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Students at Emirates Airlines Complete Van’s RV-12

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A group of 40 Emirates Airlines maintenance trainees successfully built a Van's RV-12 kit plane over two years of after-hours work.
  • The project served as a practical learning experience, teaching students essential skills like drilling, riveting, wiring, painting, testing, and documentation relevant to their future careers.
  • Painted in Emirates livery and displayed at the Dubai Airshow, the completed RV-12 will be used as a promotional tool to attract young people to aviation maintenance careers.
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A group of 40 maintenance trainees at Emirates Airlines’ training academy have completed a Van’s RV-12 kit plane in their after-hours time. Construction took about two years of spare-time work. The light-sport aircraft is painted in Emirates livery and is on display at the Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates this week.

The RV-12 has not flown yet, but academy instructor Juan Carlos Cabanos said he expects the first flight to happen shortly after the end of the year. “We still have some engine runs to perform and the aircraft registration process,” he said.

Mark Phelps

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

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