Kevin Lancaster Updates American Yankee Association
By Gene Yarbrough
The American Yankee Association (AYA) held their annual meeting
at the Honda Forums Pavilion 2 at Wittman Field on Tuesday. Kevin
Lancaster, owner of Trueflight Aerospace, delivered an update on
the progress, or lack thereof, on new Tiger manufacturing.
Lancaster stated there has been an outpouring of support from the
AYA and the feeling is mutual. He added that there is a strong
brotherhood within the AYA for the Tiger type aircraft and he plans
to support the entire existing fleet from the AA-1 to the
AG5-B.
Kevin Lancaster
Lancaster purchased the type certificate along with tooling and
inventory from the bankruptcy court handling the defunct Tiger
Aircraft Company, located in West Virginia, two years ago. He then
moved the entire operation to Valdosta, GA, his hometown. The move
required some 30 semi loads to the temporary facility at the
Valdosta airport. Recently the company has purchased a 50,000 sq ft
manufacturing facility on 45 acres in Quitman, GA. Trueflight has
renovated the interior to accommodate the Tiger production line and
is currently moving and setting up inventory control, receiving and
quality control inspection stations, and jigs and fixtures in
anticipation of full production start up.
Lancaster displayed photos of the shiny reconditioned floor
showing the first new fuselage resting in the production fixtures
ready to move down the line. In acquiring the assets of the company
Trueflight received approximately 2 million dollars worth of
inventory. The company is setting up the parts department at this
time and will have new parts available shortly. Lancaster said this
means that the factory can now support the existing fleet with
parts common to all models, about 80% of the current Tiger parts
list. Lancaster assured that Trueflight would do everything in his
power to support all models in the fleet, something the previous
administration refused to do. Lancaster also commented when asked
that he believes not supporting all models was a serious business
mistake by the former owners.
Photo Courtesy Trueflight
In new developments, Lancaster announced that Trueflight has
entered negotiations with Garmin on their new G500 panels, a new
option reported to deliver essential flight and navigation
information on split PFD and MFD displays as the G1000 but with
less bells and whistles. Lancaster said this option has multifold
benefits for the Tiger line. Along with reducing the cost of a
Tiger some $30,000 to $40,000 than a similarly fitted Tiger with
the G1000 system, the smaller platform of the G500 allows the
aircraft to be fitted with traditional “steam gauges”.
Having both glass panel and analog gauges is very desirable by
flight schools according to Lancaster and is expected to boost
sales.
The Tiger is one of the few American aircraft with a Chinese
Airworthiness Certificate. Combined with exponentially growing
flight training needs of countries like China and India, Trueflight
Aerospace is poised to exploit an area of business many
manufacturers are just now trying to enter. Offering a base model
aircraft for flight training may prove to be just the market to
start off in these countries. With an extremely robust
undercarriage, modular wing panels and a honeycomb panel fuselage
the Tiger attacks flight training with durability, toughness, and
low maintenance costs like its namesake.
Pricing on new Tigers starts at a projected $205,000 to $310,000
depending on options. Lancaster said the company wants to customize
the plane to the customer’s desires. Stating that items like
upholstery materials, interior colors, and paint schemes as well as
avionics are all options he is willing to allow the customer to
choose to help save money. Lancaster said he believes this approach
allows the customer to have greater personal input in their
aircraft and allows flexibility not available from manufacturers
who only offer packages of options instead of full customization.
Lancaster said he would even allow a customer to purchase a unit
with out paint if desired, stating the aircraft would be delivered
in white only. Lancaster alluded to other developments and upgrades
in consideration but would not elaborate on specifics.
Lancaster opined about the downturn of the economy affecting his
ability to get the company up and running more quickly than it has.
However he stated that the company has enjoyed a certain dumb luck
of the economy. Stating that the turn of events has proven helpful
in the fact that he has not had to layoff a great many workers that
would have been on the payroll otherwise. Lancaster said vendors
that were previously too busy to take on new work are more willing
to accommodate Trueflight’s needs in these lean times.