July 17, 2017
Dear Pitts Model 12 Owners, Vendors and Enthusiasts,
For about a year, Jim Kimball Enterprises, Inc. has been in negotiations to sell the Model 12 business to a vendor of Model 12 High Performance kit components. Unfortunately, the process as taken longer than expected and has resulted in delays in delivery of Model 12 components and kits. The expectation was for this sale to have been completed by December 2016 and announced at Sun N Fun 2017. As many deals go, there were delays and now, unfortunately, this deal has fallen apart and will not be completed. The Pitts Model 12 design rights, tooling, and related IP remain available for sale at this time with JKE entertaining other offers. In addition, the rights and tooling for Model 12 and M14P related support items made by JKE such as Exhaust, fuel system components, conversion fittings, valves and so on are also for sale with the Model 12 program or stand alone.
JKE customers with orders in process have or will be contacted with a status of their orders. Any customers who are on a wait list for pending production runs will remain on that list until a new team resumes production. We understand this time of transition has some builders with partial kits in need of additional components. Had the sale gone as planned, the delay would have been minimal. Now the exact date for availability of parts in not known.
Jim Kimball Enterprises, Inc. will remain in business but on a smaller scale. Jim and Jane are retired and would like to enjoy some time to travel visiting friends, family and far away places. As of September 2016, Kevin has taken a full time position as Director of Advanced Engineering at Indmar Products Co. Kallin is also employed by Indmar as an Engineering Technician. The Kimball family will continue to restore vintage aircraft on a part time and personal level as well as remain active in the aviation community that has been our home, first as a hobby and then a business, for nearly 50 years.
We look forward to finding a new team to continue to grow and support the Pitts Model 12 family. Interested parties should contact Kevin Kimball for complete details.
Thank you for your support and understanding during this transition.
See you soon around the airport,
Jim and Kevin Kimball
Dear Pitts Model 12 Owners, Vendors and Enthusiasts,
For about a year, Jim Kimball Enterprises, Inc. has been in negotiations to sell the Model 12 business to a vendor of Model 12 High Performance kit components. Unfortunately, the process as taken longer than expected and has resulted in delays in delivery of Model 12 components and kits. The expectation was for this sale to have been completed by December 2016 and announced at Sun N Fun 2017. As many deals go, there were delays and now, unfortunately, this deal has fallen apart and will not be completed. The Pitts Model 12 design rights, tooling, and related IP remain available for sale at this time with JKE entertaining other offers. In addition, the rights and tooling for Model 12 and M14P related support items made by JKE such as Exhaust, fuel system components, conversion fittings, valves and so on are also for sale with the Model 12 program or stand alone.
JKE customers with orders in process have or will be contacted with a status of their orders. Any customers who are on a wait list for pending production runs will remain on that list until a new team resumes production. We understand this time of transition has some builders with partial kits in need of additional components. Had the sale gone as planned, the delay would have been minimal. Now the exact date for availability of parts in not known.
Jim Kimball Enterprises, Inc. will remain in business but on a smaller scale. Jim and Jane are retired and would like to enjoy some time to travel visiting friends, family and far away places. As of September 2016, Kevin has taken a full time position as Director of Advanced Engineering at Indmar Products Co. Kallin is also employed by Indmar as an Engineering Technician. The Kimball family will continue to restore vintage aircraft on a part time and personal level as well as remain active in the aviation community that has been our home, first as a hobby and then a business, for nearly 50 years.
We look forward to finding a new team to continue to grow and support the Pitts Model 12 family. Interested parties should contact Kevin Kimball for complete details.
Thank you for your support and understanding during this transition.
See you soon around the airport,
Jim and Kevin Kimball
