tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post6048283815991006134..comments2023-09-17T04:46:20.879-07:00Comments on Eclipse Aviation Critic NG: I begin to wonder...Shane Pricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07181451780244241883noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-20722795066498825282008-03-12T18:09:00.000-07:002008-03-12T18:09:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.uglytruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02719619851960327393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-56761030003996023092008-03-11T05:35:00.000-07:002008-03-11T05:35:00.000-07:00EO said:"Any word on a truly certified waas (LPV) ...EO said:<BR/>"Any word on a truly certified waas (LPV) gps for the Chelton? How are you liking your Chelton for your helicopter Whytech? "<BR/><BR/>Word, yes; helicopter, no. I dont have my helicopter yet because Chelton has been slow to get the new version of software certified. This has just recently been done and deliveries are happening. Expecting delivery of the helicopter mid April.<BR/><BR/>At the Heli Expo trade show two weeks ago I attended a 3 hr briefing/training session conducted by Chelton's chief pilot and director of training (Nick Cain). He covered the "what's new" aspects of version 6.0B software, and also provided an update on the availability of the Beta 3 capable GPS receiver which is required to support LNAV/VNAV and LPV approaches. This receiver has been granted FAA TSO status, but must still be packaged and integrated, then certified as part of the Chelton system. Estimated date for this was "mid summer" but Chelton has been quite unreliable in their schedule estimates.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, the new 6.0B softwate is a big step ahead and well worth the wait. I am very impressed with what I have seen so far, and it will be even better with the new GPS receiver. (And, I am not easily impressed.) So far, I believe that the Chelton system is amazingly capable and a great value for the price. <BR/><BR/>One other Chelton resource who has been able to get answers for me is Jim Huddock, their Eastern Region Sales Manager. <BR/><BR/>To make your life more complicated: a Chelton R&D guy was present at the briefing and let slip that a new generation system is in development. He declined to comment on availability, but my best guess is more than a year out, perhaps a lot more.<BR/><BR/>Hope this helps.<BR/><BR/>WTccccccccccchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03435718167741638267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-62832272722570493002008-03-10T19:30:00.000-07:002008-03-10T19:30:00.000-07:00*** OFF TOPIC ***Whytech or FlightCenter,Any word ...*** OFF TOPIC ***<BR/><BR/>Whytech or FlightCenter,<BR/><BR/>Any word on a truly certified waas (LPV) gps for the Chelton? How are you liking your Chelton for your helicopter Whytech? I am still debating the right "glass" alternative and the options are limited. Aspen is not really an option for me as it will not directly drive my autopilot until a lot more certification work is done.EclipseOwner387https://www.blogger.com/profile/17423454687642917179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-68011796740330709532008-03-10T18:00:00.000-07:002008-03-10T18:00:00.000-07:00pub,my point exactly.the whole thing is a cluster....pub,<BR/><BR/>my point exactly.<BR/><BR/>the whole thing is a cluster... right from the premise there's a huge market for THESE planes.<BR/><BR/>technology guys bit, hook line and sinker - technology would be the key to reducing the cost of the plane, and open up a huge market.<BR/><BR/>Forget not, this IS the big LIE.<BR/><BR/>High rate is the key to lower cost - the aerospace industry IS high tech. We did not need Vern Raburn to show us the way.<BR/><BR/>EJ22, FSW, AVIONG... all duds.<BR/><BR/>_They only served to raise money from Tech Guys... and look at Pieper - it STILL works!.. on some... with other's money?<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, a tool here and there, a SCM problem here and there - a gnat on an elephants ass... if you ask me.<BR/><BR/>The whole thing is a pooch-screwing the likes we've never seen in GA, yet. Billions!airtaximanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977944795556689805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-1838792331906129782008-03-10T14:06:00.000-07:002008-03-10T14:06:00.000-07:00Elliot Spitzer may soon get the advice that a move...Elliot Spitzer may soon get the advice that a move West would be good for his health... the curative powers of the sun and the high desert air. Perhaps he's the man to set Eclipse on a path to success.Black Tuliphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04657938226341343450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-47883031277567491332008-03-10T13:34:00.000-07:002008-03-10T13:34:00.000-07:00Gad:We'll solve your problem of the governor with ...Gad:<BR/><BR/>We'll solve your problem of the governor with a new national Democratic ticket- President and 2 Vice Presidents- a woman, a black and a Hispanic- got all the bases covered and you can try to find an honest gov- good luck!