News from the Factory?

[RobertP]

Hi All,

Just a quick heads up I have just received an Email here in the UK purporting to be from Taylorcraft Aircraft ( The factory? ) saying that they are in the process of getting things up and running ( busy for the last months ) and seeking details of any spare parts which are required. They state that they are in the process of seeking PMA approval from the FAA and that they have some parts in stock that their DER can approve!

The object of the email they state is to provide a Customer Service Contact and is addressed to Dear Taylorcraft Customer, Owner and Enthusiast.

It would appear that I have received the email probably the same as others who have emailed the factory in the past. I am rather surprised that there seems to have been no contact direct to the Foundation?

The email gives the contact as Jessica Aldape Customer Services Representative phone (956 ) 554-9766 and an email of [email protected]

It also says that they intend to have a website at www.taylorcraft.com up and running in the near future.

Clearly someone from the Foundation needs to be appointed I would suggest to make contact with Jessica so that some list can be made up of required parts to prevent an unseemly rush!

Anyway I will leave it for you guys / girls to sort out but it looks like there may be some good news to start the New Year

[M Towsley]

Re: News from the Factory?

That is interesting, the phone number comes back to this: Helados La Tropical is located at 2386 Morningside Rd, Brownsville, TX. This business specializes in Ice Cream & Yogurt.

One can only hope it is true.

[RobertP]

Re: News from the Factory?

Could well be a result of a typo it looks to me that it could well be (956 )-554-9166 if that makes any more sense? The email certainly appears genuine and the website is under construction as stated?

[M Towsley]

Re: News from the Factory?

That one is: Rivera Construction is located at 704 Alex Ln, Brownsville, TX

The website has had that same 'Under Construction' page for a few years, now.

Like I said, we can only hope.

I sent an e-mail to Jessica at the e-mail address you provided to see if I get a response.

[RobertP]

Re: News from the Factory?

Hi Marty,

I sent an email back to Jessica as well saying that someone from the Foundation would be in touch. It seems a strange way to set about a scam but you just never know! anyway the test will be the response you receive or not as the case may be!

[M Towsley]

Re: News from the Factory?

Can't see much of a scam opportunity so I am hoping this is legit. I am hoping some other members have received the same e-mail as you. Let us know if you hear anything.

[ricky]

Re: News from the Factory?

Hey Guy how the new year going,I also recieve a e-mail from jessica about the factory opening up again. Im From Manitoba Canada

[Marv]

Re: News from the Factory?

Maybe the Taylorcraft Corporation is going to start flying ice cream across the border into Mexico. LOL

[Guest]

Re: News from the Factory?

Hi Marty,

I sent an email back to Jessica as well saying that someone from the Foundation would be in touch. It seems a strange way to set about a scam but you just never know! anyway the test will be the response you receive or not as the case may be!

I thought that the Foundation was as dead as Taylorcraft was.

All that I see remaining is this forum that is not associated or supported by the foundation as I recall.

What is up with that or where did I go wrong here?

Who/what will be contacting them from the foundation?

Dave

[M Towsley]

Re: News from the Factory?

Dave,

Though I personally have not been in-touch with Forrest for awhile, there are several of us that are Foundation Representatives. Me in the Midwest and Hank Jarrett out East. I apologize to the others but I cannot remember without looking it up. However, in saying that being a rep is more of promoting the Taylorcraft airplane and representing the people and goodwill of the 'brand'. Though I have been a rep for several years I have never been provided with anything further from the 'Foundation' than what I have shared here. There are many, for lack of a better term, 'secrets' held by Forrest that I have never been made aware of. Over the last year or two I have stumbled across information from the web or magazine editors that I have shared here. Forrest has popped up afterward and stated he was planning on sharing that information as well as more, but we have never heard anything further.

Forrest has always been the contact for the Foundation and those contacts are innumerable. However, I am sure many in the industry only know of Forrest and no one else so they share their information with him. As to how Forrest shares information is up to him. Personally I think there should be more sharing but that is my opinion. Without going into great detail I know Forrest is still around but has been dealing with some issues that has prevented him from being active here on the forum for the time being.

