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Kevin,
It's true that Lancair Inc holds liability if a Lancair crashes; it is true
its parts department likely benefits its customers as much as it benefits
Lancair; it is true we should applaud Lancair Inc's effort to keep Lancair
aircraft safe and insurance companies engaged with our small segment of the
market.
The questions on my mind are: How is Lancair Inc's liability reduced by a
$300 ownership transfer fee? Doesn't Lancair already charge a considerable
fee for aircraft inspections? As far as parts, isn't it in Lancair Inc's
interest as regards liability to ensure ALL Lancair owners are using
appropriate parts to maintain their aircraft? Likewise, keeping insurers
engaged benefits Lancair Inc as much as its customers; who will purchase a
kit for which insurance is unavailable?
The bottom line is Lancair makes money from parts sales, it makes money from
kit sales and it makes money from aircraft inspections, none of which
customers complain about because they get value for their money.
But what value is added for a $300 ownership transfer fee?
In my view, since new owners will pay for everything else anyway, the only
value a new owner gains is access to Lancair Inc's technical support. It
seems to me Lancair Inc would seek ways to encourage new owners to
correspond with the factory if it were truly interested in keeping builders
and pilots safe, with the ultimate goal of limiting its liability. Instead,
it creates an incentive for new owners to avoid the experts at the factory.
This seems counterintuitive.
Comparing the relatively small sum to the initial acquisition cost of an
average used Lancair merely camouflages the inconvenient fact that Lancair
is providing nothing of value to a new owner for the $300 owner transfer fee
it now says is mandatory.
Mark Sletten
-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Stallard [mailto:Kevin@arilabs.net]
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 11:56 AM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: RE: [LML] Re: Transfer Of Ownership
Folks,
I'm going to give a dissenting opinion on this whole thing.
When a Lancair goes down and people die, Lancair gets hit with lawsuits.
Yes, it is true they aren't considered the manufacturer of these airplanes,
but do you think that stops lawyers from going after them? You know how
informed juries are, considering that there was a case where a woman gets a
big payout for spilling coffee on herself. It would be naïve to think that
just because the FAA doesn't consider Lancair a manufacturer, doesn't mean
that they won't get assigned some blame by some misinformed jury.
Secondly, I've done some price comparisons between the parts that Lancair
sells and other outfits, there isn't a huge difference. They certainly
charge more in many cases. However, considering the volume of planes
Lancair sells, I have a hard time thinking that their parts department is a
significant contributor to their bottom line.
I could be wrong, and I don't have an inside view, but it appears as though
Lancair has their parts department more as a service than as anything that
is really helping the company pay their bills. It's helpful to go somewhere
to get stuff that fits my airplane. There are some items I just can't get
anywhere else.
Considering the cost of our airplanes, the $300 hardly amounts to a hill of
beans and I see it as more a formality to help protect Lancair's interests.
I don't see it as a problem. It also gives the insurance companies some
insight into the Lancairs they are insuring. I look at this as a positive
thing that Lancair is doing.
Scarcity of insurers will certainly drive up our costs. I glad they are
doing things to help keep insurance companies engaged. It helps in the long
run.
Kevin
-----Original Message-----
From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Leon
Smith
Sent: June 01, 2010 10:22
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] Re: Transfer Of Ownership
Joe B. is making a BIG mistake with this policy. Rest assured that in the
future, I will purchase from Lancair only when absolutely necessary.
Leon S.
-----Original Message-----
From: Art Bertolina [mailto:artbertolina@earthlink.net]
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2010 7:51 AM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: Re: [LML] Transfer Of Ownership
It would seem more important than ever to develop a new source for these
services. Trying to force your customers to deal with you is a desperate
business decision and one bound to fail. We as Lancair owners need to
strengthen LOBO Art
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom McNerney" <dudewanarace@yahoo.com>
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2010 10:09 PM
Subject: [LML] Transfer Of Ownership
Rob pointed out in a previous post that Lancair has changed their transfer
of ownership policy. I thought it would be a good idea to post the paragraph
from that form that regards to their "Transfer Policy". Interesting read.. I
guess anybody who buys a used Lancair, of any type, has to have the
"Insurance inspection team" check said aircraft.
TRANSFER POLICY
L.I.I. requires that all Lancair International Inc. and Neico Aviation Inc.
aircraft and /or uncompleted kits which are sold, transferred, bartered,
donated or in anyway given to any other person, corporation or other legal
entity other than the original purchaser, shall first pay a $300.00 transfer
fee to Lancair International Inc. and agree to sign and return to Lancair
International Inc. this Resale Agreement prior to having said aircraft
registered with L.I.I. and prior to the new owner obtaining technical
support, access to Kit Components Inc. for parts purchases, access to our
builder's site on the web or notification of any service bulletins. Further,
the new purchaser of a flying Lancair aircraft or an uncompleted kit, and
prior to the aircraft being transferred, must agree to have either flying
Lancair aircraft or upon first flight of an uncompleted kit inspected by our
insurance inspection team. The new purchaser must
also agree to participate in any Lancair endorsed training program. Only
upon receipt of this agreement and payment of the $300.00 transfer fee, will
L.I.I. transfer and update files so that service support can be continued.
Tom McNerney
www.N54SG.com
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