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Old September 28th 03, 08:26 PM
JDupre5762
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"Barnyard BOb --"

"Larry Smith" wrote:

Wondering why the price of a set of Flying wires for most HB Bi Planes
cost 3k or more? Not trying to argue, just wondering what drives the high

cost.

Thanks- J. Wolfer

monopoly

++++++++++++
LOW volume and...
HIGH priced lawyers.


Barnyard BOb --


Well, maybe, BOb, but I doubt it. How many suits against the flying wire
manufacturers? If there are any lawsuits, then maybe. If not, the mfrs.
have a chicken little paranoia. But flying wire mfrs. aren't "they."

"They" are Brunton and Brunton only, unless someone else tooled up to roll
them. Brunton bought out McWhyte and so has a m o n o p o l y. Besides,
Brunton is in Scotland. It names its price and is hardly vulnerable to USA
lawsuits.


I think low volume and monopoly pretty well cover it even if Brunton's is
somewhat immune from USA lawsuits. Flying wires are essentially hand made by
experienced craftsmen. When the wire itself is drawn through the machine that
gives it the aerodynamic shape it is very wavy. They work out the waviness by
tapping each and every wire with mallets against a thick wooden bench. The
threaded ends are also rolled and not cut. I imagine rolling threads is a more
costly process than cutting them too. A set of wires for a Pitts or something
similar must take a fair number of hours. The high labor costs in maintaining
and particularly recovering fabric covered aircraft is one of the reason Piper
builds Cherokees today and not Cubs even though the cost of materials for a Cub
are probably still cheaper than the cost of aluminum for a Cherokee.

John Dupre'