I would hope that between the reps and everybody here on the Forum we can get our message to Taylorcraft, if indeed it is going to be a contributor to our airplanes, again.

[RobertP]

Re: News from the Factory?

Hi Dave,

If this is a genuine contact and not a scam ( the jury is still out on that one! ) It would make sense to me to handle the requests for spares much as we did with the recent Bungee cord purchases which was basically handled by one person and from my perspective as a purchaser ran very smoothly?

If the factory is starting up again it would make sense to me to have a " wish list " to give priority to the most needed spares? I guess this is most likely to be for the older Taylorcrafts as that is where the numbers game is?

As far as who should do it I am sure one of the Foundation members in the States with a little time and interest on their side would do it especially as it would help if that person had a good knowledge of the older Taylorcraft spares?
From my perspective I fly a 1991 F22A and I have little or no knowledge of the older Taylorcrafts and in any case it makes no sense to handle it outside the States?

At the present until we know if this is genuine we are rather " jumping the gun " so others may have better idea's than me how to run things, but lets wait and see how things develop.

[MontanaT-craft]

Re: News from the Factory?

I sent money for membership to the Foundation a year ago. The check was cashed but I never received an acknowledgment or anything else from them. That does not generate enthusiasm for the Foundation.
Charles

[Marv]

Re: News from the Factory?

Hank Jarrett done a great job organizing the bungee buy. I think he would be a great spokesman for the group and he knows the older airplanes. If Hank can not get a hold of the factory, maybe he can order himself some ice cream.

[Guest]

Re: News from the Factory?

Dave,

Though I personally have not been in-touch with Forrest for awhile, there are several of us that are Foundation Representatives. Me in the Midwest and Hank Jarrett out East. I apologize to the others but I cannot remember without looking it up. However, in saying that being a rep is more of promoting the Taylorcraft airplane and representing the people and goodwill of the 'brand'. Though I have been a rep for several years I have never been provided with anything further from the 'Foundation' than what I have shared here. There are many, for lack of a better term, 'secrets' held by Forrest that I have never been made aware of. Over the last year or two I have stumbled across information from the web or magazine editors that I have shared here. Forrest has popped up afterward and stated he was planning on sharing that information as well as more, but we have never heard anything further.

Forrest has always been the contact for the Foundation and those contacts are innumerable. However, I am sure many in the industry only know of Forrest and no one else so they share their information with him. As to how Forrest shares information is up to him. Personally I think there should be more sharing but that is my opinion. Without going into great detail I know Forrest is still around but has been dealing with some issues that has prevented him from being active here on the forum for the time being.

I would hope that between the reps and everybody here on the Forum we can get our message to Taylorcraft, if indeed it is going to be a contributor to our airplanes, again.

Thanks for the update Marty.

I was not aware of the "reps".

Its seems as though that other than the good will of the reps ( I am not diminishing that at all) the Foundation as an entity is not really doing or offering much.

Dave

[Guest]

Re: News from the Factory?

So my last post got my brain working and I recall a thread discussion from about 6-10 years ago where I asked Forrest about how the foundation would work if he was not involved and he mentioned a few foundation corporate officers that would be involved in sustaining the foundation's activities.

I haven't heard about those folks again (they were not the "reps" that Marty mentioned).

Additionally I recall that about 4 years ago we had a thread discussion about the factory making parts. I took the position that the demand was not great enough to justify production.

We took a survey of what parts we might order and folks posted what they were looking to find/buy.

I cannot find that thread. It seems that the searches or data does not go back that far.

I did find that excel spread sheet that I made at that time.

The data at that time showed that there was a demand for a quantity of 127 parts total.

The 127 parts were spread over 99 part numbers.

The largest demand for any part number was 4.

Out of the 99 part numbers at that time Univair already provided 20, Wag Aero provided 14 and 27 were available from other sources.

Looking all three sources I see that a total of 34 of the 99 part numbers were available from at least one of the three sources that I mentioned.

Dave

If anyone want that spread sheet I can post it.