<BR/><BR/>Turboprop_pilotTurboprop_pilothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03699307110210532832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-41210191224145776542008-03-10T13:30:00.000-07:002008-03-10T13:30:00.000-07:00TurboIn your parody, you actually solved the great...Turbo<BR/><BR/>In your parody, you actually solved the great mystery. You can’t sue someone if you can’t find them. And suppliers can’t deliver to an address that doesn’t exist. More than that, you solved the problem here in Albuquerque . . . when you moved the whole thing down to “Mexico” . . . and they’re welcome to it!<BR/><BR/>gadfly<BR/><BR/>(Now, if you could do the same with our “governor”, we’d be most grateful!)gadflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13191372920897029941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-59809598351253439672008-03-10T13:18:00.000-07:002008-03-10T13:18:00.000-07:00Found this. It should probably be in an open lett...Found this. It should probably be in an open letter to Vern. It fits well with what we have been talking about:<BR/><BR/><I>Today's Topic: The Responsibility of Being Our Leader<BR/><BR/>Even though we work for an organization, you are our leader. We don’t follow the company’s mission statement, senior management memos, annual reports, or what the stock market watchers say about us as much as we follow you. And, like it or not, you’re not only our leader but also a large part of our career success. Our job happiness depends on our relationship with you<BR/><BR/>Please don’t take this lightly. Sometimes we lie awake nights worrying about you and how you feel about things. We wonder why you pass us in the hall without even acknowledging our presence. We wonder why you take some of us behind closed doors while leaving others outside. As our leader, you influence all of us!<BR/><BR/>Believe it or not, we DO understand that leadership isn’t easy. We watch every day and see you assume incredible responsibilities. You’re accountable for your actions and for our actions, plus all the fiscal requirements, employee problems, feedback, training, technology changes, hiring, de-hiring, communicating, staff development, prioritizing, eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, and much more. Your job is tough. But it is the job you chose. <BR/><BR/>What we ask of you is to accept responsibility for being the very best at your job so we can be the best at our jobs.<BR/><BR/>When you became a manager, supervisor, or team leader, the game changed. You’re now held to a higher level of accountability than before. In fact, everything you do is exaggerated; you are under a magnifying glass. And when you’re down, we’re down. When you’re up, we’re up. You set the tone…you shape the environment in which we can be successful.<BR/><BR/>Because of this, we expect more from you than from anyone else in our organization. And we need you to lead us without excuses.<BR/><BR/>The leadership you display and the decisions that you make contribute more to our success than all other factors combined.</I> --From www.walkthetalk.com<BR/><BR/>P_PPlastic_Planeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638149357369423505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-18418221262316983692008-03-10T12:59:00.000-07:002008-03-10T12:59:00.000-07:00PG said:"At some point however; the investors shou...PG said:<BR/><I>"At some point however; the investors should have seen the light and started questioning the validity of the numbers being displayed."</I><BR/><BR/>Oh, I think that's pretty much happened. The Mann Well has dried up. Mainstream VC funds have dried up. And the Company has continued to stick to the exact same production promises and business plan of five years ago. Little wonder that the Investors and Depositors demand that it perform under those promises. After all, they don't run the company.<BR/><BR/>Like I said, all roads lead back to the corner office.<BR/>GunnerRich Lucibellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03317914081455082454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-41354992171489350802008-03-10T12:37:00.000-07:002008-03-10T12:37:00.000-07:00Pub Grubber said...One needs to look at how Eclips...Pub Grubber said...<BR/><BR/><I>One needs to look at how Eclips developed the business model to get investors in. They se a B/E point at just over 500 s/s per year. I will guarantee you they have Excel spreadsheets showing how incredibly simple this is. X amount of Employees multiplied by X amount of hours per shift/day/week, divided by # of hours per aiplane and Hey, 3 a day is a piece of cake. One thing to note, and here’s the downfall. All hours are a SWAG and in some cases Mandated.</I><BR/><BR/>Oh so true. That's exactly how this whole thing came to be. The SCM team provided a cost breakpoint matrix for all the material associated with the A/C. Operations provided a labor model showing how many manhours would be needed per plane. Everything rolled up and BAM! (sorry Emeril) you have a business plan.