Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site terak.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!noao!terak!doug
From: doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Homebuilts
Message-ID: <829@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 28-Oct-85 12:41:33 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.829
Posted: Mon Oct 28 12:41:33 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Nov-85 00:47:36 EST
References: <3024@mhuxd.UUCP> <1172@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP> <3097@hplabsb.UUCP> <689@alberta.UUCP> <807@terak.UUCP> <129@ulose.UUCP>
Organization: Calcomp Display Products Division, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Lines: 31

> One point though, you seem to imply that
> homebuilts are only 2 seaters with no room for baggage. That isn't true. In
> fact, until Rutan decided, for his perpetual fear of liability suits, not
> to continue selling the plans, the Defiant is exactly what you have 
> described.

I had a difficult time deciding whether there was enough reason to make
this a public posting instead of a simple E-mail note... I didn't
really come to a decision, so everybody gets to read it :-)

Anyhow, I didn't mean to imply that all homebuilts are 2-seaters.  What
I was trying to say was that the "common man" isn't interested in the
2-seaters because they just don't serve his purpose.

The larger planes that do serve his purpose, even the kit-built
Defiant, are beyond his means.

I don't think it's fair to rail at the manufacturers, complaining that
they aren't producing what the common man wants at a price he can
afford.  The problem is that the common man wants too much.

Over the last few decades, the price of planes (adjusted for inflation)
has actually gone down while the performance and features have improved.
But during that same period the sophistication of the buyers far
outpaced the income of the buyers.  And that is the real problem.

Slightly different subject: according to Aviation Consumer, the reason
that Rutan closed RAF was purely economic (as in not making a reasonable
profit), and that the Defiant was a flop commercially.
-- 
Doug Pardee -- CalComp -- {calcom1,savax,seismo,decvax,ihnp4}!terak!doug