jbeech
Ex rrAdvertiser
Location: Sanford, FL (Orlando area)
| Folks,
This is one of my famous massive missives. The short answer is we've made 9 separate improved parts since releasing the Pantera, to include a new tail grip. Below is the long version.
Upgrades and improvements take time to happen. Maybe I've been doing tit too quietly. Allow me to point out what I've done in the last 16 months, i.e. since introducing the Pantera . . .
1. When some said the AUD0055 Seesaw Arms were breaking too often, I developed an aluminum upgrade version. These are PDR0085 Aluminum Seesaw Arms. Unfortunately, we've only sold a few. The lesson I learned from this relates to jumping in to make an aluminum upgrade. Since I'm not rich like the Chinese companies, this just means I have to pick my battles with more care (plus we pay more than 70¢/hour). Anyway, this is one new upgrade, or improved, part we've made.
2. Meanwhile, despite my not selling an overwhelming number of the new aluminum seesaw arms, in a parallel development, we created a heavy duty plastic seesaw arm. A sharper businessman than me would likely have told customers to buy the aluminum part when people complained. However, I am a modeler like you, and since my basic premise is the Pantera is a helicopter, which doesn't need upgrades to perform, I forked over a fair chunk of change to develop the new seesaw arm, make new molds, and inject 1000 of them (500 sets). These new seesaw arms are part number AUD0055-2 Seesaw Arm and we have been shipping them in place of the AUD0055. This makes two new parts this year, but there's more.
3. When some folks were dissatisfied with our plastic swashplate, I made some aluminum upgrade units. Not a lot of them, but enough to see if the same thing would happen as had with the aluminum seesaw arms. Basically I was thinking, "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me". As it turns out, the market for them is indeed relatively small, which means if I make 500 of them (so economies of scale kick in) I'll have at least a 10 year supply - same as I have for the aluminum seesaw arms! Unfortunately, with the current economic conditions, this isn't a good time to tie up our capital in this manner. Anyway, about once a month I get an order for one of these. I in turn contact the fellow and explain and invariably he's understanding of the situation and asks to be put on the list, which I do. Anyway, that's three new parts since I introduced the Pantera.
4. I've also had a few people (five) call about breaking the tail drive gear pinion (the one driven by main gear 2 that in turn has the pulley that drives the tail belt). I quickly learned most, if not all, of these machines had been crashed at one time, or another, so I wasn't really too worried. Nevertheless, thinking it would be a nice option part, I made some out of steel, AUD1011-2S Tail Drive Pinion, Steel, and not only are they in stock, but we have a picture of it on the website! Unfortunately, I've not sold many (less than 10), but nevertheless that makes four new upgraded, or improved, Pantera parts.
5. Along the way I had some folks tell me the felt the AUD0044 Tail Fins were breaking too easily. I learned they usually weren't using the decals, and since the decals are an integral part of the strength of the part, I immediately knew what was going on. No matter, I resolved to improve them and soon introduced AUD0044-2 Tail Fin, 3D. These are stronger, don't require the decal for strength, and are skeletonized (to reduce air resistence whilst in backwards flight). People liked them so much they pretty much stopped ordering the original and thus, while AUD0044 remains available, I am not likely to make more (especially since, once again, a new run is 500 sets). This makes five new parts!
6. Some folks (really good 3D pilots principally) wanted me to stiffen the head assembly so we created the one-piece aluminum head block option, which is PDR0045 Main Rotor Hub, Aluminum. Frankly, this is a far stronger solution than the stock aluminum/plastic 2-piece stock unit. It tangibly improves flight, but it really takes a good pilot to recognize the difference. But once again, like the aluminum seesaw arms (and swashplates), I've only sold a few of these aluminum upgrade parts - and not enough to really encourage me to make a bunch of new aluminum parts. Anyway, that makes six new, or upgraded, parts!
7. The first batch of Panteras shipped with Tiger 50 main landing gear struts, which are part number AUD0033. They are light, which was an important consideration for me because I figured more expert pilots would prefer the Pantera versus the Tiger. However, people complained about breaking them, especially on their Tiger 50, so we developed AUD0033-2 Landing Gear Strut, Heavy Duty. We ended up putting them into the second batch of the Pantera (and the fourth batch of the Tiger 50) as the stock unit. While AUD0033 remains available because better pilots prefer them for their lower weight, I am not going to make another batch of 500 any time soon. When they're gone, they're gone. Anyway, this makes seven upgrade, or improved, parts.
8. Some folks wanted a fiberglass canopy option. I worked to design three different sets, which are made in America. Unfortunately, the quality leaves something to be desired, especially if you're new to the sport (experienced modelers don't mind the time they spend prepping them for paint because they recognize I am not in volume production with these). However, the quality issue plus the fellow making them for me had health problems so I stopped (I have a few left) ANyway, the only way to get economies of scale to kick in is to make 500 at a time. I was pretty deep int9o this project when the economy slowed down and this means being cvery careful with an expenditure so the project has to wait. Regardless, this makes eight (10 if you count the fact we have three versions) new, or improved, parts we've made available since introducing the Pantera.
9. This brings us to the tail rotor grips. Folks, MartyH is right, I really haven't been sitting on my hands. However, while I recognize a few have failed, I also know that out of more than 2500 models with them, the total that have failed is 17 - I know because I have the database of units sold for repairing models. Unfortunately it's happened twice to MartyH, so he's taking me out for a walk about it - heavy sigh. Meanwhile, I have, in fact, recently completed a new design, which like the replacement seesaw arm, are more heavy duty. They're in stock and shipping (have been for about a month, or so). They're the same part number AUD0042-2 Tail Rotor Grip and are a drop in replacement for the original, i.e. they use the same bearings and hub. Anyway, this makes nine new, or upgraded, Pantera parts since I originally released the model.
What's more, I'm not done! I have a few more things up my sleeve, which I'm not ready to talk about just yet. Unfortunately, with the US economy in crisis I have to be careful about how I run the business. After all, my first obligation is to remain in business so we come out the other side of this recession. This means looking long and hard at how operate it. For example, the Pantera fuel tank fits the Tiger with the mere addition of the Pantera rubber isolation mounts. Since I have to make 500 parts in a run, and because I sell fewer than a dozen fuel tanks in a year (Tiger and Pantera combined), once I ran out of the Tiger tanks it was easy to decide to shift folks to the AUD0028-2 instead. While it made some folks unhappy, this was a sound business decision, and I have no regrets because I have to think about the big picture.
What's the future portend? I don't really know but with respect to recessions, I've been there, done that. Presently, I have things in hand and I think we'll be OK. Over the summer folks slowed down buying, but they've not stopped, and recently, probably because they've been feeling the pinch, we've had a resurgence in sales. When querried, folks tell me it's a matter of price, i.e. the Pantera priced below $300 is a significant factor. I'm a little sad because I think we beat a lot of machines on features but I've just not done a good enough job of communicating this - really heavy sigh.
Anyway, I know my product's not perfect, but whose product is? In my view, only God is perfect, and thus, I am doing the best I can. I also think anybody reflecting on what we've accomplished in the last year will agree we're not being lax about improving the Pantera.
Finally, thanks for hanging in with me.
My 2¢
John Beech - GM (and janitor)
Audacity Models |
) I'm just curious.