<BR/><BR/>Only, the numbers don't come out quite the way you want. But that doesn't matter because the numbers have already been set by the financial model. You can't change those. Learning curves become complex hybrids, staffing plans go to weird shifts, parts flow sets the pace, and training becomes a never ending thing. Numbers aren't hit. Recalculations are done (except you can't change the answer!), and at the end of the day, you have a million reasons why it just doesn't add up.<BR/><BR/>I guess I am at fault here because I was a middle manager (who loved his crayons!) who was arrogant and egotistical who never spent time on the floor.... Wait a minute! I WAS on the floor! I did try to make things better for the techs, I did try to make my concerns known. I did try to take out the waste. And I got a beating when I did (figuratively, not literally).<BR/><BR/>At the end, the guys in middle management were just like the guys on the floor. We wanted to make it better for all and we wanted to do it right. We just couldn't get the support we needed. Some VP's worked well with us. Some less so. I think the blame falls on the COO and CEO, though, for allowing things to get where they are.<BR/><BR/>UglyTruth: You were there for a short time. Imagine how the folks feel that have been there for a long time. I didn't make it two years before I burned out. Some have been going on for 5 and 6 years. It takes a lot to put up with this and not just walk out the front door. Survival is probably becoming more of the word these days. You do what you have to.<BR/><BR/>And, as a friendly tip, try to learn the names of those you want to have help you. Rich really is one of the good guys!<BR/><BR/>Productionman: Todd was handed a half deck of cards (missing all 10's, facecards and aces). While he hasn't really impressed the critics (myself included), he was forced to work with the same set of assumptions as the rest of us. The math is still the same.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, YMMV. Just another "X" eclipser. It just isn't so simple as we'd like it to be. If it was, I'd have started my own A/C business a long time ago.<BR/><BR/>P_PPlastic_Planeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16638149357369423505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-16961293570243792122008-03-10T12:25:00.000-07:002008-03-10T12:25:00.000-07:00GunnerI see your point, but it has to go both ways...Gunner<BR/><BR/>I see your point, but it has to go both ways. The corner office and others spouted numbers that were almost too good to be true, and the Investor's believed it.<BR/>At some point however; the investors should have seen the light and started questioning the validity of the numbers being displayed. These (I would hope) are smarter than average people, and would see that something isn't right. How many times would it take a mechanic telling you your car will be ready, and it's not, before you go down, take a hard look at the facts and draw your own conclusion. I think this is what happened in Colorado, the investor's believed the hype, saw reality and made their choice.<BR/><BR/>PubGrubberPubGrubberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04731668245037299152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-13680970556616243572008-03-10T12:21:00.000-07:002008-03-10T12:21:00.000-07:00Not much was said at the supplier conference that ...Not much was said at the supplier conference that we didn't already know. I know that suppliers were still griping about not getting paid. Word has it that this trend will continue. EAC stated they must build 450 AC this year and if they do not it will be the suppliers fault. Hmmm, EAC doesn't pay and parts for 450 AC don't show up. I wonder how that's the suppliers fault.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-19524020962756200982008-03-10T12:12:00.000-07:002008-03-10T12:12:00.000-07:009Z,Thanks for the kind words about the blog.One ot...9Z,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the kind words about the blog.<BR/><BR/>One other factor influencing premiums for positions, especially in the case of the Mustang, is international sales. More than 50% of Mustangs are sold outside the US, which is something relatively new for Cessna. With a weak dollar, the pricing is attractive. <BR/><BR/>In any case, we are in violent agreement that the days of $400k premiums will be over soon if they aren't already. In previous slowdowns, Cessna cut production (and threw in some incentives) but did not reduce prices. <BR/><BR/>As for real estate, see this <A HREF="http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/09/20/amid_housing_slump_high_end_boom" REL="nofollow"/>. It's a little dated, but it hasn't changed much in this segment / geography.David Wihlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17212232185964857971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-23354255410983653072008-03-10T11:52:00.000-07:002008-03-10T11:52:00.000-07:00Pubgrubber said:"I understand where the push is co...Pubgrubber said:<BR/>"<I>I understand where the push is coming from. In most cases, it’s not the Executive team but higher. The people who put up the dollars on grandiose promises at the root of it</I>"<BR/><BR/>Can't blame the investors for demanding what they were promised by Executive Management. <BR/><BR/>If there's a major Goat Screw (sorry Bill) going on in ABQ, all roads lead straight back to the corner office. <BR/>GunnerRich Lucibellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03317914081455082454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-31263207183529190842008-03-10T11:29:00.000-07:002008-03-10T11:29:00.000-07:00AirSafetyManAs Gunner pointed out, a little backha...AirSafetyMan<BR/><BR/>As Gunner pointed out, a little backhanded comment to make a point. Everything was above board, my integrity means more to me than a job. Just tried to make the post entertaining.