Express Aircraft of Olympia WA quits

"dancingstar" wrote in
message ...
Express Builder wrote:
The Express assets will be picked up by someone sooner or later. This
kit will never go away. It has always been popular and can be
successful if the group that takes it over sticks to the basics.
History shows the company comes apart when they try to compete with
Lancair or whoever. The Express is a solid design as is. Let's hope
it falls into the right hands.

I wholeheartedly agree. One of the problems with the last incarnation of
this company was the different directions that were pursuing--inverted V-8
version, retractable version, turbocharged version, T-tail, etc.
The new owners should stick to the basics and concentrate on customer
support rather than R&D.

I have flown these many times and they are a wonderful aircraft.

Antonio

The Expres may be a wonderful aircraft, but Vans' RV-10 is going to capture
the 4 seat/ 160-170 knot market due to lower pricing and a better company
reputation. Whatever market there was for the Express shrunk considerably
when RV-10 was announced. I'm sure the Velocity and Cozy guys are feeling
the bite too.

KB

Kyle Boatright wrote:

The Expres may be a wonderful aircraft, but Vans' RV-10 is going to
capture
the 4 seat/ 160-170 knot market due to lower pricing and a better
company
reputation.

Yes - that market, the RV-10 will own, for those folks that don't mind
burning 13 gal/hr. to get it.

......Whatever market there was for the Express shrunk considerably
when RV-10 was announced.

I'm not sure about that - the Express is a lot faster, IIRC - I'm not
sure they're the same market.

.....I'm sure the Velocity and Cozy guys are feeling the bite too.

I don't know about the Velocity, but COZY plans are still selling at the
same rate that they were prior to the RV-10's announcement. Those two
planes are really NOT the same market, due to speed, fuel consumption,
and load capacity. So far, the RV-10 and COZY are orthogonal, not
competing.

--
Marc J. Zeitlin
http://marc.zeitlin.home.comcast.net/
http://www.cozybuilders.org/
Copyright (c) 2004

Marc J. Zeitlin wrote:
Kyle Boatright wrote:


The Expres may be a wonderful aircraft, but Vans' RV-10 is going to

capture

the 4 seat/ 160-170 knot market due to lower pricing and a better

company

reputation.


Yes - that market, the RV-10 will own, for those folks that don't mind
burning 13 gal/hr. to get it.


......Whatever market there was for the Express shrunk considerably
when RV-10 was announced.


I'm not sure about that - the Express is a lot faster, IIRC - I'm not
sure they're the same market.


How do you figure it is a lot faster? I don't know anything about an Express
other than what their web site says and it says 175kts cruise. Vans says the
RV-10 cruises at 200-201 that seems to be about the same cruise speed.


Jerry


.....I'm sure the Velocity and Cozy guys are feeling the bite too.


I don't know about the Velocity, but COZY plans are still selling at the
same rate that they were prior to the RV-10's announcement. Those two
planes are really NOT the same market, due to speed, fuel consumption,
and load capacity. So far, the RV-10 and COZY are orthogonal, not
competing.

Vans is 200 smph. Express had 310 HP TSIO RG versions that would rival the
Lancair 400 at FL 180
"Jerry Springer" wrote in message
k.net...
Marc J. Zeitlin wrote:
Kyle Boatright wrote:


The Expres may be a wonderful aircraft, but Vans' RV-10 is going to

capture

the 4 seat/ 160-170 knot market due to lower pricing and a better

company

reputation.


Yes - that market, the RV-10 will own, for those folks that don't mind
burning 13 gal/hr. to get it.


......Whatever market there was for the Express shrunk considerably
when RV-10 was announced.


I'm not sure about that - the Express is a lot faster, IIRC - I'm not
sure they're the same market.


How do you figure it is a lot faster? I don't know anything about an
Express
other than what their web site says and it says 175kts cruise. Vans says
the RV-10 cruises at 200-201 that seems to be about the same cruise speed.


Jerry


.....I'm sure the Velocity and Cozy guys are feeling the bite too.


I don't know about the Velocity, but COZY plans are still selling at the
same rate that they were prior to the RV-10's announcement. Those two
planes are really NOT the same market, due to speed, fuel consumption,
and load capacity. So far, the RV-10 and COZY are orthogonal, not
competing.

I find it hard to believe that a RG version would make that much difference.

Here is a link to their web site that has their demonstrator for sale with a
310hp engine.

http://www.express-aircraft.com/


Jerry (I could be wrong) Springer

Tim B wrote:

Vans is 200 smph. Express had 310 HP TSIO RG versions that would rival the
Lancair 400 at FL 180
"Jerry Springer" wrote in message
k.net...

