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What were the reasons for Quicksilver to be where they are today?

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erkki67

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
2,964
Location
Romont / Fribourg / Switzerland
in the 80ies and 90ies, Quicksilver Aircraft was the Ultralight Type manufacturer in the World.

The output was several machines a day.

I had the chance to visit the manufacturing site at Temecula once, and it was impressing.

The Kits they delivered were outstanding, several bigger sheets with the parts vacuumed and labeled on.

The assembly manuals, are even today a benchmark to reach.

Over 30’000 Quicksilvers of all types where produced, and shipped worldwide.

The numbers to be found here in Europe are less impressive the the ones in the US, for sure, but we got at least two cousins to pop up and disappear again of the venerable MXL.

But what went wrong over the time?

Many thousands of us did learn to fly in one of those sturdy little flyers.

One thing, for sure did not help Quicksilver to survive, is the fact that Rotax quit the manufacturing of the 447 and 503, the heart of almost all MX and MXL’s.

But the later alone was not the only reason, the whole market swapped into a different direction today, light, racy and more expensive looking rocket-ships, the simple rugged tube and fabric flyers are disappearing.

For sure, there will always be a niche for the later, but they will never be a mayor player again.

In Europe the mentality is like, oh you couldn't afford a sleek wonder, might be the same in the US.

There are some success stories of tube and fabric aircrafts, like the Ikarus Comco C22 and C42, the SkyRanger just to name two.

What makes them to remain in the market and not Quicksilver?

Pricing is in the same category, at least for the 2 seaters.

Even if I don’t like it, it has also to do with the engine choices, the Rotax 912 and the smaller 582 is the mainstream, ( the 582 was found on several Quicksilvers).

I believe, that the simple structure of the MXL with no suspension available was also a point that was not favorable in the new world of flying.

For sure, there was the GT line too, but it did not reflect the simplicity of the MXL, and in the same pool there where already a few we’ll established players with equal or better products.

I believe that the simplicity of the Quicksilver could live ahead just in a different layout, which could have made live Quicksilver longer too.
 
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