Positive Aurora Airport  Management   

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Van’s Aircraft presentation

Positive Aurora Airport Management (PAAM) January 17, 2000

Dick VanGrunsven, President
Bill Benedict, General manager

Van’s Aircraft Inc. will be moving to a new 60,000 square foot facility at the south end of Aurora State Airport. Construction is expected to be completed by May 2000.

Van’s Aircraft is the leading manufacturer of aluminum kit planes for the homebuilt aircraft market. The founder and president, Dick VanGrunsven has an aviation background beginning with flying a Piper Cub from his 650 foot-long strip at family farmland in Veerboot, Oregon in the 1950s. During his three years as a non-flying officer in the US Air Force, Dick purchased and rebuilt a small low wing aircraft. After leaving the Air Force in 1964, Dick begin designing improvements to small aircraft and ended up designing the RV3, a single place 125 horsepower, low-wing sport aircraft. By 1973 Dick had begun Van’s Aircraft and was shipping kits to aircraft homebuilders.

Currently located in North Plains Oregon in four buildings totaling approximately 35,000 square feet, Van’s Aircraft was looking for an airport-based location where they could consolidate their operations into new facilities. Aurora had land and airport access available. Van’s Aurora State Airport facility will provide 60,000 square feet with offices facing south on Keil Road and a hanger on the North side of their building

The company currently employs 44 people including engineers sales and marketing, production and support. They use modern equipment to fabricate both the basic aluminum parts and the "quick-build" version of their aircraft models. Welded steel, composite material for cowlings and plastic canopies are purchased from sub-contractors. Van’s currently ships 2 and ½ aircraft per day, totaling 600 per year. Employees have chosen to work a 4 day, 10 hour shift schedule from Monday through Thursday. Minimum staff operates on the other days to provide customer support and other necessary functions. The work-day begins with the first shift at 5:30 am and others at 6 and 7 am.

As of 1999, 13,000 Van kits have been ordered and 8,000 have been shipped. More than 2,300 are completed and flying. Of the five prominent aircraft kit manufacturing companies, Van’s is the leading homebuilt aircraft manufacturer in terms of kits ordered and shipped. The home built marketsize is currently 3,000+ units ordered per year. Following dynamic growth over the last 20 years, the market has leveled off somewhat. They have gained a very positive worldwide reputation as a leading aircraft kit manufacturer. About 2,000 hours are required to build a Van’s aircraft. Their revenues are not reported, but are sometimes referred to as "less than the cost on one GulfStream IV".

The models have included:
RV3 single place
RV4 tandem two place
RV6 side by side two place (RV6a-nose wheel version)
RV8 larger cabin tandem two place (RV8a nose wheel version)
RV9a side by side nose wheel version with larger cabin

The RVs are know as fast planes for their engine size and they are a very maneuverable, fighter type aircraft. For example the RV8a tops out at 220 miles per hour, climbs at 2000+ feet per minute with 180 horsepower engine and can perform aerobatics. Engine choices range from 108 horsepower to 200 horsepower depending on the model.

Each Labor Day weekend, Van’s Aircraft conducts an annual "Homecoming" where up to 200 aircraft fly to the factory for a weekend of seminars and socializing. They have a strong "fly neighborly" policy and they should have minimal impact on Aurora Airport traffic. During normal operations, Van’s ships only aircraft assembly parts, not complete aircraft thus, the only flying impact will be with the demo flights which currently average 4 per day.

Tours are offered of the plant, averaging about 3 to 4 tours per day. They offer a flight in an RV model for anyone interested as part of the tour and the flights last from 8 to 15 minutes. They are happy to share toe controls with the pilot or wannabe pilot during the demo flight. Initially 10 of the employees are relocating close to Aurora. The others will commute, at least initially. All the 44 employees plan to stay with the company. The building will be completed by May 2000.

In the 22 acre parcel at the sound end of Aurora where Van’s will be located, additional industrial buildings will be erected and so far one company, a manufacturer of aircraft emergency locator transmitters, (ELT) has decided to locate on the property.

Check out their website at http://www.vansaircraft.com/