JohnkPap,

I think your assumption of the copyright laws may in practice be workable, but I don't think the copyright itself on file with the feds loses any authority just because the company goes under. Yes, the company is not around to defend it, but the law may still be broken nonetheless. And for companies bought up by others, i.e. -ower -obbies buying up Great Planes, etc. they will own the rights.

However, given the nature of aircraft, they all have the same essential elements, I think you could easily get away with replicating designs with some small mods to get around the original art work encompasses by the totality of the copyright, i.e. make a Great Planes Ultra Sport 1000 with a modified vertical tail or canopy design and give it a new name.

And does anyone really think a "big" company in our industry is going to come after some little guy. First the actually costs aren't worth it and it wouldn't do much for the company's PR. Despite how strongly you feel you a company's rights would you really have much respect for them if they torpedoed a couple guys because they made a sought after model available that the company saw fit to discontinue.

Just some thing to think about. All in all I think you're right, in reality the copyright doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.