By and large, school flight programs have been a huge success, turning out high quality young people as well as quality airplanes. Some completions become local trainers, but most are marketed by aircraft dealers, while the kids go on to advanced schools and (hopefully) aviation and/or STEM careers. Note the completed airplanes must be sold, or these programs cannot function.
While celebrating success, we must also accept reality; human nature guarantees some small percentage of programs will not be successful. As the number of participating schools increases, the number of incomplete projects will also rise. Creating a channel for those partially completed projects is every bit as necessary as the sales process for complete airplanes.
That's where we are today. I've agreed to pick up, store, and market some of these projects. In some areas I expect a learning process, mostly practical details, like finding the best way to haul parts, advertise them, make them available for inspection, and maintain buyer satisfaction, a key requirement for long term success.
Let's get started. I have two RV-12is projects in a hangar here at 08A, where buyers can easily fly in for inspection. Why fly in to inspect? Although I can easily check for major components, it's not practical for me to inventory everything, and anyway, I don't want a buyer to depend on my assurances. Instead, I'll be glad to help a buyer satisfy himself as to what is included in each package. No pig in a poke here.
Airframe #1 consists of empennage, wing, fuselage, and finishing kits. No engine, no avionics. The wings, tail, and tailcone are complete. Fuselage is at the tub stage. A factory finished fuel tank is included. Wings are on a good rack. The finish kit is still in the original Vans crate.
Airframe #2 consists of empennage, wing, fuselage, finishing, firewall forward, and avionics kits. The wings are complete with the exception of some work at the tips. Tail is complete. Fuselage at the tub stage. A factory finished fuel tank is included. The new Rotax 912is is in the original crate, but please note the warranty has expired. All engine accessory items (like the ECM, fuel pumps, exhaust, and propeller) appear to be present. G3X Garmin single screen package; COM, ADSB, autopilot, etc, all in original boxes.
Note these are ELSA kits, so it's perfectly OK to hire someone for the entire build. There is also the new MOSIAC rules, and traditional EAB. Being partially completed, they're fairly described as quickbuilds.
One obvious question is "How much money?" Frankly, that's something we we also want to learn. Airframe #1 has a total kit value of $52,000 at current Vans prices. Airframe #2 would total roughly $130,000. In addition, there would be shipping charges, estimated by Vans at $6,700 to $8,200 for an east coast delivery. These kits are already in the central south, and to make things easier, private transportation may be available. Depends on distance, weather, etc.
The goal here is to move the kits while establishing a market value. So, visit, inspect, and let's talk. We're expecting significant discounts, but no, we don't have a firm figure in mind. In the end, buyers with cash determine what things are really worth.
While celebrating success, we must also accept reality; human nature guarantees some small percentage of programs will not be successful. As the number of participating schools increases, the number of incomplete projects will also rise. Creating a channel for those partially completed projects is every bit as necessary as the sales process for complete airplanes.
That's where we are today. I've agreed to pick up, store, and market some of these projects. In some areas I expect a learning process, mostly practical details, like finding the best way to haul parts, advertise them, make them available for inspection, and maintain buyer satisfaction, a key requirement for long term success.
Let's get started. I have two RV-12is projects in a hangar here at 08A, where buyers can easily fly in for inspection. Why fly in to inspect? Although I can easily check for major components, it's not practical for me to inventory everything, and anyway, I don't want a buyer to depend on my assurances. Instead, I'll be glad to help a buyer satisfy himself as to what is included in each package. No pig in a poke here.
Airframe #1 consists of empennage, wing, fuselage, and finishing kits. No engine, no avionics. The wings, tail, and tailcone are complete. Fuselage is at the tub stage. A factory finished fuel tank is included. Wings are on a good rack. The finish kit is still in the original Vans crate.
Airframe #2 consists of empennage, wing, fuselage, finishing, firewall forward, and avionics kits. The wings are complete with the exception of some work at the tips. Tail is complete. Fuselage at the tub stage. A factory finished fuel tank is included. The new Rotax 912is is in the original crate, but please note the warranty has expired. All engine accessory items (like the ECM, fuel pumps, exhaust, and propeller) appear to be present. G3X Garmin single screen package; COM, ADSB, autopilot, etc, all in original boxes.
Note these are ELSA kits, so it's perfectly OK to hire someone for the entire build. There is also the new MOSIAC rules, and traditional EAB. Being partially completed, they're fairly described as quickbuilds.
One obvious question is "How much money?" Frankly, that's something we we also want to learn. Airframe #1 has a total kit value of $52,000 at current Vans prices. Airframe #2 would total roughly $130,000. In addition, there would be shipping charges, estimated by Vans at $6,700 to $8,200 for an east coast delivery. These kits are already in the central south, and to make things easier, private transportation may be available. Depends on distance, weather, etc.
The goal here is to move the kits while establishing a market value. So, visit, inspect, and let's talk. We're expecting significant discounts, but no, we don't have a firm figure in mind. In the end, buyers with cash determine what things are really worth.
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