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Posted for Rick Schrameck <rickschrameck@cox.net>:
Jack,
First of all I think this kind of discussion is fantastic and I will
tell you that the EAA is listening. That is great for us. I spoke at length
with the EAA yesterday and found them to be both friendly and helpful.
Carl did not bring this to the LML because of us at Epic. He
brought it up because he believes that the FAA is going to take away our
existing rights to build and innovate our aircraft, high performance or not.
Jack, the FAA does want to stop builder assist and commercial
assistance that build aircraft for the customer without meeting the spirit
and rules for 51%. I do not necessarily disagree with that. The build shops
that are all over the country are going to be looked at very closely. This is
not bad.
To answer your questions about Epic here goes even though I do not
think this is the place to talk about our aircraft. Since you asked I'll do
my best to answer.
1 You asked if our 1500 hp, 350 KT six seat Epic being built at our
impressive shop is the same as the builder going through the Lancair assist
program. Our aircraft is 1200 HP but thanks for the power boost. What does
the builder program have to do with 4 seats or six, a new large facility or
two smaller ones? Our customers do the same work that you do at Lancair's
builder assist. Lancair has facilities with more that 100 people in the Asia
Pacific and 50 or so in the Redmond facility. We hire US workers for
everything shame on us. You can build and fly your plane away from the
Lancair facility, you tell me what the difference is? There is no difference
and believe me the FAA is looking very closely at what Lancair and others are
doing.
2 Yes, the customer can take their plane home and build it. Please visit
our site and you will see a picture of the kit we offer and are going to have
the FAA evaluate very soon. We offer transportation to the customers
completion site as part of the price.
3 How are we different than Lancair? We are not doing anything different
than many of the kit companies with the exception that we may have built an
aircraft that challenges the BIG guys on the certified side. We have built
the best aircraft we could build and follow the rules as we understand them.
FYI, we have asked the FAA office for two years to tell us if we are doing
anything wrong. They have offered no suggestions at all.
Your last two paragraphs bother me a lot. You state that some professional
builders stretch the FAA envelope but that is OK because they are (very) small
businesses. Jack Jeff, Mike and I have spent our life savings on this
project. We started in a 4,000 sq ft building in Bend, Or. How can you make
a statement that a small guy can stretch the rules just because he is small.
How is the Epic more complex than the Lancair IV-PT, the Viper Jet and the
Comp Air 10 and new CompAir Jet. Lets talk about the Lancair IV-PT since the
is the LML. Lancair IV-PT is turbine powered, the Epic is turbine powered.
The Lancair IV-PT is pressurized, the Epic is pressurized. The Lancair IV-PT
goes about 330KTS, the Epic goes 350KTS. The Lancair IV-PT has advanced
avionics, the Epic has advanced avionics. The Lancair IV-PT is available with
air and de-ice systems, so is the Epic. The only difference in the two planes
is the number of seats, does that make The Epic far more complex than the
Lancair-IV-PT? I do not think so. Saying that the small guys should be given
leeway to stretch the system is a very unprofessional position to take. You
seem to be throwing stones at me for investing in the aircraft industry. I
have had no business or personal dealings with you why are you taking this
position? This is not the site for personal attacks any longer. This Jack is
about all of our future ability to build amateur aircraft and nothing else.
Our aircraft is not complex or difficult to build. Do us all a favor and
come and visit our facility and go to Lancair;'s facility and tell us all the
difference as you see it. You are welcome anytime.
Rick Schrameck
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