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**whake** · 01-14-2006, 16:53

Re: Sebring Expo

did you fly to sebring? I was there on Friday, also met Capt Jon. The clouds moved in and decided to head back to Venice, Had a friends C-172. Manage to get into Venice with 800ft broken which went down to 600 after we landed. The show was drawing a good crowd. The radio from Australia was interesting. Was very small and light Wt. check it at xcomavionics.com

**Forrest Barber** · 01-14-2006, 19:00

Re: Sebring Expo

Lets hear some more from any one there. nothing on the web yet, we seem to be the first. Had thoughts of going Air-Carrier

saw the weather pattern and declined on Monday... WE have a new flight school setting up right next to me and they are deciding about which ship to buy. I am promoting Taylorcraft and Cub of course. anybody else there. Factory comments? Capt. Jon , anybody....

**gnflyn** · 01-15-2006, 17:11

Re: Sebring Expo

Here are a few pictures I took. Hope this works....Roger

Attached Files

**captjon** · 01-18-2006, 23:05

Re: Sebring Expo

The Sebring Light Sport Expo was a great success, with the Taylor Sport being the most recently certified Special Light Sport Aircraft at the show. First flown by Jim Zangger on November 4th, under an Experimental Certificate of Airworthiness, and with her flight tests completed, she was awarded an SLSA Certificate of Airworthiness on Monday, January 9th. On Tuesday she was flown by our company test pilot ending up in Mobile, Alabama for the night. The next morning brought a frontal system and fog and Chris was only able to get off after noon. He then flew VFR on top over the weather at 7500' and 9500' non stop to Sebring, Florida, a leg of over 5 hours, including the last hour in darkness. Harry, Darleen, and I were all anxiously awaiting his arrival and were very glad to see our new bird touch down safely at Sebring. Chris said that she performed flawlessly, and except for "freezing to death" at 9500'. the trip was great!

The next morning we set up the booth and taxied the aircraft over to it. The crowds were heavy all day long with literally hundreds of people stopping by to admire our new aircraft. They were so heavy in fact that I didn't get a break all day to go fly her for the first time.

Friday was the day though, and even then it was a chore just getting people to move away from her so we could get her to the taxiway. She does indeed fly very nicely, in fact better than my own "Traci T-Craft". The extra power of the O-200 and it's smoothness was wonderful! (Now I need to get Harry to make an upgrade kit for our old machines to put in "Tami T-Craft"!) She feels just right, smooth and responsive on the controls and flies nicely hands off. She stalls very politely at 43 indicated and then flies again with just a slight drop of her nose. The ailerons are extremely smooth with the new ball bearing pulleys throughout. Being somewhat heavier than my own BC12-D, she does not have quite as much tendency to "float" in the flare.

Harry has fitted her out for the airshow circuit with overstuffed leather interior, and a lot of extras that most people would not be putting in one ship, but with that said, she is quite impressive and even smells like a new luxury car. They have done a very nice job this time on their fabric and paint job and I expect the first few ships out of the factory will just get better and better as the workers gain even more experience. No, she is not perfect and there will be detractors picking her apart, but I truely feel that Harry has done a quite respectable job here that would satisfy any but the most persnickity of new owners. We did have a few of our current customers at the show and they expressed the opinions that she was better than they had expected. I think that says a lot! The problem now though is that they are itching even more to get their own planes delivered. And this will happen.

Harry has set up an ambitious production schedule and with a new DER, Aeronautical Engineer, and Production Manager on staff they think they can accomplish it. The first 8 new Taylor Sport fuselages are welded up and the staff is ready to make it happen. I think Harry is finally over the hump.

I was at the factory in Brownsville in mid December for a tour and found a very willing staff, plenty of space, some great facilities, and a generally upbeat atmosphere. Many things are in the works at the factory, including some of the things mentioned on this discussion forum, new rotomolded wing tanks, hydraulic brake conversion kits for older models, restoration services, F22 gross weight increases, and yes, parts.

Yes, it has been a long time in coming, more than anyone would have expected, and yes, mistakes and unfullfilled promises, no matter how earnestly made are not easily forgotten. It does appear now though that Harry is on the way to putting out new planes. There will always be those who can't or won't believe that it is going to happen. In fact I had one man of just such an attitude stand in front of the plane and ask me again and again if Harry was serious about making airplanes. He would not believe his own eyes! My answer was simply a resounding "YES!"

