Originally Posted by pilotdude57

There is no "changing of stories". As I said in one of the posts, I VOLUNTARILY gave up my licenses and ratings at the suggestion of an FAA Inspector, where he said all I had to do to get them back was to take the written and flight tests again, which I could do with one hand tied behind my back, so to say that just because I am temporarily not licensed right now so am not a Flight Instructor is the same as saying that if Mario Andretti loses his driver's license he is not an experienced driver any more! LOL. They can't take away my 960 hours of flight time.

Originally Posted by dirtybird

If you are in touch with the makers of JB movies you should e able to get all the funds you need from them. 10K is peanuts to those guys. Why bother us?
BTW the last I heard the JB movies were made in England. What are they doing in Idaho?

Originally Posted by pilotdude57

You ASSUME the court is fully aware of the reason for our complaint. Keep in mind, I was not the only plaintiff in the Court of Federal Claims case, there were 9 others. The court failed to understand the case, because our attorney failed to properly explain it to the Judges. The Judges thought it was about getting a "two-step increase" by moving under 5334(b) of Title 5, U.S.C., the GS pay regulations. It was NOT about getting a two-step increase, it was about being established at the new facilities at the correct POSITION in the new pay band. If I had moved AS SCHEDULED to the Boeing Field control tower, two months BEFORE the new pay system went into affect, I would have been put there as a GS-11, step 9, and then two months later in the pay system conversion my "step 9" would have put me at the 90% position in the new pay band, almost at the top of the pay band, but both the Union and FAA are responsible for CAUSING our 14-month delay in contracting out, with their legal battle in the Cleveland Federal Court (the Union trying to STOP the contracting, so trying to STOP our promotions to the higher-level facilities, WITHOUT our permission), then, when we finally moved they both agreed to put us ALL at the BOTTOM of the new pay band at the new facilities, giving us only, on average, HALF the pay raise we would have been given if we had moved on time. That is, "Conspiracy to deprive of wages". Putting me at the bottom of the pay band instead of the position in the pay band I would have been put at if I had moved as scheduled cheated me out of $20,700 per year, as at the time the difference between the bottom of the pay band and the top of the pay band was $24,000 per year, that's right, at the SAME facility, with everyone doing the SAME job. What really pissed me off was that I was working with a guy who arrived the same month I was SUPPOSED to arrive, he was hired 8 YEARS AFTER me, had never served his country in the military compared with my four years on an aircraft carrier as a controller, had never taken a flying lesson compared with my 960 hours of flight time, had only worked at two FAA towers compared with my six towers, and was a cook at a restaurant before being hired, and they were paying him $24,000 per year MORE than me, because he was put there at the appropriate grade and step and then had Rule 35 applied to change pay systems, but I didn't have those same rules and regulations applied to me, which would have been applied to me, JUST LIKE HIM, if I had moved on time. If I had moved on time he still would have been getting $3,000 per year more than me, which still would not have been right, but I could put up with that, but NOT $24,000 per year more.
When one of my coworkers saw the illegal agreement to move us to the new facilities using "paragraph 51" from the new pay system, when we have never been converted into the new pay system as the MANDATORY Rule 35 "conversion rule" has never been applied to us, he threw it down and said, "We are losing credit for our pay steps, they are trying to get us to quit". He complained to the Regional Union rep from Salt Lake City, who said, "I see what you are saying, we should be able to get you paid the same as if you hadn't been delayed, but you know that if you get those raises other controllers won't get as much, because it has to come out of the $200 million". Two weeks later he called and said he brought it up at a Union meeting and was told to "shut up about it". The Courts FAILED to conduct testimony from the Union President, Human Resources, and the Air Traffic Division to find out why they did what they did, and at NO TIME did ANY Judge ask the question, "How WAS their pay set?". The court rulings have false and ridiculous statements in them. The Air Traffic Division has given Senator Patty Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell a letter with 5 PROVABLY false statements concerning the pay-setting of the fourth-year employees. The courts made an INCORRECT statement that there were "Meritorious rulings against him", the court said in their ruling that by the time we moved to the new facilities those FACILITIES had already changed pay systems, so we cannot move under the GS regulations, as moving under the GS regulations requires a GS to GS move. It is not FACILITIES that change pay systems, it is EMPLOYEES who change pay systems. If they want to play that RIDICULOUS game, then as soon as FAA management realized we would not move until AFTER the new pay system went into effect, they should have RESERVED GS positions for us at the "target" facilities, and then as soon as we filled those GS positions, then apply the Rule 35 conversion rule to change pay systems, to put us at the correct POSITION in the new pay band. We were VICTIMIZED by an INCOMPETENT Union President (Mike McNally) and an INCOMPETENT Head of Air Traffic, and then an INCOMPETENT attorney who failed to explain it properly to the Judges. Mike McNally, later admitted, after he was no longer Union President, that the agreement was an "administrative error". He tried to get the subsequent Union President, John Carr, to give him permission to "re-represent you guys", but Mr. Carr refused. It was later discovered that Mr. Carr's WIFE (Jill Carr) was an Air Traffic Controller at the Reagan National airport control tower in D.C., and he knew that if we had our pay corrected, FAA management would say, "Ok, that means there has been an incorrect distribution of the $200 million", and his wife would have to repay her overpayments, and her then-current paycheck would go down, and when HE went back to being an Air Traffic Controller HE would also get a smaller paycheck, as when a President goes back to being a controller, his or her pay is set as if he or she never left being a controller and was never Union President, but us delayed controllers don't get that same treatment, to be paid as if the 14-month delay never happened. So, there you have it, the court doesn't understand the complaint, and our Union is refusing to represent us due to "conflict of interest".

