News from the Factory III

[CraigH]

Re: News from the Factory III

That is because group 2 gave the factory a chance. It was up to the factory to make good.

I can't speak for all the others in group 1, but I'll be that most of us (as I did) wanted the factory to succeed as well. If we hadn't, we wouldn't have done business with them in the first place. I was thrilled that Taylorcraft was going back into production, and especially happy that the factory was located in Texas. The only reason I (and I suspect the others) made public our greviences was because we wanted to warn others. It was painfully obvious to me 3 years ago how this story would end, and now it seems to have run it's course. Perhaps if more of the people in group 2 had actually done business with the factory, they would have been members of group 1 themselves.

[Richard Boyer]

Re: News from the Factory III

That is because group 2 gave the factory a chance. It was up to the factory to make good.

I personally find all of this really sad. I really love my Tcraft and sure wish the factory would suceed. The newspaper articles and personal experiences seem to conclude otherwise.

Sad.

[CraigH]

Re: News from the Factory III

Harry's out and out dishonesty with customers was a pretty good early warning sign. Telling them what he thought they wanted to hear, rather than the truth. There's a reference to this in the GA News story that pretty much sums it up:

"I don't apologize for having cash flow problems, but the broken promises and out-and-out lies are sometimes out of my control. People won't let you go until you tell them what they want to hear."

For the life of me, I can't think of a single successful business that was built on a foundation of untruth. Eventually, the foundation will come crumbling down.

The signs were there 3 years ago for those who wanted to see them. At that time it seems like the Taylorcraft community was split into 3 camps:

1) those that had already been screwed (or were being screwed) by the factory.

2) those who wanted group number one to shut-up and "give the factory a chance".

3) those who were just waiting around to see what happened.

Maybe I'm missing some posts, but most of the group #2 camp have been awful scarce around here lately.

[Jim Herpst]

Re: News from the Factory III

The first signs? I would say delay in my humble opinion. This leads to other things ......... Delay is caused generally by lack of $$ again in my humble opinion.

[mulwyk]

Re: News from the Factory III

I have to admit that I was completely fooled by this whole Harry's "factory" thing. But I'd like to learn something:

In hindsight, what were the early signs that this was going to happen?

Bob Gustafson

[CraigH]

Re: News from the Factory III

I picked up the last of my parts from Harry last week.

Tom - how many fuel tanks did your airplane have when you got it back?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: News from the Factory III

$14,600 to overhaul an A-65, wow. I hope it was built entirely out of NOS parts including the case and crank for that. I saw your cub when it was at Lagrange and noticed some issues when it was there, glad to here they are being addressed.

Mike

[Tom Garrick]

Re: News from the Factory III

I picked up the last of my parts from Harry last week. He could not give me $4100 worth of engine parts that he still owes me but he did gine me a set of wheeles and brakes that he took from someone elses airplane. If whoever ownes them can claim them I can give them to you if the police do not want them.

Tom G

[redefininglife]

Re: News from the Factory III

Thank you for your concern and your candidnous. There is no doubt in my mind that some corners were cut by Harry. However, the man in charge of restoring my plane, NOW, is on top of that. Every inch of that plane and all the workmanship will be gone over and signed off, again, by him. The engine was sent out for overhaul (to the tune of $14,600) and I have absolutely no concerns about it (the engine)...that's the biggy! Some of us have a conscious and I, personally, could not sell a plane that wasn't built correctly and 100% guaranteed air worthy. If, in the longrun, I can't afford to drop the $$ needed to make that happen, I'll sell it as a project.

I wish I'd have listened to Mr. Garrick and pulled my plane out when he did. Hind sight.....20/20. The saga goes on>>>>>>>

[heliplane2]

Re: News from the Factory III

Greetings, To the lady that owns this cub at the factory.
I was the IA that started to work on your aircraft when I worked there in Brownsville. I was in charge of the restoration project and was moved by your situation concerning your husband wishes and immediately began the project. When I was there, your aircraft was my one priority because i found out by researching the aircraft records how long the plane was in pieces. I'm sorry for not completing the work but I had to leave Harry due to too many legal issues with the FAA and civil lawsuits that the company was facing. My career was on the line and I could not risk it for Harry. Mr. Ingram would not order parts that I requested to work on your aircraft and was told to abandon the project! I saw the pictures today, your aircraft looks very nice, but is the work done right? Is it safe? After I left the factory, I was told by the employees in whom I trust that your aircraft was not assembled correctly, missing some parts and not safe to fly! Hopefully I'm wrong and everything is ok. Once again, I apologize for not being able to finish you aircraft. please E mail me at [email protected].

[redefininglife]

Re: News from the Factory III

Supposedly, they have them. Time will tell.

[CraigH]

Re: News from the Factory III

since that time, the wings have come off again because of some new air strut law/issue??? I quit asking what the "new" hold up was...I just wanted a date.

Not aware of any "new" lift strut AD's, the old one has been around since the 50's. If you're doing a restore, might as well have a set of sealed struts installed and avoid the repetitive inspections. Yourr new IA should be able to give you all the details.

[redefininglife]

Re: News from the Factory III

You're right, Craig. I'm on it.....the log books WILL be in the hands of the new mechanic/IA by this evening. Hopefully, they will be completed. Thought you all might like to see where it's at (restoration wise) as of the last time I saw it...guess it was June, not July. The last photo is one that Harry sent me...since that time, the wings have come off again because of some new air strut law/issue??? I quit asking what the "new" hold up was...I just wanted a date.

[CraigH]

Re: News from the Factory III

Call me gullable but I'm still hopeful that Harry will come through and my plane won't need to be totally redone. I don't know that I could handle THAT, again.

Take my advice, go down there and get your logbooks NOW!!!!!!! More than likely, whoever did the work on your plane isn't even employed by the factory anymore. After being lied to for so long, why in the heck would you believe anything that Harry is saying? It just blows my mind how people continue believe the lies that have been told just because Harry tells them what they WANT to hear. This crap has been going on for 3 years. Get your logs (while you can), cut your losses and move forward.

[redefininglife]

Re: News from the Factory III

It's NOT that Harry won't give me the log books. It's that the man that currently has my plane needs to have what work that has been completed (to date) signed off by the guy that inspected and approved the work. Otherwise, it could need to go back down to the bare fuselage, like before when the IA in La Grange didn't sign it off before leaving Taylorcraft (same situation as Tom Garrick's plane). THAT would be very costly. I'm waiting to see if Harry pulls through on THIS promise. As of this morning (conversation with him on the phone), he was "personally" contacting the IA to update the log books.

I was in Brownsville the latter part of July and the workmanship on the Cub looked really good to me. I will give it to Harry...what he has done, is good work. It's just that he wouldn't complete it. I understand that Harry has a lot on his plate and bigger fish after him than I, however, enough is enough.

Call me gullable but I'm still hopeful that Harry will come through and my plane won't need to be totally redone. I don't know that I could handle THAT, again.