SO MANY PLANES,,,
When I agreed to build planes to order I set it up so the buyer would provide the kit. I started out building "Sport Planes". These planes in general are not meant to look like any specific full size airplane. R/C Sport Planes are also all built pretty much the same way. I gave several options on how complete I would build the plane. I offered "Bare Bones" which was a complete airframe, uncovered with no engine, radio equipment or other accessories installed. Next was a covered airframe but still no engine, radio or accessories. This was my favorite build as a lot of flyers hate covering a plane and would pay good money to avoid it. I didn't have to outlay much in money for materials, I could build and finish them fast and the profit margin for the time spent was the highest. Some buyers would also bring an engine and/or radio they wanted me to install onto the kit. That wasn't a problem and on those builds I would also install all the accessories like push rods, throttle linkage and the fuel tank. These planes when done were ready to fly. Some buyers wanted a complete plane and left the engine and radio choice up to me. These were problematic. On the other builds the buyers paid me to build a kit and/or install equipment they had provided. For that convenience they were willing to pay what I was asking. Depending on how much work they wanted done I charged between $100.00 (Bare Bones) to $250.00 (Ready to Fly-their equipment). When a customer wanted me to take his kit, build it and purchase and add all the equipment the price of the finished plane would of course be higher. The problem was I was paying retail for the equipment and since the equipment prices were well know I was unable to mark up the price very little. My profit was basically the same if they provided the equipment or I did. This last type of build was not a favorite.
After I delivered those first few planes I got inquiries about building many more. I could build a plane in less than a week but if I took in all these new orders it would create a two month backlog and those buyers might grow weary of the wait. I needed help!
I enlisted the housemate, her kids and several other friends to help out and got to work setting up what can only be described as R/C plane factory in the house. For workbenches I got a couple more hollow care doors and sawhorses to set them on. In the beginning I did all the building and instructed some of my helpers how to cover and finish the airframes. Their first attempts needed to be redone but they learned quick and soon were able to cover a plane as well as as I. Others were shown how to install radio equipment, motor mounts, engines and the other accessories used to complete a plane. Soon everyone was up to speed and I also let some of them help me build the airframes. I was taking in new orders all during this time frame. We finished up building 23 planes in in 61 days! After paying everyone off I still had a sizable pile of money but didn't take in anymore orders for Sport Planes for a while. Time to take a break from building!
Introduction to Scale R/C
After a month or so I did continue building planes on order but not as much. One day one of my customers arrived with a Top Flite P-51 Mustang. He also had with him an O.S. FS .90 engine and Robart retracts that he wanted installed. Top Flite produced many of the kits available during this time frame (mid 80's). The had a line of trainers and sport planes like I had been building but they were well known for their Warbirds. These planes were aircraft used during WWII. I had always liked the scale planes I saw at the field. Many were detailed replicas right down to the rivets. I had also heard how hard they were to build and fly. I told my customer that I wasn't sure if I could build this plane but to leave it with me and I would look over the plans and get back to him. I opened up the box and gave all that wood the once over and then pulled out the plans and gave them a good look too. There was also a couple magazines the owner had put into the box that gave additional info on how to add the retracts and scale flaps. Giant Scale R/C (80" and over wingspan) was still in the future. Most Scale planes were in the 60"-65" wingspan area. You had to build them light but strong as the weight can build up fast with the additional of scale details. This was going to be a big project. I looked over the plans for about a week before calling the owner and agreeing to take on this build. I gave him my price and he said "OK, how long?" I had no idea and said I would call him after I got started and saw how things were going. It would take much longer than I ever imagined!
What have I gotten myself into?
When I agreed to build planes to order I set it up so the buyer would provide the kit. I started out building "Sport Planes". These planes in general are not meant to look like any specific full size airplane. R/C Sport Planes are also all built pretty much the same way. I gave several options on how complete I would build the plane. I offered "Bare Bones" which was a complete airframe, uncovered with no engine, radio equipment or other accessories installed. Next was a covered airframe but still no engine, radio or accessories. This was my favorite build as a lot of flyers hate covering a plane and would pay good money to avoid it. I didn't have to outlay much in money for materials, I could build and finish them fast and the profit margin for the time spent was the highest. Some buyers would also bring an engine and/or radio they wanted me to install onto the kit. That wasn't a problem and on those builds I would also install all the accessories like push rods, throttle linkage and the fuel tank. These planes when done were ready to fly. Some buyers wanted a complete plane and left the engine and radio choice up to me. These were problematic. On the other builds the buyers paid me to build a kit and/or install equipment they had provided. For that convenience they were willing to pay what I was asking. Depending on how much work they wanted done I charged between $100.00 (Bare Bones) to $250.00 (Ready to Fly-their equipment). When a customer wanted me to take his kit, build it and purchase and add all the equipment the price of the finished plane would of course be higher. The problem was I was paying retail for the equipment and since the equipment prices were well know I was unable to mark up the price very little. My profit was basically the same if they provided the equipment or I did. This last type of build was not a favorite.
After I delivered those first few planes I got inquiries about building many more. I could build a plane in less than a week but if I took in all these new orders it would create a two month backlog and those buyers might grow weary of the wait. I needed help!
I enlisted the housemate, her kids and several other friends to help out and got to work setting up what can only be described as R/C plane factory in the house. For workbenches I got a couple more hollow care doors and sawhorses to set them on. In the beginning I did all the building and instructed some of my helpers how to cover and finish the airframes. Their first attempts needed to be redone but they learned quick and soon were able to cover a plane as well as as I. Others were shown how to install radio equipment, motor mounts, engines and the other accessories used to complete a plane. Soon everyone was up to speed and I also let some of them help me build the airframes. I was taking in new orders all during this time frame. We finished up building 23 planes in in 61 days! After paying everyone off I still had a sizable pile of money but didn't take in anymore orders for Sport Planes for a while. Time to take a break from building!
Introduction to Scale R/C
After a month or so I did continue building planes on order but not as much. One day one of my customers arrived with a Top Flite P-51 Mustang. He also had with him an O.S. FS .90 engine and Robart retracts that he wanted installed. Top Flite produced many of the kits available during this time frame (mid 80's). The had a line of trainers and sport planes like I had been building but they were well known for their Warbirds. These planes were aircraft used during WWII. I had always liked the scale planes I saw at the field. Many were detailed replicas right down to the rivets. I had also heard how hard they were to build and fly. I told my customer that I wasn't sure if I could build this plane but to leave it with me and I would look over the plans and get back to him. I opened up the box and gave all that wood the once over and then pulled out the plans and gave them a good look too. There was also a couple magazines the owner had put into the box that gave additional info on how to add the retracts and scale flaps. Giant Scale R/C (80" and over wingspan) was still in the future. Most Scale planes were in the 60"-65" wingspan area. You had to build them light but strong as the weight can build up fast with the additional of scale details. This was going to be a big project. I looked over the plans for about a week before calling the owner and agreeing to take on this build. I gave him my price and he said "OK, how long?" I had no idea and said I would call him after I got started and saw how things were going. It would take much longer than I ever imagined!
What have I gotten myself into?
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