Builder and Owner Community Support
Van's has provided builders with a remarkable product for over a half century. More importantly, they are the foundation for a community of aviation enthusiasts which can only be described as a family. I believe it's our duty to find ways to give back and help Van's through this challenging time.
Let's start a thread where those of us who want to see them even stronger on the other side of this can put our heads together in that effort. Most of us will agree, helping Van's stay in business is much better than the alternative. Whether you are an owner, builder, supplier, enthusiast etc.
I'll start with two ideas.
1. Crowd funding. Yes, I'm talking about simply giving money to a company that has made a few missteps recently, but overall has a 50 year track record of success.
2. VOPA. A formally structured Vans Owners and Pilots Association could take on a life of it's own as a non-profit. Classes, youth programming, safety training, fly-ins and much more. What's more it could provide a structured way to provide Van's with guidance, governance and support when needed. This could be a good way to provide Van's with a funding source initially, then grow from there as a member driven organization.
Like many of you, I am a builder who is impacted by this. IMO, Van's has shared very openly, and humbly, that they could probably use our help.