Originally Posted by zantero

Cool, I have always wanted to build one but the original kits are soo hard to come by, thanks for the reply.

Originally Posted by pilotdude57

Interesting that you mention them being in Idaho. They are not, however, the little black jet boat in the Bond movie, "The World is Not Enough", was made by the Benz boat company in Lewiston, Idaho. I found out about that, and called Mr. Nightingale at the Benz boat company, and he said that Simon Crane showed up with a couple of guys about six or seven months before the movie came out, and said they needed five little black jet boats for the movie, two with engines and three without engines for explosions. Mr. Nightingale said he would have to hire more guys to work around the clock, because they wanted them done in 30 days. He threw out a price of $350,000, which he thought Mr. Crane would try to negotiate lower, but he didn't, just whipped out the checkbook and wrote a check for $350,000.

Originally Posted by pilotdude57

Check out Adrian Page's Kickstarter campaign that ended the first week of May, with pledges totaling $12,000, to get a laser cutter. Just go to Kickstarter and search for "airplane", and you will see a picture of him with his Gee Bee R-2 racer. Explain to me how he can do it, but not me, if he will have to pay 4K per year in maintenance. I added the $2,000 above what he had as his minimum to get the color plotter also, and finish the vacuum forming machine that I already have many parts for.

Originally Posted by RCKen

Ok, I'm going to step in here for a bit guys. Let's keep this threads on topic, which is the discussion of kit cutting and his kickstarter campaign. Let's leave all the discussion of his legal issue out of the thread. There are plenty of places on the internet to discuss legal matters such as this, RCU definitely isn't one of them. Let's keep this thread on topic or I will be forced to close it down.

Ken

Originally Posted by r_adical

to to be sure Mario is a current driver,

you are not

Originally Posted by r_adical

don't forget Hugh Hefner and Tom Cruise

Originally Posted by r_adical

it really seems as though it's not your fault these things constantly keep happening. It's always somebody else making the mistakes.

Thinking about jumping out of an airplane over the mountains is not a rational act.

several requests have been made and ignored for ANYTHING that will prove you have the capacity to put out a kit

Put Up or Shutup, respectfully

Originally Posted by r_adical

Originally Posted by dirtybird

As I said 10K is peanuts to those guys. I think you should concentrate on getting your airplane in that movie. They might just whip out that checkbook for you.
BTW I don't see Simone Crane listed in the credits for Die Another Day.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246460/fullcredits/

Originally Posted by w0mbat

I have spoken to Adrian many times over the years and his situation is completely different. He designed the kits himself, he has produced them for many years and has built up quite a large customer base. He already has all the molds, equipment and everything else for his kits in place and he has a very good reputation in the industry. He has been looking at laser cutting his kits for as long as I can remember. I can tell you from experience that even with a free laser cutter, he won't be making much money and he won't be selling many kit after the initial wave.

