Pietenpol-List: Build cost
Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:05 pm
Original Posted By: "Ray Krause"
Corky said it perfectly. To fill in what he DIDN'T say, here'sthe rest of the story. You can go back through the archives andfind his posting when he offered 41CC for sale for $15,000. Hemade sure it was a "no B.S." offer and negotiation, and I hope itwas. The airplane had just had its test time flown off so it wasessentially brand-new, had an A65 and Hegy prop, very nice panelfull of instruments, and was a proven flyer. All of which is tosay that this is one more data point at the $15K mark for a good,sound, flying Air Camper.What was NOT included in the cost was the overwhelmingly wonderfulboat-load of intangibles that came with the airplane. Permanentfriendships, trust, honor, generosity, ingenuity, fun, pleasure,gifts, knowledge... and the inestimable value of wonderful hours offlying, tinkering, tuning, learning, adjusting, and more flyingthat this airplane has brought me. Value cannot be placed on that.Tomorrow, February 2, I will hand a check for $32,000+ to an automobiledealership for a new vehicle for my wife. It's a 2011 model SUV.If 41+ years with this same woman provide any pattern for the future,we will keep this vehicle for about 10 years and put maybe 120,000miles on it in that time. This vehicle will cost twice what thePiet cost me but I will not stay up at night thinking about tinyimprovements to it, or how I will approach the garage to park itnext time I drive it, or much of anything about it except the bareessentials. Not so with my Air Camper, which does not have even atiny fraction of the comfort, accessories, safety features, performance,or capability of the SUV. I think about my airplane, and flying it,all the time. My airplane demands far greater care than my car butwill bring me much more pleasure and enjoyment. Before deciding topurchase this SUV, I compared features and reviews online and thenwent shopping for the best price. Before deciding to purchase41CC, I underwent a complete change in lifestyle and way of thinking.I didn't used to think much of Pietenpols... in fact, I didn't even know whatthey were and didn't even notice them in my flying magazines. Nowthey are the standard against which all others are judged.I'm glad Bernard Pietenpol lived on this earth and brought us thiswonderful machine. I don't even know who Chevrolet was, althoughmy family still runs a large Chevrolet dealership in south Texasand has for the last 50 years. I guess I should at least learn moreabout Mr. Chevrolet in fairness to him.Oscar ZunigaAir Camper NX41CC "Scout"San Antonio, TXwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net ________________________________________________________________________________
Corky said it perfectly. To fill in what he DIDN'T say, here'sthe rest of the story. You can go back through the archives andfind his posting when he offered 41CC for sale for $15,000. Hemade sure it was a "no B.S." offer and negotiation, and I hope itwas. The airplane had just had its test time flown off so it wasessentially brand-new, had an A65 and Hegy prop, very nice panelfull of instruments, and was a proven flyer. All of which is tosay that this is one more data point at the $15K mark for a good,sound, flying Air Camper.What was NOT included in the cost was the overwhelmingly wonderfulboat-load of intangibles that came with the airplane. Permanentfriendships, trust, honor, generosity, ingenuity, fun, pleasure,gifts, knowledge... and the inestimable value of wonderful hours offlying, tinkering, tuning, learning, adjusting, and more flyingthat this airplane has brought me. Value cannot be placed on that.Tomorrow, February 2, I will hand a check for $32,000+ to an automobiledealership for a new vehicle for my wife. It's a 2011 model SUV.If 41+ years with this same woman provide any pattern for the future,we will keep this vehicle for about 10 years and put maybe 120,000miles on it in that time. This vehicle will cost twice what thePiet cost me but I will not stay up at night thinking about tinyimprovements to it, or how I will approach the garage to park itnext time I drive it, or much of anything about it except the bareessentials. Not so with my Air Camper, which does not have even atiny fraction of the comfort, accessories, safety features, performance,or capability of the SUV. I think about my airplane, and flying it,all the time. My airplane demands far greater care than my car butwill bring me much more pleasure and enjoyment. Before deciding topurchase this SUV, I compared features and reviews online and thenwent shopping for the best price. Before deciding to purchase41CC, I underwent a complete change in lifestyle and way of thinking.I didn't used to think much of Pietenpols... in fact, I didn't even know whatthey were and didn't even notice them in my flying magazines. Nowthey are the standard against which all others are judged.I'm glad Bernard Pietenpol lived on this earth and brought us thiswonderful machine. I don't even know who Chevrolet was, althoughmy family still runs a large Chevrolet dealership in south Texasand has for the last 50 years. I guess I should at least learn moreabout Mr. Chevrolet in fairness to him.Oscar ZunigaAir Camper NX41CC "Scout"San Antonio, TXwebsite at http://www.flysquirrel.net ________________________________________________________________________________