Originally Posted by DAGONZ

" Kit price is still evolving but our goal is the $2k range. There are some really expensive components in this bugger so it is not going to be easy....." quote


Wood, Foam, & Fibre Glass? Did I miss something? Oh Carbon Main Gear.

You're absolutely right, same basic component as any other kit but size, quantity, tpye of the materials = $$$$'s. When you start adding up the difference between what we are doing for this bird vs. a standard 40% kit the spread gets big fast. Just a few of the things driving kit cost.....

1) 3rd party CNC Cut foam (same company that did Bob's prototype)
2) Basswood plywood (specialty order for us)
3) Hand selected balsa
4) A carbon fiber telephone pole for a wing tube
5) 1" carbon fiber stab tube
6) Carbon Fiber gear from the Space Shuttle
7) Huge amounts of laser time because of size and quantity of parts
8) Huge fiberglass cowl
9) Huge canopy
10) Wheel pants from a Cesna 150
11) Enough 1/16" balsa to skin two 40% kits
12) etc etc

Seems like everything we look at is $50-$200 more expensive then our standard 42% kits. We are constantly kicking around ideas on how to keep retail cost down. Just last night Bob and I discussed doing a milled out aluminum gear instead of the carbon fiber. That item alone would go a LONG way towards hitting our retail kit price goal. The challenge is keeping kit cost down w/o compromising performance by adding weight!!

Originally Posted by DAGONZ

" Kit price is still evolving but our goal is the $2k range. There are some really expensive components in this bugger so it is not going to be easy....." quote


Wood, Foam, & Fibre Glass? Did I miss something? Oh Carbon Main Gear.

As Bob said, the carbon parts (gear, wing and stab tubes) for this beast will be well over $400 by themselves.

You are certainly correct about the wood, foam & fiberglass statement.... but you are forgetting that this kit requires twice the amounts of each of those products when compared to a 40% size kit. AND, we are using Basswood and Aircraft ply along with our lite ply and that is certainly expensive.

Going back to your question....Wood, Foam, & Fibre Glass? Did I miss something? ... Well, realilzing that these are the basic components of all kits, if you more than doubled the quantities of these items on a per kit basis, you would certainly assume the price to double, yes? and that is without regards to the addt'l carbon costs.

Anyway, we are absolutely confident that our customers will immediately realize upon opening these boxes up that the value far exceeds the dollar in this product!

The list of 1st run customers grows every day! we should have the first production run consist of 30+ units with no problem at all!!!!

We look forward to taking many orders on this beauty!!!!

Matt

sorry bout the "double post"!!! i didn't know kevin was already on this one! LOL

Originally Posted by walkerk122

You're absolutely right, same basic component as any other kit but size, quantity, tpye of the materials = $$$$'s. When you start adding up the difference between what we are doing for this bird vs. a standard 40% kit the spread gets big fast. Just a few of the things driving kit cost.....

1) 3rd party CNC Cut foam (same company that did Bob's prototype)
2) Basswood plywood (specialty order for us)
3) Hand selected balsa
4) A carbon fiber telephone pole for a wing tube
5) 1" carbon fiber stab tube
6) Carbon Fiber gear from the Space Shuttle
7) Huge amounts of laser time because of size and quantity of parts
8) Huge fiberglass cowl
9) Huge canopy
10) Wheel pants from a Cesna 150
11) Enough 1/16" balsa to skin two 40% kits
12) etc etc

Seems like everything we look at is $50-$200 more expensive then our standard 42% kits. We are constantly kicking around ideas on how to keep retail cost down. Just last night Bob and I discussed doing a milled out aluminum gear instead of the carbon fiber. That item alone would go a LONG way towards hitting our retail kit price goal. The challenge is keeping kit cost down w/o compromising performance by adding weight!!

So is the space shuttle comment saying that Graphtech makes parts for NASA?

Originally Posted by ben_beyer

So is the space shuttle comment saying that Graphtech makes parts for NASA?

I believe they also supply Lockheed the wheel pants for the F-117 and did a one-off carbon fiber spinner for the International Space Station

Nah, I was just saying that because of the amount of carbon fiber the cost is high....

Originally Posted by walkerk122

We have already ordered boxes with Bob's face on them. The picture will be 4x life size!!

Thats what I'm talking about...

Originally Posted by Spdstr280Z

Almost as much as having a designer whom you trust enough that you start busting out the production prototypes before the hand built design unit has flown..... !

Jason

OK, the deal is off!!!

Bob

Originally Posted by sensei

OK, the deal is off!!!

Bob

Eh, I think you've proven yourself....

OK, the master's are waxed, and have PVA sprayed on, all the cloth is cut, and I am finally ready to make the lay up blocks tomorrow morning.

Bob

Originally Posted by sensei

OK, the master's are waxed, and have PVA sprayed on, all the cloth is cut, and I am finally ready to make the lay up blocks tomorrow morning.

Bob

SWEET!!!!!

Awesome!

looking great bob! it's all coming together!

matt

Are you going to make cowl mold in 1 piece?

I cant wait to see on the mold work. I want to learn from the best guys.

This will be my favorite part !

GM