Klapmeier Discusses Kestrel

Lawreston

Lawreston

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Harley Reich
In Rockland, ME on 02/19/2011:
 

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Rockland is a long way from Brunswick.
What is the new airport identifier.. I'm sure they are not using NHZ.
 
BillTIZ said:
Rockland is a long way from Brunswick.
What is the new airport identifier.. I'm sure they are not using NHZ.
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The Klapmeier presentation was only one of the presentations made at the aviation seminar at Owls Head Transportation Museum. The annual affair is a gathering of EAA Chapters from many areas of the state. Additionally, a Civil Air Patrol Col. Dan Leclair; Angel Flight honcho; and other organizations made presentations. From 0930 to 1400, the $8.00 ticket included coffee, doughnuts and muffins; then lunch and soft drinks during the break, a good deal for the day.

Brunswick Executive Airport = BXM. I'm sure you'll sample it during your quick trip in May.

(EDIT) "Rockland is a long way from Brunswick." And very few flew in from anywhere. The winds were howling. While driving from Bath to Rockland my F-150 was being buffeted by a Left XW.
 
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Thanks, we were able to visit Owls Head last year. A huge change from the old wood barns/hangers I remember from the late 70s.
 
I like that Kestrel. That could really upend the single-turbine market. It looks better to me (on paper, on paper) than the TBM.

Time will tell.
 
flyersfan31 said:
I like that Kestrel. That could really upend the single-turbine market. It looks better to me (on paper, on paper) than the TBM.

Time will tell.
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It's basically a Epic LT. I had the pleasure of flying one of those once. I'd love to have one -- bigger than a TBM, smaller than a Pilatus and faster than either. Excellent useful load.

Of course, the LT has/had some "items" that would not fly through certification, but that's what the next $20 million will fix.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Of course, the LT has/had some "items" that would not fly through certification, but that's what the next $20 million will fix.
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Exactly. I wasn't into the homebuilt turboprop thing (the interiors looked, well, homebuilt), but the aircraft itself looks to be a winner.
 
Cool plane, but I think the safe money is on Kestrel becoming the next manufacturer to come a cropper. The R and D costs are so incredibly high that a very large number of planes need to be sold to recoup the costs, and the market isn't exactly booming. Plus, there are already several established players in the single-engine turboprop game, and Cessna is soon to come on board. I think that potential buyers will look not only at performance specs but also at the probability that the manufacturer will be in business in ten or twenty years to service and make parts for the asset.
So: against a soft market, established competition, and buyer trepidation over long term support, I predict that Kestrel will not be making their admittedly very excellent airplanes for very long.
 
Telemakhos said:
So: against a soft market, established competition, and buyer trepidation over long term support, I predict that Kestrel will not be making their admittedly very excellent airplanes for very long.
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More than a few somebodies said that about Klapmeier's last company, too. He's a pretty sharp guy, and has been down this road before. It's no slam dunk, but if anyone can pull it off, it's him.
 
Ken Ibold said:
More than a few somebodies said that about Klapmeier's last company, too. He's a pretty sharp guy, and has been down this road before. It's no slam dunk, but if anyone can pull it off, it's him.
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You're absolutely right! He has a lot of experience doing this, and a great product to offer. I'm just saying that I wouldn't venture my own capital on this because I think the odds are against success.
Having said that, I hope the market picks up enough for Kestrel to succeed (and for me to be oh so wrong). I think that any new breath into the airplane/pilot/GA realm is a win for all of us.
 
Ken Ibold said:
More than a few somebodies said that about Klapmeier's last company, too. He's a pretty sharp guy, and has been down this road before. It's no slam dunk, but if anyone can pull it off, it's him.
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That's pretty much where I come out on it too.

I really liked the Adam A-500. :sad:
 
flyersfan31 said:
That's pretty much where I come out on it too.

I really liked the Adam A-500. :sad:
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I liked the A-500, too. Not really for how it looked, but that it represented a manufacturer finally taking a look at replacing all those antique cabin class piston twins.
 
Beech is about to jump into the single turbine fray, as well.
 
I'm very interested in seeing what Beech is up to. There have been a lot of rumors but I haven't seen what they actually plan to do yet. It sure could fill a gap between a 58P and a KA, but we must wait and see. :wink2:

Best,

Dave
 
Yawn. Yeah, Raytheon's 20-year record of new product development probably has the rest of the industry quaking in their boots.

E=SCCutler;682453]Beech is about to jump into the single turbine fray, as well.[/QUOTE]
 
The emerging single turboprop market seems to represent an option that many people are interested in. Jets like the Citation Mustang and Phenom 100 really don't go fast enough to justify the altitudes that they require. A single turboprop can give you close to the same speed with less altitude and lower costs. A good argument, even if it's not one I'm interested in.
 
tonycondon said:
they've been building T-6's for quite a while now...
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I sorta walked into that one...

wabower said:
Yawn. Yeah, Raytheon's 20-year record of new product development probably has the rest of the industry quaking in their boots.
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Now, Wayne, I think you know that, because I own a Beech product, I can confidently and with absolute accuracy predict Beechcraft's flawless market timing and product selection.

Now, where'd I leave that Starship? :wink2:
 
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