Shasta is BACK! 2009 Airflyte Model is announced...
As reported by Chris Strohm of VintageShastas.com
Coachman Industries has announced that it will re-introduce the Shasta line of travel trailers starting with the new Airflyte 12 model. We have pictures of the new Airflyte along with a brochure and press release.
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| Classic Red |
Ocean Spray |
Tangerine Dream |
Starlight Silver |
As you can see by the photos, the new Airflyte looks a lot like the Airflytes from the late 50's or early 60's. This is not an accident! The early Airflytes were designed and built so well that Coachman has done its best to follow the tradition of the earlier design and pay homage to the well engineered designs of a bygone era. An era when craftsmanship meant something. It was this previous craftsmanship that is the reason that many of the Shastas built over 50 years ago are still around and are cherished by their current owners. I personally have a vintage Shasta that is almost 50 years old and is very original. The little details that were put into the creation of my trailer have helped it survive all this time. I think the trailer is holding up better than I am at about the same age...lol!
The new Airflyte is the first of a possible 3 trailers to be added to the Shasta line yet this year. It has some interesting elements one should note when comparing it to a vintage trailer.
- First thing one notices is that the shape of the exterior is remarkably consistant with the vintage models. Sure, it has updated materials for the exterior surfaces, but all new trailers do. It makes construction easier and more efficient, not to mention less chances for leaks to form in the future. There is no front window or rear window, but the larger side windows in the back almost make up for that. The front window is not possible due to the layout of the interior. Sure they were wonderful to look out of with the "Vista" view in the vintage trailers, but were always a source for major leaks and frustrations in the past (just ask anyone who has had to restore a vintage one...).
- The LED style tail-lights are a nice touch and all the clearance lights are todays equivilent to the teardrop styles of the vintage trailers. The baby moon hubcaps are an excellent choice to make the Shasta look vintage and cool as well. Then there is the obvious "lightning" stripe! (Available in 4 colors.) This is a staple of the original Shasta trailers from the 50's and was very popular with most vintage trailer brands. Even the silver wings are there, and immediately signify the fact that this is a Shasta!
- Interior appointments are somewhat less true to the original, but in some cases, excellent improvements! According to Bill Martin, VP of Marketing at Coachman, an Advanced Design Team was hired to make use of this interior space in the best possible way. Taking space saving cues from European and marine designers, they have packed more useful space into the redesigned interior, while still allowing the modern updates most new RV owners would demand. Shasta is once again a leader in form and functionality! Mr. Martin also says that heavy emphasis was put on keeping the weight down on this trailer. At under 2500 lbs, this is a pretty lightweight trailer by today's standards. This fact should make their comeback that much easier, especially in today's new economy.
- One of the nice features of having a "brand-new" trailer is the fact that adding things on as options is really an option! Take for example the optional "Cool-Cat" heat pump from Duo-Therm. This is a built in A/C and heating unit that fits nicely under the cabinets of the new shastas. There is a 6 gallon water heater for the shower which is part of the "wet-bath" arrangement. Fresh water (36 gals), gray water (32 gals), and black water (11 gals) tanks are already built in! An on-demand water pump is included for the fresh water tank. And a warranty is also included...something you don't find in any "vintage" trailer... lol!
- Something that may not be readily apparent is the fact that there is no propane tanks or propane accessories to be found anywhere. In the days of old, propane was almost a necessity for making a trailer livable. Not so in today's world. As most of us go places that have electrical connections available, the need for propane has gone away for a large part of us that camp out with our trailers. The fridge, water heater, A/C, lights, cooktop, TV, DVD player etc. are all taken care of through a state of the art 55 amp power center. Not having propane to worry about will no doubt be a big selling point of these new trailers. A lot of young people, especially those with young children, don't want the percieved threat of such a combustable item on board. Face it, propane scares a lot of people away...
There are going to be folks that will want to keep their vintage Shasta trailers, but let's hope there are just as many folks that want these new Shastas as well! We all do well as long as we remember the simple reason we own these wonderful trailers... to enjoy the camping experience with friends and family. Imagine all the new friends you can meet when someone comes up to you when you pull your Shasta trailer and wants to know more about it. All these trailers are "people magnets" and we should enjoy this fact and make the most of it! Now that Shastas are being made again, when someone stops to ask you if yours is for sale - tell them that they can buy their own, BRAND NEW! And don't forget to share your Shasta knowledge with as many other people as you can...wherever you go.
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| NEW 2009 Shasta Airflyte 12 |
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