What Went Wrong At Taylorcraft

[Bobdog]

Taylorcraft Aviation is once again open, and whether or not it stays open will largely depend on us. Harry bought the Taylorcraft company probably for a very good price, and had big plans to restart a dormant airplane company. He had lots of support in the beginning, with La Grange offering to pay the moving expenses to Texas, to secure jobs for their town. And I think Harry thought that was exactly what he was going to do. But things didn't work out there...Harry was getting too many irons in the fire. He wanted to start building new airplanes, manufacturing parts, overhauling old airplanes, and even certifying new planes. Harry was in way over his head. Building new planes should have been the last thing on Harry's mind. The market is flooded with new more advanced planes from factorys that know what they are doing. Unless Harry had run an FBO that had specialized in the overhaul of obsolete fabric airplanes, and had crew with thousands of hours of experience, he should have never even though about the overhaul business. His main objective should have centered on the manufacture of parts. That is where the highest demand is, and the money. Harry ended up damaging his reputation, possibly permanently, due to a lack of manufacturing and business experience and judgment, and a lot of good people got hurt.

But all this is water under the bridge....Now Taylorcraft is back in business doing what it should have done in the first place, making parts. and Harry is not the only one in charge any more. We can shoot our selves in the foot and belittle and boycott Taylorcraft, or we can sympathize with our friends that were screwed in the past, but move ahead SLOWLY and lend a little support to a company we all really need. For those of you that were hurt by Harry, I understand your feelings and don't blame you a bit for not wanting anthing more to do with factory.

I know there is a lot more that could be said here.

This is just my opinion.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: What Went Wrong At Tarlorcraft

Thank you Bobdog I hope Mike Rice has time to read this posting.. maybe pass it along to Mr. Ingram. thanks Forrest

[flyguy]

Re: What Went Wrong At Tarlorcraft

So now Harry is just a misunderstood, well intended lost soul who tried to do something that was beyond his experience and talents? And we should just let the past fade away and send Harry and Company, Inc. our orders for parts with a nice check to cover it.
Well maybe the company is finally on the right track, and I hope they are successful in building and supplying parts, but I can't quite figure how someone can overtly cheat that many people out of that many thousands of dollars and not wind up in jail.
I never sent a penny or lost one to the company, and this is the first and last time I will comment on that deplorable situation.
Darryl

[VictorBravo]

Re: What Went Wrong At Tarlorcraft

Although I have as much fun as anyone poking at Harry because it does seem several people have been screwed... if there is a good faith effort being made by a group of people, including people who bring some credibility to the table... then I will support it as loudly as I had criticized things.

HOWEVER:

It also does appear that there are more than one case where something actually happened that was not completely above boards.

1: Those things need to be addressed before any credibility is restored.

2: The biggest boost in the credibility of the factory would be to accept COD orders for parts. THAT would silence a lot of critics very quickly. I'm sorry if that makes it a little less cost effective for the factory, but that is the price that will have to be paid for a while to offset some of the credibility problems. If a T-craft owner would be able to place a COD order, and the parts arrived on time, that would be a Saturn V rocket's boost of credibility.

The second largest boost of credibility (in my mind personally) would be if they stopped removing CG Taylor's name from the Wikipedia Taylorcraft page. Harry, or Mike, or whoever... you didn't found the company, you didn't design the airplane, and you are not responsible for the enormous loyalty that pilots worldwide have for this design. This is not a North Vietnamese re-education camp.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: What Went Wrong At Taylorcraft

Well said as usual. This wikipedia thing is really a mess, if Harry or Mike were involved then I would like an explanation. I do know that the F-22 is about as far away from C.G.'s thoughts as a new composite LSA.
As to other frustrations, I never sent any money, never advised anybody to do so. and frankly feel that I was really left out of the loop. I offered to go to LaGrange & Brownsville for expenses only. I would have loved to have flown the LSA ship for a real test flight. Of course I have been involved with all the management since Mrs. Feris sold out in 1986 and again in 1991.....
Maybe I should put my 64 year old butt on the bike and head out for real fun. OR just go fly my BC12D today....

[hangarb7]

Re: What Went Wrong At Taylorcraft

OK, so we have established that Harry is still involved?

Regards to all,

Jack D
N44057

[mikerice]

Re: Wikipedia

Thanks to Victor Bravo: I would never have thought to go the Taylorcraft entry on Wikipedia, and I did fix the weblink to the Taylorcraft Factory. However I am not knowledgable enough to comment on the early history of Taylorcraft Aviation, I leave that to the experts like Forrest and Chet Peek.

The beauty and bane of Wikipedia is the community nature of contributions to the encyclopedia, it is only as good as the writings of the contributors. I think Victor Bravo is an excellent writer, and a complete summary of the history of Taylorcraft is what needs to be on Wikipedia.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Wikipedia

I think Victor Bravo is an excellent writer, and a complete summary of the history of Taylorcraft is what needs to be on Wikipedia.

I'll be honored on behalf of the group to write whatever I am asked to write for Wikipedia, but I won't waste my time anymore if someone keeps taking it off the Wikipedia website. Mr. Peek is a far far greater expert on the history than I am, and I would step aside immediately (bowing and scraping like a medieval court jester) if Mr. Peek wants to set Wikipedia straight. But I would advise him to not waste a moment of his time either unless whoever was F)!*$%^ ing around with the Wikpedia thing promised to stop taking down what (hopefully) credible people have put there.

Can you imagine the Encyclopaedia Britannica or World Book featuring an article about Ford Motor Company that had no mention of Henry Ford, instead substituting the name of whoever is in charge now?

[Forrest Barber]

Re: What Went Wrong At Taylorcraft

Well said, I too looked at the entries, there is only one good source, Chet's Book and it is a compilation of many persons as THEY REMEMBER IT! WE have discussed all this many times.
I just ignore many comments, remember the posts where a family in England insisted that their ancestors had invented the Taylorcraft and C.G. Taylor had stolen the design ; old folklore does not belong in a true historical account..... off to other threads then off to the Taylorcraft Flying club Open House today. I will proudly display the prototype Model A, ( old #1) for thre day. back asap..