Any news from the factory?

[NY86]

Re: Any news from the factory?

One word: Swagger

[Robert Bradbury]

Re: Any news from the factory?

You cannot properly compare a used 172 to a new T-craft. Same way you can buy a $500 used car but there is still a market for $25K new cars.

Harley-Davidson builds an atrociously loud, inefficient, not-sleek, low tech motorcycle that is far more expensive than a lot of technically better motorcycles. But they seem to sell pretty well.

THAT's how Taylorcraft needs to be marketed and produced, if at all.

The first step toward creating such a market is the same way H-D got popular again after all those years... there were tens of thousands of OLD used Harleys on the road winning over the public and making their characteristic silly noise. So making the parts to get another 500 T-craft projects out of garages and into the air would be a part of it.

H-D bikes always carried a bad-boy image because of the biker gangs from the 1960's. Those gangs were truly bad people in many cases, and should not be glorified... but the American public did glorify them (with the help of H-D's marketing people, I'm sure).

The "biker" image was changed from a drunken, smelly, bar brawler to an American rebel with a good heart and only a mild distatse for the establishment. When that happened, all of a sudden it was cool to be a Harley-riding semi-biker on the weekend, after you left your accounting job on Friday.

Now kiddies, do you really think that image change happened by accident?

If Taylorcrafts are ever to be mass produced and sold at a profit, that same thing would have to happen here. The mental image of the T-craft requiring a bit more skill to fly has to be amplified into the T-craft requiring a very skilled pilot. The T-craft has to become something that only the elite can handle... only the bad-ass pilots with the biggest balls need apply. Rebels with dirt under their fingernails, questionable past lives flying for Air America in Asia, and logbooks filled with adventure! When I was your age, kid, we had to find our mission target with a compass, then we'd drink the whiskey out of the compass on the way home to kill the pain from the shrapnel!

Whether that kind of a marketing coup is possible, or advisable, I'll leave to others to explore. Taylorcraft as a company would have to create a long-term plan, have the money, and beat out other bad-ass airplanes like Luscombes and Monocoupes to become the H-D of airplanes.

If the T-craft got an image makeover like the Harley did, I guess that would make all of US the equivalent of the 1960's bikers, the "original gangsters" or "old school" Hell's Angels.

Hey what's that smell? Never mind, it's me... What you lookin at, mother***** ?

I think the plight of Taylorcraft speaks for itself. So many have tried in vain
to revive her only to fail again, probably more than any other manufacturer
in the world. I do agree that someone will have to make replacement parts to keep the fleet going and that is where the money will be. The market is flooded with new aircraft of current technology and amazing features . Check out this link to the current list of LSA's available .

http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/aircraft/lsas/lsa-lineup.html?tmpl=component&print=1&page=

Cessna has even jumped in with the new C-162 with new features .

[mulwyk]

Re: Any news from the factory?

the design:
clip wing, radial engine, faux 30's panel, sticks.
add flaps, real brakes, electric start.
LSA

the marketing BS:
change the name from Taylorcraft to "the Taylor Radial"
standardize the paint scheme: "you can get any color, as long as it's red"
straight pipes engine exhaust to give her a loud, trademark sound

[Robert Bradbury]

Re: Any news from the factory?

the design:
clip wing, radial engine, faux 30's panel, sticks.
add flaps, real brakes, electric start.
LSA

the marketing BS:
change the name from Taylorcraft to "the Taylor Radial"
standardize the paint scheme: "you can get any color, as long as it's red"
straight pipes engine exhaust to give her a loud, trademark sound

More than that I think. Wing design is perfect but the size of the cockpit sucks. Wider for sure and higher so one can look outside without having to duck down . Larger door without that tube, now we're talking progress .
Composite fuse, metal wing with flaps and larger wing tanks without that nose tank. By all means keep the same look for nostalgia but at least build
something using modern materials that will be as light as the original . Oh and
a unobtrusive stick like the new Cessna C162 has and to top it off two light weight glass panels.The Rotax 912 100hp or the 120hp turbo version is light weight and uses car gas.One last thing...adjustable seats. O.k. I'm done !!

I guess I'll name mine aaaaaaaahhhhh.Taylormade ;}

Sign me up

Robert
auto fuel.

[flyguy]

Re: Any news from the factory?

Wow! Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. Does anyone make a "small" radial now days? Were they not grossly heavy?

Robert, Isn't that pretty similar to most of the modern LSA's, right? Why not just buy one of them, it is going to cost the same.

I think we are very lucky to have discovered an airplane that performs well, is not particularly expensive to maintain (as airplanes go,) is very low technology, and was available at a relatively reasonable price. (I notice that is changing.) I sure am willing to put up with the few little things that come up short on the perfect airplane list for my BC.

