Profiles in the U.K.
 

heyyy no fair :)
we, as far as i know, where the first to fly the Magnum with a aero section not just the flat plate and Weston UK are good friends with the club, IF the new Magnum was born from us i don't know. A local man invented the President Fun Fly and sold them the rights, and now we've got a company coming to us for the plans and templates to start re-kitting this design.

and wasn't i the first to say about building under license?

The reason we build our own is they are all ARTF now and we don't want another copy, yes theres 6 ARTF Cougars including mine and 5 ARTF Magnums, Lots of old kit limbos, a couple of new ARTF ones, most are now plan built so they can be individual. The Laser Arrow has been copied and improved with a thinner wing section to make it a respectable speed.
On the low incomes we have down here in Cornwall things are very different to most clubs and the sometimes improvised designs are much the better for it.:)

Profiles in the U.K.
 

Geeees Philly!

You say you have 5 of these and 6 of those that are legit kits and ARFs as if to say copying is a rare occurance, but then say, "... most are now plan built so they can be individual."

before that it was "Just for once i thought it'd be nice to give credit wheres it's due and have a propper kit backed by the company that designed it. "

which is it? is copying the norm in the UK or not? are a dozen out of a hundred legit?

Glad to hear about the local man making good with the President design. I think more of that should be happening in your area. What i am hearing in this thread is there is demand for Profiles, very low availability of imports, government protection in the form of customs tarifs, and people who could use a few more quid. To me that screams OPPORTUNITY.

In my veiw you have 4 choices. 1) copy a comercialized design save a few quid for yourself and undermine legitimate buisness. 2) don't fly at all, 3) Pay up, 4) Design your own and start your own business.

The chioces that are best for everyone are 3 or 4.

Only realistic option ?
 

Not been in this game long but producing quality kits for sale is probably not that cheap. There would be investment in the equipment to produce quality cut parts.

There is no way I would copy another kit. First because of the principle. No different to music or software piracy in my opinion. Secondly I don't have time to build anything from kit. I want ARFs so that I can spend the majority of my spare time flying not building. I want profiles because they seem to be cheaper end of the market but are huge fun to fly.

Only option is to become a supplier for Morris or another reputable profile manufacturer. But this would cost as well. Probably can only be done by agreeing purchase of a relatively high number of kits at an agreed low(er) price.

In the end money makes money. Then again if Morris or any other manufacturer would be interested in a sale or return agreement I'm their man.

Profiles in the U.K.
 

oh what a tricky thing... it really depends on who and what plane.. lets see.



yes the Weston UK Cougars are all ARTF's, there has been 3 or 4 Magnum copys, this was before it was a ARTF kit and had a sectioned wing, the Weston one was flat plate and didnt fly well. we made it better. for the fliers who use Magnums paying the deal price to get the engine too is worth it, as is the ARTF kit as they can't be bothered to build one. I on the other hand have designed 2 speed planes and have a 3rd in my head for later on to blow Magnums away.
The limbo Dancer is so cheap and easy to scratch that there are a few, no ARTF's here as they arnt considered good value. becides, every one in blue? ZZZZZZZZZ


Yes, it would be nice to say i have Morris *****'s in propper Morris boxes with instructions. I have the handy Systems Bug, which for all purposes is a SpinSation, however the design didn't work here, wether its the plane or the lack of the better known name i don't know, however theres a big lack of desire for US planes, now RCU has grown and we've got a US mag in the shops, that may change over time. Good example is the Unlimited fun-flys, nothing like that exists here. My Dust Unlimited is looked at in awe and i get many questions.

it seams to make a diffrence what plane... the more common Fun Flys do get copied because every man and his dog has a plan and building from a plan with bits from your balsa box is cheap. the uncommon kits never seam to be copied. its more common to see a fag packet design. on the other hand, when you can get a Cambrian funfighter kit with cut wings and plastic canopy for 50 quid, why would you goto the bother of copying it.
Biggest reason for copying down here... no good shops but lots of materials

PS almost all President fun-flys here are copies, because there isnt the kit one anymore, which is why they have come to us. we also invented the lighter Kazbar version i believe.

Re: Profiles in the U.K.
 

Sheesh...you're not Scottish are you?

Profiles in the U.K.
 

Maybe this wont work but I saw this thread and thought Id add my two cents. Is it possible for y'all to find someone trustworthy who travels to the states regularly on business ? You could arrange to have a plane shipped to where he is staying and he could bring your little plane back on the big plane ! Declared value should be low enough to where its feasible.

Just a thought,

John


PS I mentioned y'alls problem to the wife and she said y'all should all pool together and buy me an airline ticket over there.
No matter the cost this is a great idea I think. I'll bring as many airplanes as you want !

Profiles in the U.K.
 

I was speaking to a BA captain yesterday at the flying field, and he told me he used to be able to take his models to the States to fly, but now it's illegal to carry internal combustion engines on board an aircraft. Whatever the size, and with or without fuel.

I little over the top, but then a lot is these days where security is concerned.

David C.