ORIGINAL: ChuckW
ORIGINAL: GaryHarris
That makes no bussiness sense. Why would a company discontinue a kit, when they would send the same box of sticks to Asia for ARF assembly?
Confused in Texas.
I hate to sound like the mfg's rep but the answer is simple. Nobody buys the kits. It is unfortunate and sad but I think it may be the reality. Just go to your club and see how many kit-built planes show up. Not many I bet and most of those were probably built a few years ago, very few recently. That's how it is around here anyhow. Kits and scratch building will probably end up being a niche part of the hobby with a few specialized suppliers but definitely not the mainstream. I could be wrong but that's what I see. Too bad though; it seems like nobody knows how or is willing to create anything anymore.
Pretty much right Chuck. The ARFs are cut in China, the kits are cut here but I have some that were cut in Mexico too. Like Smith stated, they are different planes too so it's apples and oranges.
How about this for your wish list. Why can't the manufactures draw up the plans for us like the magazine plans for builders and sell us those?? Problem solved, it isn't like the idea would cut into there ARF sales or anything. After I have all my wood in stock it takes me a few hours to cut a kit then it's just a straight build from there on. Magazine plans all have a few mistakes on them, just the nature of the beast but a better set of builders plans from places like GP should be able to cure that little problem.
I hate to see good kits go but I have been building from plans for a long time so it hasn't cut into my building at all, well, not very much anyway.
As pointed out, when I go to the field I have planes that no one else has and I'm always asked, Who Makes That??
I don't think asking for builders plans from places like GP is asking too much and it would keep the kit built planes in the air, not many but some.
Gene