The newest addition to the Air Zoo collection landed today!
Mr. Ken Walch, the 80-year-old owner of a VK-30, and his co-pilot landed today at the Air Zoo after leaving from Alaska on Wednesday morning. In total, their trip took 17 hours, utilized 104 gallons of gas, and included 5 stops to rest and refuel.
The VK-30 was built from a kit designed and sold by Cirrus Design, which is now Cirrus Aircraft, in the 1990s. Mr. Walch built his after transporting all the parts from B...araboo, Wisconsin to Alaska in a modified school bus. Of the 40 kits manufactured, only 13 were actually built. Of those 13, only 2 remain flying today.
The VK-30 first flew on February 11, 1988 and kit deliveries commenced shortly thereafter. Cirrus discontinued production of the VK-30 towards the end of 1993 and, after encountering some issues with the wing design in 1996, the company announced plans to develop a stronger replacement wing for about 28 VK30s supplied to past customers. The aircraft that will now call the Air Zoo its home received one of those replacement wings, according to its Mr. Walch.
The Air Zoo is grateful to Mr. Walch for the donation of this aircraft, which has been a part of his life for the last 30 years. We are so glad that it can call the Air Zoo its home!
An extra special thanks to Mr. Ken Walch and Mr. Darrell Holmstrom, his co-pilot, for safely flying this beautiful aircraft to Kalamazoo!
Photo Credit: Maria Newhouse
