Has your kit company gone bankrupt?

I am researching an article about builders whose kit supplier has
closed or gone bankrupt. If you have found yourself in this
predicament, I would like to talk with you about how you dealt with it
during the building process. You may contact me directly at

Thanks.
Mary Bernard

It just seems prudent to me to not build a homebuilt that can't be
built from plans.

wrote:
It just seems prudent to me to not build a homebuilt that can't be
built from plans.

You can also buy the whole kit right away and then you have all the
parts to finish even if they dissapear. Thats what I did and finished
my plane. It turned out my kit company is still in business.

There is much better chance of doing the job right with a kit. And kits
can take much less time to finish than plans built. I finished mine in
about 3-1/2 years including the 14 month test phase. I seen people work
15 years finishing their plans built. If you are nearing 60 you may not
have 15 years to finish and enjoy it. If you are younger when you start
a plans built, the chances of abandoning the project after 5 years are
high.
-----------------------------------------
SQ2000 canard: http://www.abri.com/sq2000

On 22 May 2005 15:00:15 -0700, "abripl" wrote:

wrote:
It just seems prudent to me to not build a homebuilt that can't be
built from plans.

You can also buy the whole kit right away and then you have all the
parts to finish even if they dissapear.

Wellll...that depends on whether the company is DELIVERING kits and kit
components quickly. Most companies seem to have a bit of delay between
receiving the order and shipping the kit (an argument for picking it up
yourself, true). Tottering companies sometimes delay shipments of expensive
goodies, like engines, etc. I know a guy who waited eight months for the
off-the-shelf Maule tailwheel assembly that was supposed to come with his kit.

Ron Wanttaja

an argument for picking it up yourself, true....

Yes thats what I did. I phoned them ahead and asked if they have the
pieces ready and then went there and picked it up and paid them on the
spot. Actually they still did not have 100% everything but it all
trickled in within a few months. I did hear of some other scarry
stories - like where a retract gear was paid for in advance and did not
get delivered for five years. Fortunately the builder still did not get
to that stage anyway.

A simple plans built airplane can be built in 2000 hours,assuming you
work halfway efficiently. The problem is many builders have no skills
and also no great amount of time to devote to the project because they
are working a lot of hours. (You'd think they would be therefore
affluent enough to buy an airplane....)

The sad part is kits wind up taking these people almost as much time
as a scratchbuilt airplane would.

The bottom line is you need to become a skilled aircraft mechanic to
build an airplane...is it a skill set you value enough to learn at this
price? (Don't mistake "skilled" for "licensed". They have absolutely
no relation whatsoever to each other.)

Experimental Amateur Built has, to an extent, become a simple and
baldfaced dodge around type certification. When 90% of builders are
building a few types of 49% done kits on a cookie cutter basis, it's
time to re-evaluate "the system". Experimental should be for
experimenters: people like Van Grunsven should be told to get a type
certificate, tool up, and build a finished airplane.

I'm curious Mary, are you researching an article about builders, or
researching to write an article about builders? I could see where it
would be a good article.
Lou

Lou wrote:
I'm curious Mary, are you researching an article about builders, or
researching to write an article about builders? I could see where it
would be a good article.
Lou

Lou,
The purpose of the article is to inform builders (who may find
themselves in this situation) about what they can do to complete their
projects. In other words, perhaps builders will share their experience
with other builders.
I was hoping that through this thread, I would receive some information
about what people have done with regard to starting builders groups,
mining Internet sources, securing alternative parts/assemblies vendors,
etc.--whatever has worked to get the project finished despite problems
with the company.
Mary

Well, like I said, it sounds like it will be a good article.
Unfortunatly you can see what happens to a post when you really want
information. Usually 2 post on the subject and 56 straying so far off
that you get tired of checking back for an intelligent answer. Good
luck to you, and I hope you are not one of those unlucky people who are
halfway through a bankrupt kit.
Lou

Mary,
I would think that most people that tackle building a plane could
probably finish up with "plans" if they had to. I would imagine that they
would also outsource things they were not comfie doing themselves. Seems
like the only thing one could do in those circumstances. Good luck with the
article, maybe a list of some companies that were good outsource resources
would be very beneficial to "defunct kit" builders. I have not found a cheap
kit myself so I'll have to stick with building them the old fashioned way

Patrick
student SPL
aircraft structural mech

wrote in message
oups.com...


Lou wrote:
I'm curious Mary, are you researching an article about builders, or
researching to write an article about builders? I could see where it
would be a good article.
Lou

Lou,
The purpose of the article is to inform builders (who may find
themselves in this situation) about what they can do to complete their
projects. In other words, perhaps builders will share their experience
with other builders.
I was hoping that through this thread, I would receive some information
about what people have done with regard to starting builders groups,
mining Internet sources, securing alternative parts/assemblies vendors,
etc.--whatever has worked to get the project finished despite problems
with the company.
Mary