Message-ID: <395343FA.13E50FB2@erols.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2000 12:03:24 +0100
From: "Jeffrey B. Chipetine" <abcrental@erols.com>
To: "lancair.list@olsusa.com" <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: Lancair's future solvency
Mime-Version: 1.0

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Fellow Flyers,

While this may seem premature, I am beginning to wonder about the long
term viability of Lancair.  The recent "name change" sets my mind to
wondering.

Despite a backlog of orders (and deposits taken),  to the best of my
knowlege, only one Columbia 300 has been delivered to an end user.  The
financial investment that a (3rd world) country was supposed to have
infused  seems to have taken a turn for the  worse.   And now we hear of
the "Next" certificated aircraft being developed as the Columbia 400.

I have to wonder if the reason the 300's are not being delivered is
because of a lack of cash.  Is the 400 the avenue by which Lancair hopes
to fund the building of the 300's?

Those of us that have followed the kit business' have seen the hard
facts of a company using the deposits for the next generation of kits
being used to fund the delivery of products previously sold.  This road
is full of potholes.  Is it possible that Lancair will need to make a
choice as to which avenue (certificated or Experimental) they need to
support first and foremost? I would hate to think of Lancair closing its
doors and leaving everyone out in the cold. It has happened before to
other kit companies as well as producers of Certificated aircraft.

Anyone else concerned or do I have a conspicuous excess number of screws
loose?

Regards to all...  Build and fly safely...Jeffrey B. Chipetine

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