iS kit that served as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018's One Week Wonder, the finished product took flight on Monday evening, July 30.
EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council Chairman Vic Syracuse, EAA 180848, took the RV for its inaugural flight and said it was an ideal, uneventful first flight with no problems.
"What a perfect airplane," Vic said. "I can't believe it took a week to build this. That was wonderful."
Charlie Becker, EAA's director of chapters and communities & homebuilt community manager, said the One Week Wonder's first flight was made possible due to the employees from Van's who oversaw the build, the volunteers who assisted, and the thousands of AirVenture attendees who pitched in.
"It was a huge accomplishment for the team at Van's Aircraft and all of our volunteers," Charlie said. "We had 100 core builders plus over 2,500 people that helped pull a rivet on the aircraft. I thought it turned out awesome. The energy all week was very high."
The 2018 One Week Wonder is the second One Week Wonder project completed in Oshkosh. In 2014, more than 2,500 visitors helped with the construction of the first, a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer.
One Week Wonder West Coast Tour
EAA will be touring the 2018 One Week Wonder aircraft across the West Coast and central United States. The tour kicks off on September 7 in Portland, Oregon, and will conclude on September 19 back at EAA headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
During the tour, EAA staffers will be dropping in to visit 13 EAA chapters in 11 cities. The hosting chapters have a wide variety of activities planned, ranging from monthly chapter gatherings, to fly-ins, and even a youth build RV-12 project. All EAA members along the route of flight are encouraged to visit their local chapter and check out the aircraft, which is a great representation of the homebuilt aircraft movement.
Tour Updates
EAA Chapter Tour Stops
September 7 | EAA Chapter 495 | Roseburg, OR | Felt Field 415 Felt St | 9 am
Visit EAA Chapter 495 to enjoy a pancake breakfast, check out EAA’s One Week Wonder, and learn about your local EAA chapter.
September 8 | EAA Chapter 1027 | Willits, CA | Willits Airport 1320 Poppy Dr. |10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fly-in and barbecue, with aircraft display from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
September 9 | San Carlos, CA | EAA Chapter 20 | San Carlos Airport - Hangar A45S | 5:30 pm to 8:30pm | RV-12 Build Session
Come checkout EAA’s One Week Wonder RV-12, and see how you can get involved with our group build!
September 10 | Sonoma, CA | EAA Chapter 1268 | Sonoma Skypark - Hangar B-5 21870 8th St. East | 7 p.m. | Monthly gathering
Visit EAA Chapter 1268’s monthly gathering, check out EAA’s One Week Wonder, meet staffers from EAA HQ, and learn about your local EAA chapter!
September 11 | Paso Robles, CA | EAA Chapter 465 | Paso Robles Terminal 4912 Wing Way | 7 p.m. | Monthly gathering
Visit EAA Chapter 465’s monthly gathering, check out EAA’s One Week Wonder, meet staffers from EAA HQ, and learn about your local EAA chapter!
September 12 | Riverside, CA | EAA Chapter 1 | Photo Opportunity
September 12 | Long Beach, CA | EAA Chapter 7 | Long Beach Airport Ross Aviation 3250 AirFlite way 7:30 p.m. | Monthly gathering
Visit EAA Chapter 7’s monthly gathering, check out EAA’s One Week Wonder, meet staffers from EAA HQ, and learn about your local EAA chapter!
September 13-15 | Chandler, AZ | EAA Chapter 1614 | No Public Event
September 16 | Albuquerque, NM | EAA Chapter 179 | Double Eagle II Airport (KAEG) | 2 p.m. | Meet and Greet
Check out EAA’s One Week Wonder, meet staffers from EAA HQ, and learn about your local EAA chapter!
September 17 | Oklahoma City, OK | EAA Chapters 1612/24/1098 | Thompson Field (53OK) | 7 p.m. Chapter Open House
Check out EAA’s One Week Wonder, meet staffers from EAA HQ, and learn about your local EAA chapters!
September 18 | Lee’s Summit, MO | EAA Chapter 91 | Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport (KLXT) | 7 p.m.
Check out EAA’s One Week Wonder, meet staffers from EAA HQ, and learn about your local EAA chapter! If flying in, taxi to the Eagle Hangar ramp west of self-service fuel (Cessna 150 on Monument).
