Should Vans design a 6 seater?

[wjfredericks4]

Originally Posted by Northernliving

You don’t hear much about CompAir anymore. Their 6.2 would seem to fit the OP requirements. http://www.compairaviation.com/ca6-2_specs.html

See Kitplane interview and discussion on 6.2 from last week. Of course it isn’t flying yet! . http://www.compairaviation.com/press...Kitplanes.html

The CompAir 6.2 looks really interesting. I would prefer an aluminum airplane over composite, but otherwise this kit would 'answer the mail' for what I was asking for. Thank you for sharing!

[Blw2]

Originally Posted by PilotjohnS

I think there is no need for a 6 seater in the recreational market. To me it seems a 6 seater wold be approaching the market for commercial operations, which experimentals cant participate in. JMHO

I'm not so sure about that...lots of folks out there in the world like me, with more than 2 kids.

I'm a rusty pilot that would love to have an opportunity to get back into it. I've often dreamed about finding a 5-6 place capable plane. I know there are a few certificated models out there, but not many....and none that are very economical. More than a few evenings have been spent online casually browsing kit options.

That said, at this point my oldest will be a high school senior next year and will be less likely to be travelling with us so maybe not quite the big deal that it once was....but still.

[N661DJ]

Vans should be be more concerned with providing support to there existing products rather than developing new markets. I have a finish kit for an RV-6
On order and paid, for a year and a half and still don’t have any hint of a shipping date. I can’t imagine they would even consider expanding the market they can’t support. Not the way to run a business IMHO.
Dick

[smokyray]

Vans build a Six Seat kit? Never!!
Of course that's what many of us Jurassic RV builders said when Van announced a Side by Side model (RV6) and later an "A" option (nosewheel) which I even commented once as "the ugly RV" .
That said CompAir and several other smaller kit manufacturers have produced a six seat kit for quite awhile. The problem is competition from the certified six seaters that perform pretty darn well for being old designs. "A good design is timeless" was Mr Harmon's quote after the Beech Bonanza he helped design surpassed 50 years of continuous production. (It's celebrating 75 years at OSH this summer)

My take is Vans is too busy trying to fill a backlog of orders to worry about new kits, even the 15/16 has apparently been "back burner" relegated.

Time will tell, indeed..
V/R
Smokey