Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Hey all,

Back in the day there where skin templates for the fuselage being shipped from builder to builder. I am inquiring if there are any that exist for the S-18?

Regards,
Dana LaBounty
Ashwood SC

Cubes can send you a set of skins for the S-18 side skins...Thorp Central has lots of GOOD stuff.

Terry

Hey Dana ,give me a call 8639448779Bill

Yeah, would say using S18 templates would violate that contract.
Cubes

I am working from a set of plans that came with all this project stuff, some of which goes back 40 years. I understand design rights and all but as there has yet to be a aircraft completed from these plans I am still only building ONE airplane from those plans. Near as I can make out I am at least the fourth and maybe even the fifth in how many hands these plans have gone through. So, do I have to scrap all the tooling, i.e. form blocks, transfer strips and such that have been used to make bulkheads and ribs? Can I use that tooling to make replacement parts that may be damaged? Also at the time I came into all of this the S-18 was unsupported and I was never presented any contract.
That being said, I don't want to step on ANY ones business that they are trying to make a go of in this industry. I already own enough rolls of aluminum to build several airframes from the 2 sets of T18 and 1 set of S18 plans I have. I was only looking to save the time of doing layouts on the material on hand. If your parts are pre-punched I would gladly go that way. My time is at a premium so there are still plenty of parts I have intent of purchase from you and look forward to doing business with you.

Regards,
Dana LaBounty

Well that is a conundrum in that we have no control over folks who sell plans without a contract. About the only power we have in that regard is to refuse to sell parts unless the new person is under contract. That's exactly what my lawyer said. Those who know me personally will tell you that's not who I am. My wife and I did not buy this business to make money. God knows how much we have sunk into this design to this stage. We bought it for one reason. We love this little bird. I still think it is the most bang for the buck on the market ....even if it is undervalued.
Having said that, I'm not going to try to prevent one builder from helping another. I want as many of these flying as possible. We just all need to realize that anyone taking away business from Thorp Central, or the T18 when/if it comes on line, hurts the community. Sustainability will decline.
Go ahead and finish your aircraft.
Cubes

Cubes,
I was given the plans by an old gentleman that meant well. He also gave me many parts that are of better than production quality as his hope was that some day his craftsmanship would fly. I suspect what will happen here is that I will clean up a few messes in my projects then order a new set of plans, so as to be properly ordained to legally build the Sunderland. In the meantime I'll continue with the Thorp project that is in need of progress.
I do understand your business model. I raise some of the finest Grass Beef(not feedlot) on the east coast. I do it because I love to offer a truly superior product but often have to sell at below my cost to produce just to make room in my freezers. If I ever get a chance to go to Sun-n-Fun the $100 burgers will be on me. Of course if someone wants to throw me a few bucks I'll be gracious.

Regards,
Dana LaBounty