Kits are GOING,GOING, and I hope not GONE.

What do we do when the weather is wet and cold?
Most builders enjoy building as much as flying, if not more. Without the kit manufacturer we WILL go to scratch building.

Yes, I'm one of the OLDSTERS, but I would like to retain some of my hand skills.

I would seek another way to maintain my hand skills rather than going to TOYS.

I realize that some people are in to instant gratification and so be it. I take time away from the " boob tube" to model.

I respect the ARFers, but mister manufacturer please continue with kits.

Bob Ewing

Bob, I build both kits and arfs, and I learn things from the kits that I apply to arfs (like crash repair), and I learn things from arfs that I apply to kits (like making a bulid simpler and faster). I love them both, arfs for their time savings, and kits for refining building/covering techniques, cost savings, and the stronger/lighter/accurate plane I get. My ratio of kits to arfs is 1:2

Bob, I wouldn't be too concerned , I feel that some
number of kits will always be available, maybe not
the ones we want or in the numbers that we saw
in the past. But they will be there.

Even if all the kits did go away remember that
there are many plans available for those who can
or will build.

Many years ago I built mostly from kits, then I wanted
a plane that wasn't kitted so I got some plans . It opened
up a whole new world to me. Try it....you maybe surprised
how easy it is................and inexpensive it can be.


Regards
Roby

If there is a market it will be served. If it's not a mass market, then it won't be mass marketers serving it... but I think its a sure bet it will be served.

Yes, I think there will be kits for a long time, thanks to technology. With the advent of laser cutters, it becomes easy to run fairly small batches of kits economically. I'm not sure you'll be able to find kits for trainers though, since that seems to make little sense once ARFS get to be a lot cheaper than kits.

I'm retired also and spend some portion of about every day building. I think in my lifetime kits will always be available. I spent this year building a Great Planes Aeromaster 60 (version 3) and now I'm about to start covering a Lou Andrews Aeromaster Too 60 (version 3). My trouble is finding space for storage and justifing the purchase of radio gear and engine for each. As long as I'm kicking I will be building RC kits and always dreaming of that perfect flyer or incredible looking WW II plane. I made a list and in my off and on RC tenure I have built 40 RC kits. One was an arf (Great Planes FW -190A) which flew well. I sold it along with 5 other Rc planes this summer to make from for new stuff.

Kits will diminish, but they will always be here.