I would love to see someone update the designs and release Pica kits again but I see the claims you are making and the things you are offering on your kickstarter page and, honesty, they seem way too good to be true. We have been producing laser cut warbird kits for 15+ years and there is no way we could do what you are claiming in less than 1 years time, even if we devoted all our resources. I hope for everyone's sake who contributed that you prove me wrong.

Originally Posted by dirtybird

This guy is askng for money based on his reputation.
This thread clearly shows what that is.
It also shows he has no knowledge of what it takes to put out a kit. He thinks the can just buy a laser cutter and start pumping them out the door.
.Please don't delete anything.

Originally Posted by eddieC

I'm appalled by all the vitriol displayed by most of the posts so far.

If the kickstarter campaign works, so much the better. We need more kitmakers, period. Good luck with it!

If you don't want to contribute, that's ok. Just vent elsewhere please.

Originally Posted by pilotdude57

During the last 15 years you did not have a 3D printer at your disposal to quickly make the plugs to use in the vacuum forming machine. The local library network here in North Idaho has a 3D printer that they will use for any library member just for the cost of the plastic material used. So, all you have to do is print out the plug, then use silicone rubber to pour a mold around it, then fill that mold with high-temp capable material (from Alumilite) to make the plug to actually use in the vacuum forming machine. Much quicker than having to manually do everything and then make a fiberglass plug. There are companies around the country now that specialize in "rapid prototyping", that use 3d Printers, etc., so things can be done much more quickly nowadays. One, for example, is Proto Tech in Liberty Lake, Washington, not too far from me. If you ever get a chance to visit a rapid prototyping company, it's pretty impressive as to what they can do.

Originally Posted by w0mbat

We looked at 3D printers but I can make a mold by hand faster than I can print and finish one on the current crop of 3D printers - and it's a lot less expensive. Of course if I had 5 printers at my disposal for free, it would be a different story! The molds are just a small part of the time it takes to get a kit ready for market and there are companies out there that will produce the mold and provide the plastic/fiberglass parts for a fraction more than we can make them for ourselves in small quantities. Producing the manual takes as long or longer than designing the plane in CAD. I assume you are going to have a manual with each kit?? How are you going to accomplish all of this in 60 days?

You do realize that if you do receive enough money to purchase a laser that you will need an additional $10,000.00 more for the materials just to produce the kits that you promised people? If you don't have enough money to purchase the laser, how are you going to get the money to buy the materials to produce the kits? Also, where are you going to find a large enough and powerful enough laser to cut that kind of kit for $9500.00? Not only do you need the laser but you will need a vacuum table and exhaust system to hold the wood in place and evacuate the smoke. The last system we purchased used was close to $20k.

Originally Posted by hook57

...

Originally Posted by hopkimf

RCKen,

I don't believe this thread should be used for raising $$ to get a company started. After reading a number of posts on the 'Kickstarter' program, I have a very uneasy feeling. That is to avoid that guy and his plans completely.

Originally Posted by pilotdude57

You can make a mold faster than a 3D printer? I don't think that would be true even if the 3D printer takes two or three hours to print it. Besides, much less work for me and in the time the 3D printer is working I can be doing something else. Touche'. As far as the "manuals" go, most of what I am doing is DUPLICATING kits that have been long out of production, i.e. the Sterling kits and Royal kits, where the construction photos and plans and instructions already exist, and if I enlarge the airplane parts then the plans would be enlarged too. That's what I need the plotter for, so I don't have to pay FedEx office to do it for me. For example, some of the kits would be three or four times enlargements of the Guillows laser-cut kits, where I am aware that I would have to beef up the construction (more than normal expansion of the stringers and wing ribs, for example, to withstand the higher flight loads of the larger airplane), so everything is already done, and Guillows doesn't care, as it is not competing with their smaller kits, and may even generate more sales of their smaller kits with advertising, as some of my customers may not even be aware of the Guillows kits, which they would then end up buying for their kids. How long ago did you pay the 20K for a used laser cutter. As with all other technologies, the initial offerings are much more expensive, and the laser cutters nowadays are much less expensive than they used to be, with much more competition. Check out the Full Spectrum Laser from Colorado. Prices are not bad unless you get all kinds of options that are not necessary. Some of the machines from China are much less expensive, but you have to wait for them. They also have cooling systems and fume evacuation systems included, and methods to hold down the material.

Originally Posted by pilotdude57

I just got a message from Hobbico to call them as they may be interested in having me produce the Pica laser-cut kits for them. I will call them tomorrow.