For that man, and all others who are interested, and may rightfully believe their own eyes, I have two slide shows working now on the web which will soon be integrated into my newly refurbished "Captain Jon's Taylorcraft Hangar" web site. The first is a series of pictures from the Sebring Light Sport Expo at http://taylorcraft.info/capjon06/sebring06.htm and the second is a large collection of pictures from the factory and of Zero Tango X-Ray's test flights at http://taylorcraft.info/capjon06/bville05.htm

And for those of you who have been wondering "What ever happenned to Captain Jon?"..........I've been a bit busy.........house for sale, building Traci's new hangar, commuting to Miami to work, and yes, helping Harry sell Taylorcrafts. Until now I have been holding off on taking orders. I am now ready. Let's get some new planes in the skies!

Regards,

**Forrest Barber** · 01-19-2006, 05:08

Re: Sebring Expo

WONDERFUL NEWS! welcome back Capt. Jon , we had the neighboring airport down there with their LSA, ( one of those foreign brands). This is finally a very good report on Taylorcraft, keep it up.

**Dano"T"** · 01-19-2006, 07:14

Re: Sebring Expo

WOW. I think that is a beautiful plane. I hope they are able to keep the price reasonable....that is much nicer than some of the LSA that are selling for $80K +. Good News...Thanks.

**captjon** · 01-19-2006, 09:28

Re: Sebring Expo

Yes, I have stressed to Harry that it is very important to keep the prices where people can afford them. As the group is aware, there have already been increases even before our first ship was certified. We all know that the Taylorcraft is a better aircraft than the Cub, and always has been, but the reality of it all is that they drive the market price. For too long the T-Craft has been underappreciated and underpriced. I think that well gradually change, both for our older ships as well as the new ones now that Light Sport is a reality.

At $84,785 for the basic "open cowl" Legend Cub, we still offer an almost $15,000 price advantage. For the "closed cowl" Cub we are almost $18,000 lower in base price.

If you compare our F22 prices, particularly our 180hp models, to others in the same market, ie. Top Cub (base $159,500), and Aviat Husky ($156,434.00 from one of their distributor's web sites) the differences are hugh! When Harry gets his F22's certified for 2,000 and 2,250 for the 118hp and 180hp planes respectively, he will have "Cub Killers" here! Many of them will end up in Alaska I suspect, serving as the work horses of the 21st century, just as Taylorcrafts have done for decades.

Like most everything, T-Crafts will inevitably continue to go up in price. I kick myself for not building my hangar a year earlier (and $30,000 cheaper)! Hurricanes over the last two years have caused building prices, particularly in Florida, to skyrocket.

At today's prices, our new Taylorcrafts, the Taylor Sport and F22 models, are a very good bargain for your money. Our old birds, as they always have been, are a steal!!!!!!!

If anyone has problems with the slide shows I mentioned in my last post, let me know. They are brand new and designed on a system with high speed access. If the pictures are loading too slowly for you try using the "Next" and "Prev" buttons instead of autoplay. Enjoy!

Regards,

**N96337** · 01-19-2006, 10:37

Re: Sebring Expo

Excellent pictures, Jon!! It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that slide show at the factory speaks volumes!!!! The crew deserves a big pat on the back, and seeing that as well as hearing you speak of plans to support and provide upgrades for our older aircraft makes me feel much more confident of their abilities!!
Thank you!!!
John H.

**selje** · 01-19-2006, 11:36

Re: Sebring Expo

You need to send a copy of the LSA certificate to the EAA and get the Taylor Sport listed on their web site list.

Special Light Sport Aircraft list

**captjon** · 01-19-2006, 18:37

Re: Sebring Expo

The 8130-7 has been sent to the EAA, from the show actually as the airport has FREE wi-fi. My e-mail to them went out on Saturday. Perhaps it didn't get through or they just haven't updated the web site.

I have sent it again this evening along with a picture from the Sebring show.

Regards,

**Yellow Duck** · 01-20-2006, 02:15

Re: Sebring Expo

Jon, Excellent pictures. Even tho, I had canceled my order, I am certainly pleased to see Harry and the "New Taylorcraft" up and running. Very,very nice. Happy for everyone.

We had planned on making a trip to the factory. Now I guess we must go.

**captjon** · 01-20-2006, 20:29

Re: Sebring Expo

Lee:

The Open House is coming up fast. March 11th and 12th. That would be a good time to go. Harry should (might) have a second ship ready to fly by then.

Perhaps see you there.

Regards,

**captjon** · 01-20-2006, 20:35

Re: Sebring Expo

The EAA listing is now up for our Taylor Sport as of tonight, Friday 1-20-06 at http://www.sportpilot.org/slsa/Taylo...html#TopOfPage

Regards,

**TCTOM** · 01-21-2006, 11:36

Re: Sebring Expo

Cptn. Jon:
I visited the Taylorcraft factory this last Friday-1/20/06- and comfirm your findings, expecially regarding the team they have put together. Due to continued poor weather, 0TX had not yet returned to the factory but was on the way. See you at Sun N Fun or sooner. Great report on the progress at Taylorcraft. Tom

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