RE: GP and the Ultra SPort  
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Sport Flying >> RE: GP and the Ultra SPort
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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/14/2005 8:22:45 PM   
kelldog


 

Posts: 132
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From: newhartford, CT, AMERICAN SAMOA (USA)
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< Message edited by MinnFlyer -- 12/12/2005 7:26:53 PM >

(in reply to camss69)
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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/15/2005 4:05:13 AM   
Teachu2


 

Posts: 857
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< Message edited by Teachu2 -- 11/17/2005 7:20:06 PM >

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RE: [Deleted] - 11/15/2005 2:08:31 PM   
MinnFlyer



Posts: 19989
Joined: 4/22/2002
From: Willmar, MN, USA
Status: online 		What I would really like to see is a 40 or 60 size Ultra Sport with a Fiberglass Fuse

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/16/2005 4:40:28 PM   
Bax


 

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From: Champaign, IL, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: d_bodary

Well the one thing i wonder about Great Planes is why they don't invest in a laser cutter. I am building the Ultra Sport plus right now and dealing with the die cutting. I would have to beleive that they would be able to make them quicker with a laser and probably cheaper than having to make the dies.
Dennis



Actually, laser cutting kit parts is slower and more expensive than die-cutting, even allowing for the costs of dies. That means laser cutting is not quite suited for high-volume production. Also, laser cutters are limited in the size of the wood they can cut. In the time it takes to laser cut one sheet of balsa, a die-cutter can put out 10 pieces and up...depending upon the complexity of the parts being cut out.

The laser cutting equipment also is not inexpensive. In order to get higher volume production and to be able to cut the larger sheets, the machines start costing in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. It's not the easy solution many people think. Also, higher-powered lasers are needed for faster cutting, which will produce a bit more charring on the wood's edges.

We've also seen kits where the parts were all router cut. Very beautiful...very expensive. Properly done, die-cutting gets parts that are as accurately-sized as any other way of producing kit parts, and is about the most economical way to produce kit parts.



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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/16/2005 9:56:34 PM   
carlosponti



Posts: 1086
Joined: 5/14/2003
From: Moore, OK, USA
Status: offline 		well i hope that maybe someone at great planes is seeing the demand for a rehash of the old ultra sport kits

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/17/2005 3:01:55 AM   
Treker NCC-1701



Posts: 52
Joined: 4/29/2003
From: Savage, MN, USA
Status: offline 		I can see Great Planes possibly introducing a limited run of Ultra Sport Kits since there seems to be some pent up demand out here, and some ARF's to go along with them, but I wouldn't expect them to do a long run of kits.

As others have said, most of the business these days is in ARF's, not kits. My 2 local hobby stores can hardly sell a kit anymore, but they get every ARF that comes out and sell tons of them. Don't get me wrong, I love kits and building. But let's face it, for a hobby manufacturer, or any manufacturer for that matter, it is all about making a profit. I can guarantee you that if GP thought they could sell a lot of kits and make money doing it, they would have a lot of them on the market. As it is, I think we, as kit builders anyway, will just have to get used to making our own kits if we want something different of something that is not offered as an ARF. In other words, get used to the idea of scratch building.

Just my two cents worth.

Regards,

Treker

< Message edited by Treker NCC-1701 -- 11/17/2005 11:04:28 PM >


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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/17/2005 4:07:35 AM   
camss69



Posts: 1029
Joined: 7/23/2002
From: Mather, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Well like I said earlier I'm all for a modern day construction ARF of the old Ultra Sport.

New building techniques, new graphics, same shape... done, instant seller.

If it's ARF's that sell build an ARF.

< Message edited by camss69 -- 11/17/2005 4:08:18 AM >

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/18/2005 10:28:14 PM   
Teachu2


 

Posts: 857
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From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Status: offline 		US1000

and still available US1000 Whoops! It's sold!

< Message edited by Teachu2 -- 11/23/2005 6:19:32 AM >

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/26/2005 9:31:53 AM   
d_bodary


 

Posts: 906
Joined: 4/9/2004
From: trenton, MI, USA
Status: offline 		I have to admit the cost of the laser cutter is expensive the one we have at work is about 500 to 600 thousand dollars. It will do a pice of steel 1/2 inch thick by ten foot long down to a couple of thousandth of an inch for shim stock. What i did'nt know was the cost of the dies not being that expensive i thought they would cost a lot more money. As far as the laser cutting being slower that is true. But as more and more arfs are being sold less and less kits will be needed. And that may or may not make the cost of the dies prohibitive. The die cutting of the liteply i have never had much of a problem with it. seems like the laser really chars the edges. where as the balsa parts especially the 1/8 inch really seem nicer with laser.
Either way it's nice to know you are paying attention. and do reply.

Dennis

P.S. while were at it what about the kaos 60 kit. And another kit would be the easy sport 60.
while i'm rambling on now that PICA is not around. Any ideas on picking up their line of gluit white glues?
or is their another glue around that is the same. that i just don't know about?

Thanks

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 11/28/2005 2:57:17 AM   
buzzingb


 

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Joined: 9/4/2002
From: Bruce, MS, USA
Status: offline 		IF Great Planes won't listen then it is time to order plans and start building.

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 12/10/2005 10:49:51 PM   
sdcranford


 

Posts: 277
Joined: 6/23/2005
From: Willard, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Makes me wonder where those request's for a kit go at GP? Maybe nobody looks at them.
I believe I got a autoresponder email, but that means nothing. I've got a US1000 I am going
to have built but would like to eventually have a 40 and 60 size. Guess I will have to have
a kit cutter cut it so I can have one built of each. Dont have the time to build myself...
wish I did.

(in reply to buzzingb)
       Post #: 36

RE: [Deleted] - 12/11/2005 2:13:53 PM   
RCKen



Posts: 15150
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Status: online 		Sdcranford,
I've been making those same calls and emails to GP trying to bring back the Ultra Sport 60. I learned from a Tower Hobbies executive that a production run of 300 was the magic number to Great Planes to consider re-releasing the US 60 for a limited run. I've got a thread running in the Kit Building forum asking everybody how many of the kits they would buy if GP released the US 60 again. Use this link to check out the thread and let me know if you would buy any of them. I have every intention of taking the results of this thread to GP executives to show them that this in fact interest in the US 60 kit.

New production run of the Ultra Sport 60?

Ken

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RE: [Deleted] - 12/11/2005 4:15:23 PM   
camss69



Posts: 1029
Joined: 7/23/2002
From: Mather, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I was just thinking, how many "bring back the ultrasport" threads do you think there are? I should do a search and try to find out.

Just another example of the demand for this plane!

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 12/12/2005 2:39:58 PM   
MinnFlyer



Posts: 19989
Joined: 4/22/2002
From: Willmar, MN, USA
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: camss69

Well like I said earlier I'm all for a modern day construction ARF of the old Ultra Sport.


With a Fiberglass Fuse!!!

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AMA# 42400 www.gettingairborne.com

"Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others." - Groucho Marx

(in reply to camss69)
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RE: [Deleted] - 12/12/2005 6:05:31 PM   
Sport_Pilot



Posts: 7835
Joined: 1/21/2002
From: Acworth, GA, USA
Status: offline 		If they use the same dies as last, then they can bring out the Tower Kaos at the same time as the GP Ultra Sport. The Kaos is SPA legal but the Ultra Sport is not.

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RE: GP and the Ultra SPort - 12/12/2005 7:23:01 PM