<BR/><BR/>AirTaxiMan<BR/><BR/>Two points to start the discussion.<BR/><BR/>(1) Has Eclips actually been able to build an airplane from start to finish as designed and planned. No part shortages, no NCR’s, no engineering changes, no “tweaks” with the assembly sequence. To me this is crucial to understanding what the capabilities of the assembly line are, and where to “attack” first to improve the sequencing. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, I would have to say no. They have no baseline data to start with, so all changes/tweaks may be making things worse then better. Before they can ever hope to achieve any stable rate, the need to understand what they can actually do.<BR/><BR/>(2) One needs to look at how Eclips developed the business model to get investors in. They se a B/E point at just over 500 s/s per year. I will guarantee you they have Excel spreadsheets showing how incredibly simple this is. X amount of Employees multiplied by X amount of hours per shift/day/week, divided by # of hours per aiplane and Hey, 3 a day is a piece of cake. One thing to note, and here’s the downfall. All hours are a SWAG and in some cases Mandated. You will build this airplane for 800 hours, that’s all you get. These are not based on experience with the product (see item 1), but the mentality and thought process of people who think this is how it works. You give them an incredibly aggressive goal, and think that shame/abuse will get it there. I have seen and experienced this more than once, so I understand where the push is coming from. In most cases, it’s not the Executive team but higher. The people who put up the dollars on grandiose promises at the root of it, may not understand how difficult it is to build an airplane.<BR/><BR/>PubGrubberPubGrubberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04731668245037299152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-85974414947787368162008-03-10T11:22:00.000-07:002008-03-10T11:22:00.000-07:00For the second week in a row, the FAA "in process"...For the second week in a row, the FAA "in process" website shows no activity from Eclipse. <BR/><BR/>The FAA website technical support folks claim that they are having technical problems with their document website. No word on when the problems will be fixed. <BR/><BR/>So reverting to back up plan.<BR/><BR/>The FAA registry database does show activity in the last couple of weeks. Please remember that this database does have a lag - usually measured in weeks. <BR/><BR/>However, there is something new in the registry database to think about. <BR/><BR/>It shows 131 aircraft listed with a certificate issue date. Normally, that would mean that Eclipse had delivered 131 aircraft (minus a couple demo aircraft here or there). <BR/><BR/>The new thing in the database is that up until recently, whenever the database showed a certificate issue date it also showed the new name of the registrant (the new owner's name). <BR/><BR/>Well, we now have 18 aircraft which are listed with a certificate issue date, but are still registered to Eclipse! <BR/><BR/>Anyone here have some eyes on the ramp at ABQ? Are there 18 aircraft sitting on the flight line, waiting to be delivered? <BR/><BR/>On the DayJet front, there are no new aircraft registered to DayJet listed in the FAA registry database, nor are there any more N numbers ending in DJ listed... <BR/><BR/>Has anyone seen new aircraft arriving in Florida? <BR/><BR/>If so, post the N numbers and we'll try to figure out where the cracks are in the databases.FlightCenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01230368532659360386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-497614648570169052008-03-10T10:59:00.000-07:002008-03-10T10:59:00.000-07:00Pub,I think you are basically right in your commen...Pub,<BR/><BR/>I think you are basically right in your comments.<BR/><BR/>The little examples cited, the one's that you would see at Boeing as well, do not result in missing production projections by years, and hundreds and hundreds of planes... a missing tool, could not really result in this.<BR/><BR/>What does?airtaximanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977944795556689805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-39618151249626675352008-03-10T10:50:00.000-07:002008-03-10T10:50:00.000-07:00David,I did look at your blog comparison of the Mu...David,<BR/>I did look at your blog comparison of the Mustang vs Phenom 100 and I though it was excellent. Beyond excellent, even. I've bookmarked the page so I can return to it again. Well done!