RivetBangers.com

Apparently Van's is going to introduce something at OSH? Got this off a competing, inferior forum:

"If all goes well, we will have a significant product introduction at AirVenture 2006 -- the result of over a year's intensive work. No, not the RV-12 (Which is not expected to be finished in time). Something else."

Anybody care to speculate? I'm hoping a prepunched RV-4 kit.

Or maybe that glider he's been working on for years?

All y'all attending OSH be sure to keep us informed!

Things that make ya go, Hmmmmmmm...

Nah, a PP -4... who would want that anyways!?!



Not the -12 either???



I am guessing the -11 (moto-glider) will make an appearance!

After all, that is Van's baby!!!

Anyone else care to guess!?!

CJ

My best guess is along the same lines as others guessing...if it has to do with the -12, it will be there flying...if it has to do with the -11, it will be there in non-flying concept.

My only other thought is that Van has decided to approve an alternative engine installation!! HA!! Yeah, right... That'll be the day.

Some insiders are saying that it's a matched-hole version of the RV-8/8A, rather than the current pre-punched kit. Whatever it is, it's taken them a year to get it going.

I SERIOUSLY hope it's not a new line of clothing or something stupid.

I'm thinking that it's most likely a 250 lb., 600 h.p., $800 jet engine. Retrofittable, of course.

Oooooooooooh, aaaaaaaaaaah.....
If only.

I don't understand the difference between "prepunched" and "matched hole". I thought that was the same thing

If I understand it correctly, 'pre-punched' means that the skins are punched, and the ribs and all other understructure are not. 'Match hole' means that the skins, ribs, spars, etc...are all matched up and punched.

Anybody got a better explainantion?

I believe that you are on it with your explanation Chad.

As far as them releasing news at Osh, I imagine that its either the motor glider, a different engine, or a radical change within the business. This should be fun.

-- John

That makes sense now.

As of now, I plan to be there on Wedsday and Thursday. Last year I only had one day and didn't get to see everything. Should be a lot of fun plus I want to go to a couple fiberglass forums as I know absolutley nothing about fiberglass work and I will have time to do the emp work before my wings show up.

My wild guess is that Van's is going to be offering a certified version of the RV9. How's that for a stab in the dark.

Hey, you might be on to something there. Think he's going to start competing with the kitplane-to-certified crowd a la Lancair/Columbia? You think the RV-9, I think the RV-10!

That's a great stab

Either one and Id be hard pressed to continue building the current plane

I was talking with a non-builder the other day who owns a Piper Arrow. He said he was going to OSH this year. I told him Van's Aircraft was releasing something new. He said, "Yeah, they are revealing a motor glider". I asked where he heard that and he said it's all over the aviation news. ?????

Other rumors are that it's a fastback version of the RV-8.

I REALLY hope it's not that aborted motor glider he's been messing around with. I think there would be more of a market for the FB 8 than a motorglider. I think it's probably disinformation.

Well I was talking to a friend today who is a bit of a sailplane fanatic and his rumor mill is saying it's the moto glider.

My guess is the 12. It is flying and was at the Scappose fly-in.
Dan

Builder assist centers scattered through out the country with parts warehouses and overnight shipment of replacement parts for free.

I would guess the 12 will be there, but what do I know?

I just thought of something!!

To compete with Diamond's D-Jet, Van will introduce the V-Jet!!

I read somewhere that the demise of Kitfox was due largely to excessive model proliferation and market saturation, the latter exacerbated by a growing number of used planes on the market, softening demand for new kits.

I wonder whether Van's might be riding a crest of popularity and enthusiasm that will lead them to overextend themselves. Rapid growth can be a bit heady, but entrepreneurs often fail at the tumultuous junction between small business and big corporation. I think there's a nebulous area in there where diminishing returns can plummet precipitously below zero for a while, and it takes extraordinary courage and vision to survive the transition. The back side of the power curve, if you will.

Thoughts?