Marc J. Zeitlin wrote:

Kyle Boatright wrote:



The Expres may be a wonderful aircraft, but Vans' RV-10 is going to

capture


the 4 seat/ 160-170 knot market due to lower pricing and a better

company


reputation.


Yes - that market, the RV-10 will own, for those folks that don't mind
burning 13 gal/hr. to get it.



......Whatever market there was for the Express shrunk considerably
when RV-10 was announced.


I'm not sure about that - the Express is a lot faster, IIRC - I'm not
sure they're the same market.


How do you figure it is a lot faster? I don't know anything about an
Express
other than what their web site says and it says 175kts cruise. Vans says
the RV-10 cruises at 200-201 that seems to be about the same cruise speed.


Jerry



.....I'm sure the Velocity and Cozy guys are feeling the bite too.


I don't know about the Velocity, but COZY plans are still selling at the
same rate that they were prior to the RV-10's announcement. Those two
planes are really NOT the same market, due to speed, fuel consumption,
and load capacity. So far, the RV-10 and COZY are orthogonal, not
competing.

I was seriously considering the Express at one point. The cruise at 16,000
ft with RG and Turbo was about 230 knots (265 mph IIRC). RG probably
bought about 5-6 kts. RG not really worth it if you ask me. I think
cranking the cruise up and paying the extra wear plus gas is cheaper than
the additional insurance and gear maintenance. I suspect I would be eating
those words on an engine out trying to stretch the glide of the fixed gear.

The big thing for me is Turbo to get into the lower FL and crank the speed
up. It's what makes the Columbia 400 so attractive. I would love to see
the RV 10 get the 310 HP TSIO 540 engine in their airplane.


"Jerry Springer" wrote in message
k.net...
I find it hard to believe that a RG version would make that much
difference.

Here is a link to their web site that has their demonstrator for sale with
a
310hp engine.

http://www.express-aircraft.com/


Jerry (I could be wrong) Springer

Tim B wrote:

Vans is 200 smph. Express had 310 HP TSIO RG versions that would rival
the Lancair 400 at FL 180
"Jerry Springer" wrote in message
k.net...

Marc J. Zeitlin wrote:

Kyle Boatright wrote:



The Expres may be a wonderful aircraft, but Vans' RV-10 is going to

capture


the 4 seat/ 160-170 knot market due to lower pricing and a better

company


reputation.


Yes - that market, the RV-10 will own, for those folks that don't mind
burning 13 gal/hr. to get it.



......Whatever market there was for the Express shrunk considerably
when RV-10 was announced.


I'm not sure about that - the Express is a lot faster, IIRC - I'm not
sure they're the same market.


How do you figure it is a lot faster? I don't know anything about an
Express
other than what their web site says and it says 175kts cruise. Vans says
the RV-10 cruises at 200-201 that seems to be about the same cruise
speed.


Jerry



.....I'm sure the Velocity and Cozy guys are feeling the bite too.


I don't know about the Velocity, but COZY plans are still selling at the
same rate that they were prior to the RV-10's announcement. Those two
planes are really NOT the same market, due to speed, fuel consumption,
and load capacity. So far, the RV-10 and COZY are orthogonal, not
competing.

"Marc J. Zeitlin" wrote in message
news:5Zo6d.278681$Fg5.151748@attbi_s53...
Kyle Boatright wrote:

The Expres may be a wonderful aircraft, but Vans' RV-10 is going to
capture
the 4 seat/ 160-170 knot market due to lower pricing and a better
company
reputation.

Yes - that market, the RV-10 will own, for those folks that don't mind
burning 13 gal/hr. to get it.

......Whatever market there was for the Express shrunk considerably
when RV-10 was announced.

I'm not sure about that - the Express is a lot faster, IIRC - I'm not
sure they're the same market.

According the CAFE report, the fastest observed speed was 195 mph at 11 gph.
Maybe the RV will burn a little more gas, but you can buy a lot of avgas for
the difference in the kit cost.

http://www.cafefoundation.org/aprs/W...ress%20APR.pdf



.....I'm sure the Velocity and Cozy guys are feeling the bite too.

I don't know about the Velocity, but COZY plans are still selling at the
same rate that they were prior to the RV-10's announcement. Those two
planes are really NOT the same market, due to speed, fuel consumption,
and load capacity. So far, the RV-10 and COZY are orthogonal, not
competing.

--
Marc J. Zeitlin
http://marc.zeitlin.home.comcast.net/
http://www.cozybuilders.org/
Copyright (c) 2004