September Plane and Pilot

[Grant S. Bailey]

A couple of interesting tidbits from the September issue of Plane and Pilot.

There is an article entitled "The Need for Speed". In that article there is a table which lists various aircraft detailing Cost per MPH at Purchase (using current market values of the aircraft). The 1948 Taylorcraft takes top prize of all of the aircraft listed for lowest cost at purchase per MPH of cruise speed!!!

In the Readback section of the magazine is an update entitled "Commander Flies Again". To quote a few sections of the update:

"Commander Aircraft may fly again, thanks to the financial offering from a group of more than 50 owners who made a bid to buy all of the failed aircraft manufacturer's assets." . . . . .

Says Joel Hartstone, president of Commander Premier Aircraft Corporation, . . . . . "This is the first time that I've seen a group of product owners actually commit to buy the assets of a defuncct company and reestablish operations to produce the product that they love."

Anyone heard anything from the factory lately??

[CraigH]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

"Commander Aircraft may fly again, thanks to the financial offering from a group of more than 50 owners who made a bid to buy all of the failed aircraft manufacturer's assets." . . . . .

Says Joel Hartstone, president of Commander Premier Aircraft Corporation, . . . . . "This is the first time that I've seen a group of product owners actually commit to buy the assets of a defuncct company and reestablish operations to produce the product that they love."

Anyone heard anything from the factory lately??

Not a peep. None of my buddies down in the southern part of the state have heard anything either.

A friend of mine suggested yesterday that Harry should sell all the tooling to Univair to get himself out of a bind. While that's not near as desirable as the aircraft being back in production, it's far preferable to the tooling being lost forever down in Mexico.

What do you guys think?

[Yellow Duck]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

Heck, I thinks some of you young people should purchase and hire someone to run the operation and produce the "new Taylorcraft" as it orginally was. Of course with a few modern touches. ie: 0-200 engine, electrical system, wing tanks, lights and one GPS-Com. That's all.

ANY TAKERS ?????

[VictorBravo]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

Yeah but we need some of you old people to put up the money

I volunteer to be the sales rep for this area. I don't know anything aout manufacturing and production logistics, so I'd be useless as an actual airplane manufacturer.

Unfortunately I have to agree that the major welded assemblies probably would have to be built in Mexico. They would have to have one American QC inspector down there and one FAA acceptance inspector here. IT would probably save thousands of dollars per airplane.

The old Aero Commander Lark welded fuselages were built by prison inmates in the US. That is also an option, because government money would pay for most of the labor and/or materials.

There's all sorts of ideas we can all come up with, but I suspect that the quality or non-quality of the person with the actual ownership of the TC and tooling is the critical factor.

[flyguy]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

Has anyone seen any record of what the tooling and parts, ect. sold for the last time the entire lot changed hands?? What kind of money are we talking about?
Darryl

[crispy critter]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

I would be interested to get in on something like this if my budget will allow,but first and for most,we must find the factory...Who knows where in the hell it is.

[flyguy]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

Pretty much has to be in LaGrange still. Think Harry could find someone dumb enough to move it for him, considering his history on paying bills?
Darryl

[hangarb7]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

I see comments all the time about "Tooling" when talking about old airplanes. When speaking of a Luscombe, I can understand it. But what tooling do you need for the TC other than the rib stamp?

If you have the drawings for the fuselage, etc, making a jig is relatively easy if you have ever built a homebuilt tube n rag ship. There may be other weld fixtures, such as for the compression struts in the wing and the wing strut attach bracket, but again, on this kind of airplane, they can be duplicated easily. I would say getting all of the paperwork and drawings are essential.

This is a fun thread...

Jack Dernorsek
'46 BC12D
First annual (for me) done, just waiting for log book sign-off.

[flyer1]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

I just got done talking with Harry. He is down in Brownsville,Tx. Everything has been moved from LaGrange. He told me that he will update the web site next week. It should have the new address and phone numbers. He has invited any and all of us down to see the new factory. He told me he has been in contact with Forrest and invited him down to take a tour.

I will be going down the first part of Sept. I will give ya'll an update when I get back.

Mike
N23880

[Yellow Duck]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

Sounds interesting !!!! I like so many of you will be waiting for this information.

BUT Until then, I'll continue living my life and not get to excited about HARRY ??

Leaving Sept. 9 for Chicago for three days then on to Boston for another two day, then to New York for five days; then back home vis New Orleans. All this by Amtrak Train.

[crispy critter]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

Sounds like a long trian ride Lee.Stop by east ky if ya need a break and we'll go fly something for a little while

[Yellow Duck]

Re: September Plane and Pilot

Kevin, don't believe I will be able to stop this time. But plan on going there soon.

Also spoke with Mike and he is suppose to stop here on his way back home. Should be interesting.