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On the RV-3B, the canopy frames, wing spars (they're the kind with the machined caps) and engine mount (for dynafocal engines) are not included with enough detail to build one. The original built-up spars are not included in the plans. The rest of the plane is pretty well defined in the old-style plans. But even so, you folks with the double-digit models will be shocked if you start an RV-3B.
So it's not all that easy to build one off the plans. And there is competition for the RV-3 market out there with at least one more kit company. As a current RV-3B builder, currently skinning the fuselage, these changes won't immediately affect me; I have all the RV-3B kits available and have been buying just parts lately. Since there's no FWF RV-3B kit, that's the sort of thing I'm been getting. But I have no idea how this will affect the long-term market for these planes. Can't imagine that anything good will happen, since one of the positive things has been the on-going factory sales and support. That said, I hope that Van's continues to support the kits already out there. It would be serious if they withdrew builder support (and fortunately there's no indication of that right now). I do wish that they'd given the community a year's lead time, though. Buying a kit is a serious and expensive commitment, and people reasonably ought to have been given more time to save or prepare for this. Dave |
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Van's is not killing support, they be only increasing the cost for those that want to continue. Some day in the future Van's will not support them at all; it's called business. All good things must come to and end. I myself have a 3B in slow gestation and I mean slow. I am minus the finish kit. I'm thinking of ordering the finish kit at 2017 prices and when it arrives (who knows when?) I'll at least know that I have all the parts to finish the airframe. If I don't finish then the next guy down the line at least has all the kits to finish the airframe. That's my take on Van's position. The fact that they still support the 3, 4 and 6 airframes is beyond belief. |
The worst scenario is not that Vans makes a few tough decisions on supply of parts for very old models. The worst scenario is that they DO NOT make the necessary tough decisions and become insolvent, thus leaving EVERYONE in a horrible position.
Most RV aficionados seem to believe that Vans is an invincible economic goliath of the kit-building industry, but as Paul Dye has pointed out margins are thin in this game .....and potential legal liability is massive. Vans needs to make the tough calls to avoid becoming too financially brittle. As RV builders and owners we are all dependent on Vans in some measure. Thus their success is our success. There are people out there in RV land who actually live in la la land. They believe that Vans should be run like some sort of philanthropic charity. |
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Make Room?
Yes. . . They're making room on the shelves for the new modern kit, single seat, fastback, with the flight characteristics or the -3 and comfort of the -8. Powered from LSA to 200HP.
What? Don't wake me, I'm enjoying a nice dream. That would be #2 if it ever happens. |
Bob, I agree completely, but what I think the worry for most Current 4 builders is that if you don?t have all 4 subkits, you have now been given just over a month to come up with the cash to get whatever is outstanding, and if you can?t we?ll then your 4 is going to become a very expensive toy.
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I do find it a bit of a shame that the 3 is being made more difficult/expensive to build, as it doesn't really have a successor in the lineup like the 4 and the 6. However, business is business, if they aren't selling there 'aint no reason to keep them around.
It's also not the first time that kits have been discontinued, they stopped shipping -6 tails and wings years ago, so in theory the writing has been on the wall for some time. (not the same for the 3 and 4 mind you) Alex |
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<Snipped directly from the announcement posted on the web site> Production runs for these kits will not cease, |
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