Van's priorities?

flymustangs · #1 08-14-2006, 09:59 AM

I apologize if this offends anyone, but I really don't understand Van's priorities. I'm specifically referring to the big Oshkosh announcement that the RV-8 is now fully pre-punched. That's great news for wanna be RV-8 builders or current builders that haven't bought their fuselage kit yet.

What I don't understand is how they came up with this as their top priority next to the RV-12. Unless I'm just not reading the stats correctly, the RV-8 has been a pretty good seller. I've yet to hear one person say they would buy one if only the fuselage was pre-punched. I have; however, heard many times that a person would by an RV-3 kit in a heart beat if it was pre-punched.

I've ranted before about the quality of the RV-3 plans and kit and largely new this before starting the project. The problem is that if Van's has time to improve a kit why not the RV-3, which on the surface could generate more kit sales? It seems to me like they intend to continue selling the kit, but leave it in an essentally orphaned state.

I'm not an aircraft kit manufacturer and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night so I may just be missing the big picture. If that's the case please educate me.

Thanks.

Radomir · #2 08-14-2006, 10:21 AM

I guess it's a business decision -- they need to apply resources to whatever makes most business sense. The -8 apparently outsells the -3 by a [large] margin and, IMHO, it's not just prepunched vs. non-prepunched thing.

Paul Thomas · #3 08-14-2006, 10:23 AM

I've heard Van say that he doesn't believe there is a market for single seaters so he won't put ressources into it.
If enough people would actually buy a prepunched 3, then you might have a claim, but I doubt it's the case. People always talk a big game until it's time to put the money where their mouth is.

I'm sure a new 3 would sell, just not enough the justify the cost.

praterdj · #4 08-14-2006, 10:24 AM

I have hear a few that stated they would by the 8 if it were pre-punched. I believe Doug has stated he would buy a 4 if it were pre-punched. I'm sure the two seaters have a bigger audience as far as sales go.

Not sure but they probably have received several requests for the pre-punched 8's otherwise I doubt they would have gone to the trouble.

I'm buying a QB so it doesn't affect me.

Dgamble · #5 08-14-2006, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by praterdj

I'm buying a QB so it doesn't affect me.

Well, it might. Seems to me that the extra cost of a QB goes towards the labor of putting it together, and if the labor is reduced by pre-punching, you might see some financial gain in a price reduction.

gpiney · #6 08-14-2006, 10:35 AM

Guys,

Van's announced a full 'Matched-Hole" RV-8/8A. Previously the fuse skins were prepunched, but there was a lot of drilling and Jigging to do. This brings the -8 into the same status as the 7/9/10. Being a -8 builder, I was very glad to hear this. Once I am done with the empennage, I will go with QB wings and SB Fuse.

[edit] Also, they managed to lower the parts count and completely re-wrote the fuselage plans to RV-10 standards.

praterdj · #7 08-14-2006, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dgamble

Well, it might. Seems to me that the extra cost of a QB goes towards the labor of putting it together, and if the labor is reduced by pre-punching, you might see some financial gain in a price reduction.

Great point and I hope you are right although I can't imagine Vans offering a price reduction. I probably should have said it wouldn't affect my decision to go QB

briand · #8 08-14-2006, 10:38 AM

I think the 8 fuse has actually "progressed" over the years towards fully match punched. So they probably just decided to get it over with instead of screwing around here and there adding RV-8 fuse parts to the matched list.

TShort · #9 08-14-2006, 11:04 AM

I think there is a good chance my next project will be a -3 ... prepunched or not.

An acquaintance (a real old timer) yesterday was telling how he was talking with Van at a fly in and someone came up and asked Van about flying differences between the -6, -4, etc. Van looked at Jim and said, "You've flown them all, what do you think?" Jim told the guy about the -4 and the -6, but then said he thought the -3 was the greatest of them all. After this Van leaned over and under his breath said, "I built the best one first and it's been all downhill after that."

I have not flown a -3, but everyone I have talked to is ecstatic about the airplane. There was a -3 at the fly in yesterday and the owner let his son fly it for the first time ... we saw him back at home base an hour later and he was STILL grinning ear to ear. This from a guy with 175+ types in his logbook.

Thomas

Spindrift · #10 08-14-2006, 11:11 AM

Just a guess, but having taken a tour of the Vans facility and seen the newest computer controlled machinery they have that cuts and punches at an amazing rate of speed/accuracy, there's a good chance that prepunching the 8 fuselage was a natural evolution of their production process, influenced, but not driven, by specific market demand.

-- bill
aspiring RV7(A?) builder