We just need a parts manufacturer, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how anyone can do it and make money considering the engineering/tooling and overhead costs and the small demand.
Darryl

[Robert Bradbury]

Re: Any news from the factory?

Wow! Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. Does anyone make a "small" radial now days? Were they not grossly heavy?

Robert, Isn't that pretty similar to most of the modern LSA's, right? Why not just buy one of them, it is going to cost the same.

I think we are very lucky to have discovered an airplane that performs well, is not particularly expensive to maintain (as airplanes go,) is very low technology, and was available at a relatively reasonable price. (I notice that is changing.) I sure am willing to put up with the few little things that come up short on the perfect airplane list for my BC.

We just need a parts manufacturer, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how anyone can do it and make money considering the engineering/tooling and overhead costs and the small demand.
Darryl

That's my point, I would buy a modern LSA over a Tcraft if it were not changed, and especially if the price were the same which is the case. I agree
you can get into a T now flying for 25K and as a Project for 7-12K.This is
very reasonable for the average guy. My point is if Tcraft whats to have a
go as an aircraft in this market they better be prepared to make a lot of changes and as you said that is going to be expensive. They'll never compete
with the modern LSA aircraft in the same price point . I still like my T all the
same but I would NEVER justify paying 100K for old technology.

[DanBrown]

Re: Any news from the factory?

Some time in the dim past, I facilitated a course in customer service were we used workbooks and videos purchased from a vendor in the field. The prime example they used of a corporation with great customer service was Harley-Davidson. Harley did a superb job of knowing their customers and responding to their needs. Hence, where they are today.

Compare that to the late factory -- is it any wonder they went belly up?

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Any news from the factory?

Wow! Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. Does anyone make a "small" radial now days? Were they not grossly heavy?

Robert, Isn't that pretty similar to most of the modern LSA's, right? Why not just buy one of them, it is going to cost the same.

I think we are very lucky to have discovered an airplane that performs well, is not particularly expensive to maintain (as airplanes go,) is very low technology, and was available at a relatively reasonable price. (I notice that is changing.) I sure am willing to put up with the few little things that come up short on the perfect airplane list for my BC.

We just need a parts manufacturer, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how anyone can do it and make money considering the engineering/tooling and overhead costs and the small demand.
Darryl

Rotec, but it is gutless in my opinion. 170 cubic inches, 100 hp, 3200 rpm, and swings the same prop as an A-65

[RobertP]

Re: Any news from the factory?

You cannot properly compare a used 172 to a new T-craft. Same way you can buy a $500 used car but there is still a market for $25K new cars.

Harley-Davidson builds an atrociously loud, inefficient, not-sleek, low tech motorcycle that is far more expensive than a lot of technically better motorcycles. But they seem to sell pretty well.

THAT's how Taylorcraft needs to be marketed and produced, if at all.

The first step toward creating such a market is the same way H-D got popular again after all those years... there were tens of thousands of OLD used Harleys on the road winning over the public and making their characteristic silly noise. So making the parts to get another 500 T-craft projects out of garages and into the air would be a part of it.

H-D bikes always carried a bad-boy image because of the biker gangs from the 1960's. Those gangs were truly bad people in many cases, and should not be glorified... but the American public did glorify them (with the help of H-D's marketing people, I'm sure).

The "biker" image was changed from a drunken, smelly, bar brawler to an American rebel with a good heart and only a mild distatse for the establishment. When that happened, all of a sudden it was cool to be a Harley-riding semi-biker on the weekend, after you left your accounting job on Friday.

Now kiddies, do you really think that image change happened by accident?

If Taylorcrafts are ever to be mass produced and sold at a profit, that same thing would have to happen here. The mental image of the T-craft requiring a bit more skill to fly has to be amplified into the T-craft requiring a very skilled pilot. The T-craft has to become something that only the elite can handle... only the bad-ass pilots with the biggest balls need apply. Rebels with dirt under their fingernails, questionable past lives flying for Air America in Asia, and logbooks filled with adventure! When I was your age, kid, we had to find our mission target with a compass, then we'd drink the whiskey out of the compass on the way home to kill the pain from the shrapnel!

Whether that kind of a marketing coup is possible, or advisable, I'll leave to others to explore. Taylorcraft as a company would have to create a long-term plan, have the money, and beat out other bad-ass airplanes like Luscombes and Monocoupes to become the H-D of airplanes.

If the T-craft got an image makeover like the Harley did, I guess that would make all of US the equivalent of the 1960's bikers, the "original gangsters" or "old school" Hell's Angels.

Hey what's that smell? Never mind, it's me... What you lookin at, mother***** ?

Nice one Bill I'm in youre gang! where's that live chicken so I can bite the head off! Latest marketing makeover " T/Craft pilots do it live?"