{"id":1718,"date":"2016-01-04T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-04T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volareproducts.com\/blog\/?p=1718"},"modified":"2016-01-04T07:30:00","modified_gmt":"2016-01-04T12:30:00","slug":"2015-2016-year-end-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/volareproducts.com\/new2024\/2015-2016-year-end-review\/","title":{"rendered":"2015-2016 Year End Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy New Year!<\/p>\n

This is a year-end message from Volare Products, where I will try to summarize the last year.\u00a0 Basically, it’s a big THANK YOU to all of my customers, flying buddies, and friends.\u00a0 The flying season just whizzed by – here in Michigan, the season is from March\/April through October\/November (depending on the weather).\u00a0 I didn’t get to fly as much as I wanted, but I never do!<\/p>\n

The business had a fine year, duplicating the success of 2014.\u00a0 I feel that I have about reached the limit with what I can do with a part-time, after-hours business – and maybe some of you have felt that, too (poor communications, delayed receipt of orders).\u00a0 My bout of bronchitis in November and December really impacted my service to you, and I apologize.\u00a0 On the bright side, I was able to put out 7 new laser cut kits in 2015; we are up to 19 different planes now (I think).\u00a0 These short kits are something I really enjoy.\u00a0 Here’s a little description of my business vision about the kits:<\/p>\n

Personally, I really never liked cutting formers and ribs – it was a tedious and painful part of the building process.\u00a0 I can draw up parts (yes, it probably takes as long or longer than hand cutting the parts) and produce the “exact” items required.\u00a0 And, unlike hand cutting, that initial time investment pays off in the end, as I can reproduce the parts any time I want.<\/p>\n

I can share that ability with my customers.\u00a0 And I can pass on that savings to you.\u00a0 I set my prices at what I believe is a reasonable rate.\u00a0 True, you don’t get all the fancy bells and whistles that come with a beautiful box kit – BUT, my wood is generally better than most kits I have seen AND when I do provide a full kit, the prop and rubber I provide is what I used to get the prototype flying in the first place (not a too-small prop and too-short rubber).\u00a0 And speaking of prototypes, I won’t offer you a kit that hasn’t been built and flown – in fact, I have one kit “ready” except for the fact that the prototypes I have seen fly (built by friends) do not fly to my satisfaction.\u00a0 So that one sits on the shelf until I decide to mess with it and make it fly – which may be never!<\/p>\n

Anyway, I hope you think of my kits the same way that I do:\u00a0 good products at a good value.<\/p>\n

We tried some new things in 2015, and some of them proved themselves.\u00a0 One thing that is still up in the air; we did NOT set up to sell at the Toledo r\/c show last April.\u00a0 I only ever set up on Saturday, and – truth be told – the sales profit that we usually made was likely eaten up by the travel expenses, feeding the crew (before, during, and after) and the discontent of said crew not enjoying the experience.\u00a0 So, we probably won’t be back trying to sell Free Flight stuff at an r\/c show.
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\nWe bought a 15-foot tall VOLARE PRODUCTS banner to fly at events – that worked out well – the size, shape, and color can be seen across the field and it announces our presence on the flight line.\u00a0 In 2014, I bought a junky old camping trailer to haul my stuff.\u00a0 Well, it proved its worth – I was able to haul all of my flying gear and models, all of my sales goods, and my chase bike to the larger shows.\u00a0 It proved its worth enough that I made a large investment and bought a large, not-junky camper that you may have seen in September at Muncie.\u00a0 I really like staying on the field and being able to fly in the evenings and eat and talk with my flying buddies way after dark.
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\nOne thing that we did that we feel was a great success was our Customer Appreciation Hot Dog giveaway.\u00a0 Jack and I did this at the FAC Outdoor Champs in September.\u00a0 I can’t take credit for the idea (AMA\/NFFS have been doing this for years at the Nats), but we decided to try it and give back to the FAC and to our customers.\u00a0 We cooked up all the hot dogs we brought, and I don’t think anyone went away hungry, even Don DeCook’s dog had one!\u00a0 We will continue this into the future.\u00a0 It was just a small gesture; I hope everyone knows that I truly appreciate them as customers and as flying friends.
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\nLooking forward –\u00a0 I think 2016 will be a significant year.\u00a0 For one thing, the business is now officially “Volare Products<\/strong>” (registered with the State of Michigan).\u00a0 For those that don’t know, that is the name I used back in the early ’90s when I started selling plans.\u00a0 When I jumped in with both feet and bought Shorty’s Basement, I kept that name for the name recognition.\u00a0 Not to slight Dan and Carole Kane, but I have always had it in my mind to transition their business and create my own name and brand.\u00a0 If I look back at the product line when I took over and compare it to what I have today, there are significant differences.\u00a0 Yes, my product line is particularly focused, but that focus is similar to what I mentioned about the kits – I don’t like to offer and sell things that I don’t know anything about.\u00a0 That’s why you don’t find electrics or r\/c or FAI-style or AMA Gas items in my catalog – some, I flat-out don’t have interest in and others I know nothing about.\u00a0 I’m not wanting to stand in front of a customer and sell them something (telling them how great it is) when I haven’t a clue about it.<\/p>\n

Future cures for current problems.\u00a0 Any of my regular customers probably have noticed some issues with my website and such:\u00a0 sometimes inventory quantities and stock-on-hand values are wrong and sometimes items are actually out of stock for a long time.\u00a0 Sometimes orders get delayed.\u00a0 This probably bothers me more than most of you.\u00a0 However, it’s a pretty shabby way to run a business.\u00a0 The problem is, this business is run by one guy alone – after he gets done with a real 40-hour job in the evenings and weekends.\u00a0 I truly appreciate everyone that accepts that and tells me “no rush” and so on.\u00a0 But part of my plans for 2016 are to change that.\u00a0 If everything goes per design, I will be able to dedicate may more hours to the business after June 2016.\u00a0 I will have served the Department of Defense, as a civilian, for 35 years in June and will be eligible to retire.\u00a0 So I expect to be able to work this business in a much more dedicated manner in the second half of the year.\u00a0 \u00a0And maybe I can get more of those short kits made up; I’ve got over a dozen designs in process or planning now and there’s always more models to build!<\/p>\n

Small things on deck:\u00a0 keep refining Superior Props, possible tissue printing templates for download, new how-to videos, new “today at the flying field” videos,\u00a0 who knows what else might pop up!
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