LSA instructor?

One thing you are going to have to remember is that these planes are not
being mass produced. What do you think a Honda Accord would cost if you had
to build each one by hand?

("W P Dixon" wrote)
[snip]
The metal to build a 601 or Sonex will run in the 3000-4000 price
range, figure an engine to be 10 G , and there is nothing to building one
of these planes so labor SHOULD not be a boatload. But I have seen these
sell for 40-60G , and it's highway robbery. 25G would be good , and 30G
probably not unreasonable. Hey they are not building 777's , just a small
plane. I speak from experience in production of aircraft, from MD-80's to
Learjets.
A greedy company that wants to sell a 25G plane for 50G may sell
100...if he sold them for 25G he has the potential of selling 500, simply
because it opens the market for more people. All I can fly is sport
category and I WILL NEVER pay as much for a light sport plane as a 172,
etc.


Get out your checkbook.

Sonex had a new (LSA) plane at OSH for $24K ...built ...with engine ....and
instruments ...and tires.


Montblack

Sonex had a new (LSA) plane at OSH for $24K ...built ...
with engine ....and instruments ...and tires.

Seriously? An actual, hop in and fly it away airplane? Got a link? I
went to their web site and didn't find it.

If I can get insurance, I think I might just buy it and put it on the
line.

Michael

In the U.S. we don't price products this way. In the U.S. we look at
what the market is willing to pay for the product. If we can make a
profit off of that we go for it. Those damn socialists get so hung up
with what it costs to produce the product when they price. It makes no
difference. My costs are none of your concern, your only concern is
whether or not you are willing to pay my asking price.

-Robert

("Michael" wrote)
Sonex had a new (LSA) plane at OSH for $24K ...built ...
with engine ....and instruments ...and tires.

Seriously? An actual, hop in and fly it away airplane? Got a link? I
went to their web site and didn't find it.


Oops. My mistake. (Just dug through OSH pics) Sign reads:

Build this "Sport Pilot"
Sonex
For $24,000 Complete


Montblack

W P Dixon wrote:
Not to mention then you can sell parts and such to 500 customers instead
of 100, Jim you should understand how that works you are in biz. Lots of
variables but the main point is companys are to greedy. Look at the
greed our auto industry has gotten into( from their own and the greed of
their workers). When things cost less you sell alot more, period.

The flaw in this argument is that it assumes unlimited demand. Sure, you *might*
sell 500 the first year, but not so many the next. Five years down the road,
demand is satiated and you're out of business. You need to price things high
enough that some people have to wait to buy them.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:MJAHe.5547$GN5.3669@trndny08...
W P Dixon wrote:
Not to mention then you can sell parts and such to 500 customers instead
of 100, Jim you should understand how that works you are in biz. Lots of
variables but the main point is companys are to greedy. Look at the
greed our auto industry has gotten into( from their own and the greed of
their workers). When things cost less you sell alot more, period.

The flaw in this argument is that it assumes unlimited demand.

No, it assumes you can price yourself out of the market for which there is
limited demand.

Sure, you *might*
sell 500 the first year, but not so many the next. Five years down the
road,
demand is satiated and you're out of business.

That assumes demand is fixed, which is incorrect.

You need to price things high
enough that some people have to wait to buy them.

Assuming there are limited providers....

Yep the Sonex is a nice little plane and the complete kit is around 24,000.
3,000 give or take in metal, figure around 6000 for an engine ( the VW type,
the Jabiru would make it to fast for sport category) I'll even say the
instruments cost 1000 for a total of 10 G , Wow what does there labor cost
to predrill some holes and use a metal brake? but it is a very nice plane
and I do like it!
George and Matt both make good points....but where is that fine line of
priced right to sell a unit versus priced so high it will not sell? I do not
see a sport plane selling for 80G that would make money for a company on a
regular basis. But check out the money Sonex can make on their kit for
24,000 G . A company has to ask do we want doctors and lawyer types who
won't qualify for a medical anymore or do we want a general population to
sell to.
You may make alot of money at first selling to the high end , but you
will make more money longer and stay in biz longer if you have a wider base
for your product. When the rule first came out people were getting alot more
money for the older Champs and such but now those prices for the most part
are coming back down. Could it have been that those with the money bought
the ones they could and now that "money" market has already got their plane
and prices have gone back down? Beats me, but it sure is a way to look at
it. Cubs are always overpriced so I don't count them in this

Patrick
student SPL
aircraft structural mech

One of the big reasons certified aircraft are so expensive is liability.
I read somewhere (don't know if true) that of the new cessna's sold
today, $100,000 goes for liability insurance...

My "base price of 80,000" applied to aircraft that looked more like
conventional aircraft...high or low wing, all metal or composite. Not
supersized ultralights, dacron covering, or revised classics.

I'm not sure, but I think some of them came with glass cockpits as
standard.

John