Express Aircraft of Olympia WA quits

Wouldn't you love to listen to the spiel and hear the numbers they
present?

Commander (and Mooney) seem to have a rare talent for finding that most
unusual of all combinations in people: Stupidity and money.

My hat is off to them, and I wish them luck -- but they're going to lose
their shirts.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Which one's aren't shakey these days? The New Piper?

Good point.

Piper's Vero Beach plant took several major hits from all the hurricanes.
Over on the Cherokee Pilots Association site, we're taking up a collection
for their displaced workers, who currently have no income and no idea when
they'll be able to return to work.

It's very sad -- but the CPA has raised almost $20K for them, just in little
donations from members, in just a few days.

I find that to be amazing. The CPA is really a great group of folks.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In rec.aviation.owning Jay Honeck wrote:
It's very sad -- but the CPA has raised almost $20K for them, just in little
donations from members, in just a few days.
I find that to be amazing. The CPA is really a great group of folks.


Not quite. We just broke $3000, not $20K.

--- Jay



--
__!__
Jay and Teresa Masino ___(_)___
http://www2.ari.net/jmasino ! ! !
http://www.oceancityairport.com
http://www.oc-adolfos.com

Jay Masino wrote:
Jay Honeck wrote:

It's very sad -- but the CPA has raised almost $20K for them, just in little
donations from members, in just a few days.
I find that to be amazing. The CPA is really a great group of folks.

Not quite. We just broke $3000, not $20K.

Give it to them in pesos then. CPA's - a zero here or a zero there, its
still real money...

"Dude" wrote:
I can see you point, but you are really stretching here IMO. First,
Mooney
now has a quality level similar to that of Beech.

Maybe so, but says who?

Second, there are
financially sound manufacturers who have left buyers in similar situations
even without going TU.

Cite?

So the plane needs a new spar, that does not make the plane worthless.

I didn't say it did. Airplanes get parked for a lot less than total loss.
What do you reckon replacing the main spar would cost? Even if the owner
bites the bullet and fixes the spar, he's still screwed for an awful lot of
money. Plus, his airplane now has a major repair in the logs, which will
affect its value.

I suppose you are of the everything but Beech and Cessna is a cr*p
sandwich
variety?

Why do you suppose that? You're setting some kind of record for putting
words in my mouth.

One day, barring a new design that is not forthcoming, those guys will
pull
out of piston planes for good.

Here, I agree with you.

If they don't manage to kill off our little
hobby (which they would do in a minute if they could sell more jets by
doing
it),

It's no secret that B and C are dubious about the pi

what do you plan to do?

Are you willing to buy a Cirrus, Diamond, or Lancair?

I seriously doubt I'll *ever* buy a new airplane. If I were in the market,
I would consider the above. Under no circumstances would I consider an old
design from a company that had just emerged from bankruptcy.

People who keep up the
"nuth'n but a Cessna" attitude are just killing GA slowly. I see them
running all over the alphabet organizations, including AOPA. It's so
disappointing.

Uh, Cirrus is selling 40 piston planes a month; that's more than Cessna. So
tell me again: how is the "nuth'n but a Cessna" attitude killing GA?
--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Pu56d.62167$wV.26227@attbi_s54...
Wouldn't you love to listen to the spiel and hear the numbers they
present?

Commander (and Mooney) seem to have a rare talent for finding that most
unusual of all combinations in people: Stupidity and money.

My hat is off to them, and I wish them luck -- but they're going to lose
their shirts.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"



They may lose their shirts and be gone tomorrow but it they produce anything
worth a hoot it will be around for the next 100 or so years for people to
talk about.

"Jay Honeck" wrote:


...that most
unusual of all combinations in people: Stupidity and money.

Hah! You obviously haven't spent much time around an upscale marina.
--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...

"Dude" wrote:

Why would you be less inclined to buy a new one than an old one?

The warranty might not be honored if the mfr. goes TU. A lot of the value
of a new airplane is in the warranty. Suppose you bought a new Commander,
the co. went bankrupt and it was discovered there was a metallurgical flaw
in the main wing spars on new models? That's a not-too-far-fetched
scenario
that would leave you with a $half-million, non-airworthy hangar queen and
no
recourse.

You could have it fixed! out of your own pocket surly if you could afford a
half-million dollar aircraft I am sure you could have it fixed if the mfg.
went out of business


Seems like you are in the same boat.

Not really.

Besides, Cessna pulled the plug on building piston planes even when they
had
money, what's the difference?

Cessna was still a viable company; it did not cancel warranties on new
aircraft when it stopped production of piston a/c.

Cessna did not go out of business they just stopped a product line big
difference.

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

It's no secret that B and C are dubious about the pi[ston airplane business.
That doesn't mean they'd void the warranties the minute they stopped
production.]

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
Dan Luke wrote:

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

Here's a news scoop for you all...

Another one:

Amazingly, it's being reported that Commander Aircraft has found "new
investors" and is back up and running.

Ya just gotta wonder where these guys keep finding investors?


What's even more amazing to me is that they will find customers if they
get
back into production. Would you buy a new Commander (or Mooney, for
that
matter) knowing the shakey history of the company?

Which one's aren't shakey these days? The New Piper? Cessna who just
up and quit production a few years ago and likely will do so again in a
few more years? Cirrus? They seem to be on a roll, but who knows how
long that will last. I think buying any GA aircraft smaller than a
business jet is risky if you are worried about the maker going TU. The
good thing is that most discontinued airplanes seem to find someone to
keep them in the air.


Matt


Look at VANS aircraft kits, they are Simi local to me I went on a factory
tour and asked a question! Where is the place in the factory that puts the
quick build kits together? They responded they make the parts here send them
over seas to be put together and then they are shipped back here! Maybe
piper or Cessna may start doing this maybe they could save a bunch of money.