<BR/><BR/>That being said, I have to disagree with you on a couple of points:<BR/>1) mfrs raising prices. Yes, they are all doing it, partially due to inflation and partially because they think they can. But I remember 1991-96 when airplane manufacturers were practically giving airplanes to get you to buy them. 10% discount off list, free fuel, free maintenance...and come to think of it I believe housing prices were dropping right around that time too. Not saying that there is a correlation there, but general aviation has been on a tear since about 1998 or so. Parties don't go on forever, eventually they end. I think the days where my gardener is able to drive a nicer car than me are about to end. People are no longer able to use their house equity as an ATM machine, and the effects are felt by everyone. At some point (2010-11?) I think we're going to see mfr's discounting their aircraft in order to move them. Just my opinion.<BR/>2) I believe history shows that luxury items including boats, jets, etc. are the FIRST thing to drop in an economic downturn. I wouldn't bet that prices won't drop - too many choices and too few buyers = huge price drop.<BR/>3) house prices have already dropped big time. The million + range is not immune to the decrease. Ask me, I know :-(. The only reason more haven't dropped is because they haven't tried to sell. After a bubble the magnitude of what we've seen in housing, I believe prices will back to the mean and take a decade to recover. Look at the Nasdaq in 2000 for example. Here we are, 8 years later and it's only a third of the high that it reached at the top of the bubble. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, just my opinion but I think the really good days for jet buyers are ahead. No need to jump on anything yet unless you really need to have it now.Niner Zuluhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03832225359912318881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-63611268435230390542008-03-10T10:44:00.000-07:002008-03-10T10:44:00.000-07:00ASM-Look at Pubgrubber's entire post. He was being...ASM-<BR/>Look at Pubgrubber's entire post. He was being facetious about the "something to hide" comment. In the end, he accomplished the goal.....his way. <BR/><BR/>His style is obviously different from UT's. I'm not going to weigh in as to whose path was "correct" or even righteous. I wasn't there.<BR/><BR/>NZ, WhyTech and Fred-<BR/>I don't know that I agree with the sky-is-falling view of investors, though I do agree the US economy is on the verge of shambles. What has Eclipse proven? <BR/><BR/>Has it demonstrated that 2,700 individuals can be fleeced out of their money and told to "shut up and like it"? Nope. The Order Book is fictitious and stagnant.<BR/><BR/>Has it demonstrated that the Markets will flood money into a loser idea? Nope. Once they ran thru the investment of a few wealthy individuals, they fell flat in their pitch to more mainstream investors and had to go "offshore"....wayyyy offshore".<BR/><BR/>Have they proven that a Public Offering is in the cards for every fly-by-night with a spreadsheet? Quite the opposite.<BR/><BR/>What have DayJet and LineAir (sp) proven about market intelligence regarding VLJ's? How about ISSC?<BR/><BR/>I just don't see the investment glass half full in these cases. The Markets are doing what efficient Markets do. They're rejecting hype. It just takes them a bit to do so.<BR/>GunnerRich Lucibellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03317914081455082454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-32771530115753242352008-03-10T10:29:00.000-07:002008-03-10T10:29:00.000-07:00"While at a previous company (Sr. Manager role), I..."While at a previous company (Sr. Manager role), I was explicitly told by the VP of SCM not to contact a vendor that was two blocks away. They obviously had something to hide as you insinuated."<BR/><BR/>You should have gone to the president of the company. What's your integrity worth?airsafetymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07923869957339462116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-58750371636692996482008-03-10T08:41:00.000-07:002008-03-10T08:41:00.000-07:00Uglytruth, Pub Grubber,I would be careful about ge...Uglytruth, Pub Grubber,<BR/><BR/>I would be careful about getting much further into a discussion about this person or that person who works (or worked) for EAC. A bit of common sense should apply, as well as fair play for people who, after all, 'were only following orders'.<BR/><BR/>And yes, Pubgrubber, 'engineers with crayons' is childish.<BR/><BR/>Funny, though....<BR/><BR/>ShaneShane Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06571348452899329376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-25968051778316060352008-03-10T08:22:00.000-07:002008-03-10T08:22:00.000-07:00Uglytruth:Since you’ve disparaged the reputation o...Uglytruth:<BR/><BR/>Since you’ve disparaged the reputation of former co-workers, in the words of Samuel L. Jackson from Pulp Fiction.