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SLSA price

jrtens

jrtens

Well Known Member
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jrtens said:
The RV-12iS SLSA price has gone up a bit.

www.vansaircraft.com

Learn About the Van's RV-12iS SLSA Factory-Built Option - Van's Aircraft Total Performance RV Kit Planes

SLSA: We Build It – You Fly it Home! Starting at around $189,500 for our basic glass-panel VFR RV-12iS, yet remaining very affordable throughout the range of options (the fully-decked-out Platinum package with all the options including a GTN 650xi IFR navigator, digital autopilot, and dual EFIS...
www.vansaircraft.com www.vansaircraft.com
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I guess Van's revised definition of 'very affordable' may be a tad different than that of many of us! 💰💰💰

"Starting at around $189,500 for our basic glass-panel VFR RV-12iS, yet remaining very affordable throughout the range of options (the fully-decked-out Platinum package with all the options including a GTN 650xi IFR navigator, digital autopilot, and dual EFIS screens runs about $232,500). The RV-12iS is a great-to-fly, light sport machine with a high useful load and low operating costs."​
 
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Would I rather have an RV-12iS starting at $189,500 or a Legend Cub starting at $198.980?

The Vason Ranger Cascade is only $194,500 and has a Continental O-200 should also be considered.
 
RV6_flyer said:
Would I rather have an RV-12iS starting at $189,500 or a Legend Cub starting at $198.980?

The Vason Ranger Cascade is only $194,500 and has a Continental O-200 should also be considered.
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All things considered the 12iS fits a wider range of missions than either of the other two. However, if getting to a short field/grass field at a slower pace is what will be done more often then choose one of the others.
 
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Roughly a 25% increase from when I put an order in a year ago. I canceled my order well pre-cash flow issues announcement having purchased a different SLSA. I'm a creditor hoping to get my initial deposit back per contract.

d.
 
dbrotto said:
Roughly a 25% increase from when I put an order in a year ago. I canceled my order well pre-cash flow issues announcement having purchased a different SLSA. I'm a creditor hoping to get my initial deposit back per contract.

d.
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This is a really difficult inflection point for buying a Van's product. I fully understand where you are coming from having made a deposit at a price you weighed, considered, reconsidered then made the major life decision to buy at the price you performed all the calculations only to find you cannot really buy at that price now....AFTER making a deposit. But for those just now getting to the point you were just a year or so ago they have to make all these decisions at the higher price and compared to the Legend Cub or Ranger price. If I were in that position today I would still choose the Van's. It best fits my needs.
 
RV6_flyer said:
The Vason Ranger Cascade is only $194,500 and has a Continental O-200 should also be considered.
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The Vashon Ranger was introduced at just under $100k after touting their manufacturing expertise and desire to make aviation affordable. Coming across those videos in 2021 (AvWeb I believe) while the base price was up ~50-60% overnight, felt like a slap in the face. While people have been lamenting the death of GA for decades, 2020 felt like the nail in the coffin, to me.

Edit: At 100k, maybe a bit more for options, the ranger seems like a great little plane. At 160-200k, light sport doesn't cut it, for me. Would need more speed, range, and useful load for that price.
 
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I think the fully loaded Vashon Redwood model (two screen VFR panel), which is now the middle of the lineup, was around 130. That model is now 165ish. The 195 model is the IFR panel which wasn’t in the lineup at launch.
 
How many here would pay in advance? Or would you do the money in a suitcase handed over when the keys are handed over, while you are sitting in the plane?
 
Stubert said:
I think the fully loaded Vashon Redwood model (two screen VFR panel), which is now the middle of the lineup, was around 130. That model is now 165ish. The 195 model is the IFR panel which wasn’t in the lineup at launch.
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I believe the absolute lowest price model with one Dynon display is presently 159k and they were supposed to be around 99k sometime around 2018. It's possible there was a version with very basic avionics that's no longer offered.

www.aopa.org

Vashon Ranger

The qualities of an ideal trainer are in direct conflict with those of an adventure airplane. A trainer must be easy to fly, mechanically simple, and economical. An adventure airplane should fly precisely, carry bulky loads, and operate from short and rough airfields. Any aircraft that excels in...
www.aopa.org

"An RV–12 kit [including engine and avionics] costs about $80,000 before you build it,” he said. “The Ranger is $99,500 complete, so there’s no real economic incentive for building it yourself.”
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skirting_virga said:
I believe the absolute lowest price model with one Dynon display is presently 159k and they were supposed to be around 99k sometime around 2018. It's possible there was a version with very basic avionics that's no longer offered.

www.aopa.org

Vashon Ranger

The qualities of an ideal trainer are in direct conflict with those of an adventure airplane. A trainer must be easy to fly, mechanically simple, and economical. An adventure airplane should fly precisely, carry bulky loads, and operate from short and rough airfields. Any aircraft that excels in...
www.aopa.org
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The AOPA article was written in 2018. Prices have gone UP a lot since then. The price quote and comparison is NO LONGER valid in 2024.
 
RV6_flyer said:
The AOPA article was written in 2018. Prices have gone UP a lot since then. The price quote and comparison is NO LONGER valid in 2024.
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I know that, and that was my point. I first heard of the Vashon Ranger 2-3 years after that, seeing articles and video from 2018-19 in 2021ish. I was originally excited to potentially buy one, then dismayed to learn that the price appeared to be up 50-60% in 2-3 years. Like everything else I guess, but the Idea of an affordable SLSA at 100k was very appealing. At 160k an LSA is not nearly enough airplane for me.

Edit: and in those articles and videos they talked a big game about manufacturing expertise and efficiency that would allow them to make an affordable plane where others could not. As I said earlier, it felt like a slap in the face.
 
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I gathered from their owners group that Continental has them over a barrel on the O-200 pricing and pace of deliveries, which is one of the primary drivers of the price increase, both in terms of the actual engine price and the slow rate of deliveries is preventing them from hitting the economy-of-scale production numbers that they originally envisioned.
 
Stubert said:
I gathered from their owners group that Continental has them over a barrel on the O-200 pricing and pace of deliveries, which is one of the primary drivers of the price increase, both in terms of the actual engine price and the slow rate of deliveries is preventing them from hitting the economy-of-scale production numbers that they originally envisioned.
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That's good information. Seems uncontroversial to say that the price of GA engines is a large contributor to the death of GA. I wonder if it will force them to make a Rotax version...

EDIT: Airpower sells a new O-200 for ~$45k. What an insane amount of money to pay for such a powerplant.
 
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Agreed! I looked at the Vashon Ranger very closely and that O-200 and the SLSA restrictions chased me away. Given the way their prices are trending, I think it is probably worthwhile to wait for the RV-15, which will be so much more capable in terms of weight and IMC capability. With a modern kit and pop rivets it’ll probably come together faster than the waitlist for a Ranger.
 
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