aircraftbuilder
Well-Known Member
Hello I am just wondering if anyone knows what happened to preceptor aircraft. Their website doesn't work so I don't know if they just went out of business.
Thanks
Thanks
Is preceptor aircraft company closed?
- Thread starter aircraftbuilder
- Start date
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Short answer: customer money gone; no products delivered; jail time for owner.
https://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8015
Short answer: customer money gone; no products delivered; jail time for owner.
It's unfortunate. I've been told the airframe is well engineered.
Someone should buy the rights to it.
Someone should buy the rights to it.
I agree. Do you know any small business owner who is interested in building tube and fabric airplanes?
BJC
Anybody know who currently owns the rights to the preceptor?
MikePousson
Well-Known Member
I read something a couple years ago that Dwayne Counts had accepted an offer for the rights but he didn't follow up on the sale. AFAIK, he still has the rights. Not sure how correct any of that is. It's ashame that little plane is not being built.
I'd try offering him 10 packs of cigarettes, a sharpened toothbrush, and a soap on a rope. That's considered a fortune where he'll end up.
Where is he at right now? Jail?
MechAeroAuto
Well-Known Member
That is what I had last read. My understanding is that it took a lot of work to even get that far. What I don't understand is why those assets weren't seized, or why he wasn't forced to sell to reimburse those he owed kits and parts to.
i don't know why Counts wouldn't've done that on his own. Of course, wise decision making hasn't been his forte from what I have gathered. He may have had some sentimental reasons as well.....
pretty sad to see an otherwise respectable company and its designs ran into the ground. The Ultra Pup and STOL King designs are two that would likely be successful if still offered as a legitimate kit.
Raceair
Well-Known Member
Similar story to the Doug Hart /Zipster biplane fiasco...........
There are many people who can run a business, and a few people who can design, build test and refine a HBA. The problem is that there are very few who have both skill sets, and the profit potential of a start-up is too small to justify contracting out one set of skills or the other.
Then there is the ICON business model, where the plan is to make as much money in salary, bonuses and other benefits, for as long as possible without actually delivering a product capable of recovering the huge investment.
BJC
Then there is the ICON business model, where the plan is to make as much money in salary, bonuses and other benefits, for as long as possible without actually delivering a product capable of recovering the huge investment.
BJC
I'm pretty sure I could market plans, possibly kits. I have zero design knowledge and experience, which I'm fine with. I learned long ago to play to your strengths and focus on that. That's served me well.
I get emotional about older airplanes, it's horrible such a cool design got shelved.......again.
I could sell the schits out of that N3 Cub.
I get emotional about older airplanes, it's horrible such a cool design got shelved.......again.
I could sell the schits out of that N3 Cub.
Serious question. How many "sub-Cub" variants are there?
N3
Super Pup
Ultra Pup
J-3 Kitten
Koala
Super Koala
Pop's version of the Koala
Tiger Cub
Tiger Cub Sport II
...any others?
N3
Super Pup
Ultra Pup
J-3 Kitten
Koala
Super Koala
Pop's version of the Koala
Tiger Cub
Tiger Cub Sport II
...any others?
Scrapper,
What's stopping you from making after-market parts to support the Pup community? I've got a half finished Ultra Pup. If someone was making parts for it I'd buy them.
What's stopping you from making after-market parts to support the Pup community? I've got a half finished Ultra Pup. If someone was making parts for it I'd buy them.
How many are still operational?
A scaled down single seat Cub tube and fabric with real folding wings......that looks like a Cub, would easily be marketable.
What's stopping me? Well, my current income as a business owner is doing quite well and I'm very happy with what I've built. So, money is not my number one focus with airplanes. Passion is.
If I spent say 20 hours a week trying to build a airplane company for profit I would be a fool because I can spend that 20 hours on my current business because it's more efficient.
So passion. I'd be interested as a buyer in the design.
N8053H
Well-Known Member
The product liability issue that expanded in 1980’s has mostly killed the low price Kitplane industry.
The problem remains unsolved.
The ICON business model sort of makes sense. (no product sold)
Because the totally safe aircraft remains uninvented.
The problem remains unsolved.
The ICON business model sort of makes sense. (no product sold)
Because the totally safe aircraft remains uninvented.
I think the Tiger Cub (tube and gusset) and the Fishers (wood) are still going. I don't think the Kitten was ever a kit and we all know what happened to Preceptor. So that leaves the rag and tube market wide open (as far as I know).
I agree, that's why I'm trying to talk someone (besides myself :gig
into putting out a kit. It's a safe bet Dwayne isn't going to do it since he's not allowed to have hacksaw blades where he's at.
