Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

[Forrest Barber]

WE learned last Monday ; March 23rd, 2009 that the present owner of the Taylorcraft assets including ; Type Certificates , Drawings, FAA Approvals, jigs, tooling ,some equipment and parts was being offered to the Taylorcraft Foundation as a Donation. These are the assets that have been for sale in Brownsville, Tx. I alerted the Foundation Board of Director's and the Taylorcraft Regional Representative Group. MANY e-mails back and forth have brought us to this announcement. WE are looking for financial backing; the Foundation will license back to the former owners , the rights to manufacture the Taylor LSA and perhaps build parts for them. At the moment, all is in storage off airport in Brownsville, a video of these items is coming to me. The Regional reps have answered the original proposal from the Factory, we are exploring many possibliities. this thread will address them. General comments on this thread are great.
I will appreciate any e-mails direct to [email protected] AND to [email protected] ( my home computer that I use for a lot of Foundation business). WE may post the proposals soon on this thread. MUCH to do! Busy week. WE are totally open to new locations anywhere. NE Ohio, Alliance or near. is still a viable option.

[mhorowit]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

is there a workforce of skilled labor in Brownsville? can we use the investment Ingram has already sunk into the factory?
Is there a manager?
what are the implications?

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Brownsville has drawbacks. yes It would be nice to leave it intact there. There is stigma involved. Actually a tube & fabric ship requires a different climate apparent high humidity seemed to be a problem.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

We have a citation large mouth Bass with the lure IN HIS MOUTH. Not only that, HE WANTS TO BE CAUGHT! This is the opportunity we have been waiting for to bring the Taylorcraft back the RIGHT way.
Right now, I think we need to be very careful not to screw this up with the wrong comments here. I wish I knew what the right and wrong things to say are. The only thing I know for sure is I trust Forrest completely.
GO FOR IT and tell us what you need. We will be here with whatever you need. I always wanted to be a part owner of an airplane company (and don't much care if it makes a bundle of money).
Hank

[barnstmr]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

the Foundation will license back to the former owners , the rights to manufacture the Taylor LSA and perhaps build parts for them.

Forrest..
Sounds like good news.... one question. Who are you referring to as "former owners"? (Taylorcraft 2000 LLC?) Do you mean this is their part of the "deal"... they get the license from the Foundation to build LSA's and in exchange, the Foundation keeps ownership rights to the tooling and FAA approved data? So... If I understand this correctly, does this mean that the Foundation will have equal rights (and hopefully equal access) to manufacture replacement parts for use on type-certified airplanes? If so... then someone is going to have to set up to obtain PMA from the FAA. Sounds like this would become the near term objective of the Foundation. Do I understand this correctly?

[mohawktipi]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

I am about to retire from the US Postal service. My wife and I are looking at property in Los Fresnos TX, about 25 miles from Brownsville. For the past 10 years I have been a logistics analyst. I would be available to help organize logistics if this operation were to be started in Brownsville. I would love to be involved with getting the T-craft in production. Let me know if I can help.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Right now, I think we need to be very careful not to screw this up with the wrong comments here.

Don't worry, Forrest put a piece of duct tape over my mouth and cuffed my hands away from the keyboard

This is looking like a win-win for Mr. Patrick, for the Taylorcraft Foundation, for the worldwide owner/operator community and even for the FAA. Those of use needing parts would have our needs met, Mr. Patrick would be in a position to sell new Taylor Sport airplanes, and the stewardship of the company name and assets would finally be home.

Not my place to spill any beans, but I do believe that things are moving in the right direction. Full support and enthusiasm from the members of this forum is more than appropriate here in my opinion.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

I don't think ANY of us will be able to restrain our support and enthusiasm. This is the best news in a LOOOOONG time.
Like I said, I don't know what the right and wrong things are to say now. I just don't want this to get screwed up by saying the wrong thing. Can I have some of that duct tape for my mouth?
We are all here when you need us Forrest.
Hank

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Hank we intend to bring you into the loop along with Terry of course. Bill has been a great asset , I only want to co-ordinate . lets let the info flow in for a couple of days. the fellow near Brownsville could visit and see what is there. We had another tragic death here this morning, I will post tomorrow when I get the information from the Funeral Home. the last living Taylorcraft Test Pilot from the 40's Sanford O. Slifkin Went West this morning.
I will post this in the correct place first thing tomorrow.
I guess I used former owners; meaning the present owner, Harvey Patrick, I will post the proposal when it gets a bit of clarification.
YES the Foundation gets all and then we can license others to do cerain things. Mr. Patrick & family want to retain rights to produce the Taylor Sport LSA hoping that our new facility ( factory) can produce sub components to build the LSA, fuselages, wings , etc..... been a long day, darn furnace went out too! We handled it, my whole life seems to be putting out fires; but am so thankful that we do not have the TERRIBLE weather in other parts of the country.

[bashibazouk]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Great news about the Taylorcraft assets, Forrest! I think you're onto something good and I'll be eagerly awaiting the next bit of news and for solicitations for help as it's needed.

Josh Brehm

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Your Taylorcraft Regional Represenatives and the Board of Directors have approved a course of action.
WE will announce more at Sun-N-Fun 12N Thurs . William Read, Wag-Aero will be there with Mr. Patrick, and others . We hope to make some announcements on this issue and another good one for the strut situation.
I have spent a lot of time on this issue , hope that WE do not get left out in the cold as in the past.
The Taylorcraft Foundation and the members of the "tribe" deserve to have more recognition from anyone thinking of producing parts and perhaps the airplane in the future.
WE are an organized customer base waiting for some action.
I will be visiting the factory in Brownsville, Tx. on Thurs & Friday
May 7th & 8th. William Read will be there along with Mike Rice and others . Antonio will meet us and conduct the tour. Bill Read and I are very anxious to view the drawings and data , they are vitale to the future operation of Taylorcraft.

[crispy critter]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Forrest,
I don't know what it would be but please let me know if I can be of any assistance in this new adventure.

[CraigH]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Wow, this is great news. Sounds like this story may turn out to have a happy ending after all.

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Bill Read , Steve Krog and I did the forumn, I had injuried my left knee and id it from a car...... Bill annouinced the AMOC on the struts to seal the old ones and eliminate the 4 yr inspection ; more on another thread ....
Yes this could be great, we will see what Bill thinks after the visit to Brownsville on May 8th...

[bashibazouk]

Re: Taylorcraft 2000 LLC offer to Taylorcraft Foundation

Any developments from the visit to Brownsville? No news is good news?

Josh Brehm
Winterville, NC
NC24369