<BR/><BR/>“Well, allow me to retort”<BR/><BR/>To start, I’ve worked my ENTIRE career in AEROSPACE manufacturing. I’ve been a lowly planner a Sr. Manager, and everything in-between. Does this make me an expert, no, but it gives me a very good base to start and discuss from. <BR/><BR/>Basically, working a short time at Eclipse makes you an expert on their issues and problems? You walk up to the Director of Supply Chain and DEMAND something? More than likely the response you got was based on your approach. I have worked with this person for over 2 years and ALWAYS got top-notch support from him. If there was an issue, I knew the details and had the respect to try and work with him and the group to understand what was going on. Remember, they don’t run the vendors, in most cases they are at the mercy of the Vendor’s performance. Should some of Eclipse’s current and former vendors never been chosen? I would say yes, but hind-sight is always 20/20.<BR/><BR/>While at a previous company (Sr. Manager role), I was explicitly told by the VP of SCM not to contact a vendor that was two blocks away. They obviously had something to hide as you insinuated. Maybe the kickback from the contact was in jeopardy, no it must have been the free lunches and trips? <BR/>I got it. The friend of the VP’s wife must somehow be involved? <BR/>Instead of ranting and raving, and sending off inflammatory E-mails, what did I do? I discussed the issue with the V.P., asked why he didn’t want me to contact them, and ALSO under what circumstances I could contact the Vendor.<BR/>In reality, I didn’t know the details of the contract and what had been agreed to. In this case, what I was asking wasn’t allowed by the stipulations in the contract. <BR/><BR/>A final thought on the tooling you couldn’t get. I am curious what type of tool it was. I don’t know if you’ve ever set up a consignment or lease arrangement on tools, I have, and it’s more of a Magic 8 ball assignment. It’s a giant SWAG, and is constantly scrutinized for changes. The one I set up had a 6-month, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 year look-ahead. We reviewed the delivery schedule every 3 months for changes. Why you may ask? Because the leasing companies are also at the mercy of vendors. The lead time of a Huck gun is 16 weeks, that’s just the gun, the head is a tad bit shorter. The way the industry is now, everyone is asking for the same tools. Maybe the reason the tool took so long, was because it wasn’t available. I’m curious, did you even ask what the issue was?<BR/><BR/>There seems to be the stance that every little nuance with Eclipse is magnified and expanded to make it a HUGE issue. They have problems, I personally know that and have been involved with some of them. Thing is, walk into Boeing, Lockheed, Airbus, NGC, BAE and others, guess what? You’ll find the same issues. I was thrilled that Eclipse was going to try things differently, to break the mold of the Aerospace Arrogance, unfortunately it hasn’t quite panned out. Are they bad and evil and a blight on the entire industry? Vern’s ranting aside, only the future will give us the answer.<BR/><BR/>BTW – “Engineers with Crayons”, a childish comment like that doesn’t deserve a response.<BR/><BR/>PubGrubberPubGrubberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04731668245037299152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-79995956487115601872008-03-10T08:20:00.000-07:002008-03-10T08:20:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.PubGrubberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04731668245037299152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-82697016035013230212008-03-10T08:15:00.000-07:002008-03-10T08:15:00.000-07:00And Ms. Marion Blakely, the head of the FAA while ...And Ms. Marion Blakely, the head of the FAA while all this horsemanure was going on, and who pencil-whipped the TC herself, has bailed.airsafetymanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07923869957339462116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3817101653623448889.post-44552943530967416732008-03-10T07:08:00.000-07:002008-03-10T07:08:00.000-07:00Copernicus,I think Eclipse is covered, despite the...Copernicus,<BR/>I think Eclipse is covered, despite the IOU's, by the fact the FAA granted them TC.<BR/><BR/>If there is an accident, heaven forbid, it seems like the FAA are the ones who will have some explaining to do.<BR/><BR/>There was some discussion months ago about the fact that:<BR/>1) Yes, the FAA workers filed a grievance regarding Eclipse<BR/>2) But, the FAA workers filed 10,000 grievances that year.<BR/><BR/>I was shocked at the disconnect there- the controllers are the ones filing tons of grievances, I won't go into that.<BR/><BR/>The fact FAA certification personnel filed a grievance is unprecidented, to my knowledge.<BR/><BR/>The fact Eclipse got TWO FAA inspectors booted out, is also unprecidented to my knowledge.<BR/><BR/>The fact inspectors "are not allowed to look at XXX", is also unprecidented, to my knowledge.<BR/><BR/>Very disruptive stuff, indeed.bill e. goathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16258371211154585137noreply@blogger.com