CTulanko
Posts: 343
Joined: 2/17/2004
From: Cincinnati,
OH, USA
Status: offline
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Michael,
While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I am going to have to go with Jimmy on this one.
There is no doubt that Bob Violett has helped the hobby tremendously in the past and has made one heck of a name for himself and a reputation to go along with it! He has had some amazing innovations with his ICDF and Turbine lines and knows well how to market them. That is where the new EVF comes into play. He realizes there are a ton of his old kits out there sitting in corners and hoping to be re-discovered someday; the EVF gives them the opportunity to do so…thus his marketing prowess is showing in full bloom.
He also admitted that he needed help to get where he wanted in the EDF arena, as it was not his cup of tea so to speak. Bob was smart enough to recruit help from good ESC and motor manufacturers and they worked with him to “tune” the new EVF system to run well. I say the words “new” loosely because he is actually rejuvenating an old Viojett fan design that has been around for a long time, with actual development costs paid in full long since past. While I am sure he had some minor development costs for the EVF, I doubt it was anything compared to when the fan was actually developed years ago or when one of his aircraft were prototyped. Like I said, he is a shrewd business man and can see a market with the best of them now.
What I do not agree on is his costing structure. While everyone can agree there are startup costs with a new product, the EVF is not new. A Viojett fan, motor mount changed for electric and currently marketed NEU motors and Castle Creations ESC’s do not make it a new product…a new package, but not a new item as all the products have been around. He is marketing it though as a completely assembled package, thus trying to justify the cost of balancing, assembly and testing...sorry but the simple steps do not justify a 1/3 price increase...period. He also is not selling just the fan as he knows anyone with a brain would not pay $650 for the EVF fan unit (the remaining cost when the motor and ESC price are removed) when there are stronger, lighter and better fans out there at half that cost! Heck, you can find used Viojett fans right here on R/C Universe for under $300 and that includes a motor, tuned pipe, etc...yea, he is way off base on this one.
Even the most powerful fan to date on the market, the Schuebler DS94 at a max of 19lbs thrust along with the same NEU motor that is in the EVF and the same Castle Creations ESC comes to around $875! The DS fan is pre balanced and if you cannot screw the motor to a mount, install the fan and connect five wires, then you will soon learn you don’t belong in EDF. I am sorry, but the Viojett EVF at $1200 is way overpriced and for a surcharge of $325+ for assembly and packaging...well, do the math!
However, it is BVM, so people will “think” it’s a deal, especially the target audience which I am sure are the current turbine fliers. They will go along and buy the unit because Bob says so and stay oblivious to the fact they are paying more for less. The smart EDF fliers though that have been around a while already know what this is all about and realize it is no bargain. The word will eventually get out as it always does, and it will not be to BVM’s benefit.
Like I said, I have nothing against Bob Violett in any way and very much respect what the man has done for our hobby. I also have no problem paying what he charges for his models and accessories because you get what you pay for with Bob…he is in my opinion the best for Jets and if you want top of the line, get a BVM. Moreover, I do not have a problem when you use old technology fans with currently available motors and ESC’s and call it innovative…he did a decent job matching a motor to the fan and the system does work well.
I do however have a problem when he tries to market it at a cost which I believe to be outrageous for a mid range product! Just because it’s BVM though, people will unknowingly probably buy into it, which is a shame, especially for a unit that he could more reasonably sell for $995, which would draw in a MUCH larger crowd and he'd still make a good profit. For now, I personally will stick with the real innovators of EDF like the TF-4000 and the Schuebler DS94 … at half the price, better quality, lighter all carbon fiber components and a max of 19lbs of thrust compared to the lesser 12lbs from the Violett EVF, I will take the other side of the coin any day of the week…but that is only because I know better. Maybe in time other fliers will “know better” too, BVM will drop their price to a more reasonable charge and our hobby will benefit from a vendor that cares enough to provide a good product to a larger audience at a more reasonable cost. Only time will tell.
Carl
< Message edited by CTulanko -- 10/20/2006 10:21:20 PM >
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All Forums >> Electric Aircraft Universe >> Electric RC Jets >> The new Electric VioFan or EVF from BVM 
The new Electric VioFan or EVF from BVM - 
) with be flying EVF & E-turbax fans due to avaliablity and support. The reason is that the most of the 5" 
