If I'm not mistaken the first Kitty Hawk RV Fly In was held on the second last weekend of September 2014 and except for the Covid break has been held on this weekend continuously since then.
Its such a pity that we can't co-ordinate events as clashes negatively effects the number of visitors to both events. Such was the case on Saturday with the EAA's Pancake Fly In at Silver Creeck taking place on the Saturday as well. To make matters worse the wind for most of the day was pumping across the runway at Kitty Hawk.
However, that did not stop 78 people registering for the event, 250 visited and 39 Vans RVs made their way to the field. Some, like Peter Lea flew all the way from Baberton to attend.
Van's RV has now been going for 50 years are stronger than ever. By the end of August, a total of 11,259 RV aircraft have been completed and flown!
Vans learn of flying RVs in several different ways, but can only add your RV to their counter if you let them know it's flown! Ideally, a builder will use the form linked from the company's web page to send them the story and a photo/video or two or three of you sporting your personal "RV grin."
Sometimes they are called on the phone, which is great but doesn't actually provide them with anything to publish on the web. Other times they find out incidentally; for example, when a customer calls to order new tires and they wonder why someone who is still building, as far as they know, would need them. Or, they may discover a first flight announcement on an RV web forum or other online venue. On yet other occasions, they learn of a new batch of flying RVs from "RV factories" overseas, but without the individual owner details.
Vans would like to see more RV grins, so please submit your first-flight story and pictures of your new "baby," or they (and the rest of the world) may never know of your success!
Many thanks to the friendly people at Kitty Hawk for the free breakfast and coffee as well as your hospitality. It is that, that has made us and all the RV owners to year after year flock to Kitty Hawk to meet old friends and to admire the new toys that were completed since the last fly in.