flyingtheoldones

My Feedback: (1)

I noticedGreat Planesis ending production on a few kits. Some I understand some I dont. like the Goldberg line of Falcons. The Falcon Sr. and 56, have been very popular since the were released 45 years ago. People want them, a Sr. Falcon is nearing $200 on Ebay right now. I myself spent just over $250 for a Skylark MKII some years ago.
I understand that ARFs are now the choice for most, (almost all) R/Cers, and the profits on kits are not that high for the manufacturer. That has shown with Don Anderson's Great Planes Company purchasing thesehurting kitmanufacturers. But please keep in mind that the cost to Finish a kit is well beyond that of an ARF, and builders are going to build, even if it means paying multiple times that of the samemodel asan ARF. Maybe an inflated price on a kit instead of discontinuing it altogether? At least it would still be available and we would have a choice.
I know you can only do what you can Bill,you have supported builders in the past, but please keep in mind that we are out here, and are willing to spend More money building a kit rather than Assembling an ARF.

respectfully,
DM

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

DM,

Sorry to have to inform you, but the "popular" kits just are not so popular. Production ceases when a kit cannot support itself. That means that there just aren't enough kits sold to justify making them. Modelers won't pay what it takes to make them profitable, or buy in sufficient numbers. Trust me, if a kit sells, it doesn't get dropped. While many may perceive certain kits to be popular or in demand, our examination of sales figures doesn't bear that out.

Great Planes would love to produce more kits. It means that more people will have jobs and a great facility can be kept busy. Unfortunately, the modeling public isn't spending its money in that direction.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Here is a wild and crazy thought:

Perhaps Great Planes could create, and sponsor "How To Build a Model Airplane" clinics across the country. Set up in local armory's, or city Recreation Centers, etc. Make flyers and post them, advertise on popular kids websites, like Facebook or whatever they use. Make a certain date and then get kids signed up (parents too of course!) and then hold the clinic over a weekend. Build a simple kit that can be done start to finish over two days. All parts necessary sold at cost to keep the price down and incentive high. The following weekend, have a meet where all the kids can see their work in action. Not necessarily that they attempt to fly it without experience, but a qualified "Test Pilot" who will take their model up for a circuit around the field to show them what they accomplished with their own hands. Might just "set the hook" for a lifelong building habit.

gene6029

Several years ago i tought a building class, sponsored by a LHS. We had 10 students & we all built the same plane. I think we build 11 Tower Hobbies UPROARs or DAZZLERs. The class was held over the winter months & each week I would build a section of the plane i was building & the students coppied that on their own kit. As part of the class i taught them how to cover & install radio gear. In the Spring we test flew all of the completed models. While everyone had a good time building together, I dont think the class converted many if any into real builders. They understood better how to repair their ARFs once they crashed them, and could repair them instead of just trashing them. It seemed lack of time was one of the biggest factors in most of the students reason not to continue building. Im going thru that right now with my grandson. I cant keep his attention long enough to keep wanting to build & fly. Computer games are faster & more tecky.......Gene[&o]

impulse09

My Feedback: (3)

Personally I think it's gonna be kits for me from here on out. I know it's not for everybody, but it's for me.

-DS

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

This idea works only if the cost is low enough, and you can find enough kids who want to work with their hands. For radio control modeling, the age group isn't so much into working with their hands. If it's not a PS-2 or Wii, then they don't want it. If they're young enough to enjoy the hands-on work, they're too young for RC. Also, don't forget that the model will have to be made in an hour or so, or attention spans will wander. Even a fast-building kit, like a PT-40, takes long enough that many of today's children will lose interest long before the first assembly is finished...this is even true of many adults.

It's not that people are lacking time to pursue the hobby, but they choose to use their time in other ways. Remember, for many, the time they don't "have" is spent in front of the TV, watching programs they "have" to see. It's all about choices. Yes, some people really don't have enough leisure time for a hobby. Our heart goes out to them.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

This isn't a discussion forum, so we're locking this thread. For discussions, please post in the general Kit Building Forum. We take support questions in this forum.