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Rick,
I think the Epic is a fine aircraft and I would very much like to own
one. I have no problem with the way you are trying to build a company.
I am concerned (because I haven't heard anything it) about your quality
program. I will take you up on your offer to visit your facility. Your
experience with the FAA (not wanting to visit your facility) is
inconsistent with my experience (and Lance's) as I have found the
individuals at the FAA generally helpful and willing to assist within
the limits of their ability. Did you make an official written request
of them? If so, then you have a powerful tool at hand.
As you may recall, Rick, when you first outlined your plans to me all
those months ago I conveyed my concerns that the FAA would not embrace
the "airplane building facility for hire" approach. Lancair has arrived
at the position they are in from small incremental steps, avoiding the
large perturbations that make the FAA nervous. You, on the other hand,
walked up to the feds, stuck your finger in their eye and demanded your
certificate ... or ... or ... or what? You made the erroneous
assumption that your equivalency argument (with Lancair) would have
weight. If you were cited for running a stop sign and you went to court
with the argument "I didn't do anything wrong because cars run that
stop sign all the time." there is no doubt that you would be writing a
check to the clerk of the court.
The FAA will, under certain limited circumstances, go along with the
"me too" approach but in your case you have a new plane, new facility,
new people and a required "assistance" program. From the feds
perspective "All new but just the same" is an oxymoron. Anyone else's
perspective is irrelevant.
People who are an innovators and a revolutionaries have difficulty
empathizing with the FAA mindset. Things that seem obvious to them are
are not apparent to bureaucratic cognition.
Given the apparent present situation I would recommend the following
remedial steps for Epic the company (in no particular order).
1) Offer a blood sacrifice to the gods by retasking Epic's FAA point
man. A public execution comes to mind. (sarcasm meter is pegged).
2) Hire a new FAA liaison person. Someone known and trusted.
3) Admit, publicly, that the FAA is right and mistakes were made and
Epic will be obedient from now on.
4) Contact your local, state and congressional representatives to
discuss the JOBS and TAX REVENUE potential.
5) Appreciate the fact that you now have the FAA, Cessna, Eclipse,
Honda, Pilatus, Piper, TBM and others aligned against your business
plan. A frontal assault has a small probability of success. Think
stealth.
Responding to your assertion that I have a default Rick = Bad setting,
I assure you that this is not the case although I am surprised you
frame it in a personal context. In this instance I have simply stated
the obvious, an appreciation of the reality as viewed from the outside
and shared by those who's opinions you would be wise to consider. You
can call it "throwing stones" but they are stones of your making. I
wish you success in this endeavor and I will assist in any practical
manner but I will not drink the Kool-Aid. You may have a nobel cause
and think yourself as a Spartan but THIS battle is Thermopylae where
your best hope, Leonidas, is to die well.
It is time to consider Plan B.
Regards
Brent Regan
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