| Author | Message | ||
     Charles M. Robinson New member Username: F15epilot Post Number: 31 Registered: 02-2004 |
Tom...couldn't agree more. Gary and Shawn...you're the kind of American entrepreneurs that make the country what it is (and make me proud to be a member of the forces who defend the opportunities for you and other folks to do the same). Roy and Nancy...hang in there. You've got lots of allies in this who just need to be organized. I'm not in the category of folks that have parts or kits due--my plane is finished and flying (finished being a relative term as there is always something to 'finish' or improve). Hence, my stake in the outcome of EAC is arguably smaller than those who've paid for parts and might be paying again. Still, everyone who owns or 'almost' owns an Express benefits from EAC or Wicks continuing to produce kits. I’m no financial or business expert, but I’m guessing the savings in lower insurance premiums would likely pay for the investments owners like me would make in any venture to keep the line open somewhere. To that end, I'm definitely interested in partnering with any effort to keep EAC or whatever it evolves into in operation, and I hope other owner/operators are willing as well. In fact, if the company has a rudder pedal assembly in inventory they want to sell, I guess now is the time for me to put a ‘real’ Express assembly in the plane. If other owners have similar ‘future’ needs for parts that might be available, perhaps that future is now—the cash flow couldn’t help but assist in keeping the bankruptcy courts at bay, and might help get a few Express workers paid. Maybe EAC could post a list of what’s available as inventory (albeit, not already designated for someone’s kit that’s not delivered) to give owner/builders like me an idea of what’s available. From what I’ve seen on this forum, the Express community is both savvy and resilient—we and the plane we love will survive. Let’s work together towards that end and we’ll all benefit from those efforts. Chuck | ||
| Tom R. Hutchison New member Username: Tomhutch Post Number: 161 Registered: 01-2003 |
Thanks Charles and everyone for your words of support. I hope everyone will forgive me for belaboring the point, but I want to make it clear what I want the focus of the Express Builder's forum to be. I hope everyone can understand the original and sole reason I started and continue to run the Express Builder's Forum (I make NO money doing this). It is to provide a resource for builder's to help each other out and exchange information useful to them in completing their projects. A secondary reason is to promote the Express as a successful product in hopes of attracting even more builders and completed aircraft. The larger the Express community becomes, the more all of us individual builders and owners benefit. That being said, can everyone understand why I discourage venting of frustrations with other builder's and the company? Yes, it could be argued that airing of an individual's complaints about their experience with the company or another builder could be helpful to everyone, but that could be a VERY subjective position. For instance, I spoke with another recent builder this weekend and his experience has been very positive up until the closing of EAC. So who are we to believe in these situations? Its been my experience with these public forums and mailing lists, that rarely, if ever, does anything ever get resolved with airing of individual disputes. Almost invaribly you just end up with a "flame war" that frustrates and discourages everyone. There are multiple private and legal avenues for resolving disputes. I personally have no allegiance to any person(s) or group that wishes to take over EAC. My sole desire is that the Express aircraft continue to be a successful product and evolve. Whoever can accomplish that has my gratitude and support. Thanks, and as Wayne keeps reminding us, "Get out there and build". Tom Hutchison | ||
| Brian McKinney New member Username: Bmckinney Post Number: 60 Registered: 05-2000 |
Thanks for running this forum Tom. It has been so valuable for me as I work on my Express (slowly, I know...). By the way, how about some information as to how your project is going? I have been waiting to hear about test flights or something soon from you. ;-) Most of us are still in the process of building at some stage. It would be fun to see where everyone else is and maybe post a picture or two of our projects. Let's stay positive about the Express and just hope it ends up in good hands! Thanks, Brian | ||
| Matthew Byrne New member Username: Mbyrne Post Number: 15 Registered: 07-2003 |
Can someone explain how good of a glider 511EA is http://162.58.35.241/acdatabase/nnumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=511EA Would this not make the airplane unairworthy.... | ||
| Tom R. Hutchison New member Username: Tomhutch Post Number: 162 Registered: 01-2003 |
Unairworthy? Oh no, not at all. It would be a "motor glider", albeit with a VERY steep glide ratio. BUT you could solo it at 14 years of age I believe. Tom  | ||
| M. Hunter Unregistered guest |
Another interesting note on that page is the licensing catagory 511EA's licensed under, which is the Exhibition Catagory. The new owner (if it is sold to a private owner) is going to have a difficult time legally using that aircraft for anything other than airshow participation, demo flights, tv/movie production, etc (exhibition purposes). Unfortunately you can't change the licensing catagory after-the-fact, so it is what it is. I think you also have to file a Program Letter annually with the FAA identifying all the places (ie. exhibition events) you'll fly it more than 150 miles away from your home base, and keep it in the airplane in case you're ramp checked. Not to present a 'negative' item here, but it should be noted in case someone's looking to buy 511. Their use will be severly restricted (legally). Just FYI... Mike | ||
| Andy Plunkett New member Username: Awplunkett Post Number: 2 Registered: 08-2004 |
It's not all lost. You can deregister it, have it inspected as experimental and register it that way. Obviously it will be a PITA, but everything dealing with the government should be ;) | ||
| JD Unregistered guest |
I think Mike's correct here. It already is licensed as Experimental, but in the Exhibition sub-class... not in the Amateur Built classification that you would need to operate it normally. To get that, you would need to prove it was built for the intent of the Experimental/Amateur Built catagory (built for personal recreation, education, etc). You would need to show a builder log, photos, etc documenting it, and sign all the legal docs attesting to it meeting the Amateur Built / 51% rule. I know some 'professionally built' aircraft that have been dealt a death blow by the FAA because of this. According to our local FSDO, you can't get there from here. Just my $.02 | ||
| Gary H. Wolfelt New member Username: Wolfelt Post Number: 4 Registered: 11-2003 |
I don't claim to know the answer here for sure. But I have called the local Indy FSDO and asked the question. The guy that I spoke with said that it would have to be taken apart and rebuilt to put it in the correct category. He didn't know the answer himself until he went and checked. So I don't KNOW that what I was told is correct. And someone else may get a different answer from a different person on a different day. But it does seem that either way (no matter what) this A/C is worth much less to anyone other than the manufacture as an exhibit plane. I think that JD sounds like he is on course on this one. GHW | ||
| Andy Plunkett New member Username: Awplunkett Post Number: 3 Registered: 08-2004 |
My only point is that it CAN be done. I agree that it is worth less than Experimental/Amatuer built, as it stands, except to the company. But, it's just like a certified craft being changed and reregistered as an experimental. Again, a PITA, but doable. |