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A word of caution: CT Parts are becoming ridiculous


Anticept

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We're doing a repair job on one of our CTs from a student hard landing busting up the firewall, and as soon as we got the parts quote, our jaws dropped.

 

4,700+ for an engine mount.

3,000+ for a nose fork and strut.

 

By the time we were done including some other odds and ends, the materials from Flight Design hit close to 10k.

 

I know that these are not common parts, so economy of scale can't easily play a role, but seriously. Piper engine mounts are under 500. Evektor engine mounts are just over 300.

 

I love Flight Design USA and their support is great, and helps us source parts locally for cost reasons (even offered to pay them for the referrals but they refused), but somewhere in the logistics chain, there's some serious price gouging and I'm really, REALLY getting tired of it. Even though this is an insurance job, this really puts me off because if I ever have to replace any of these parts from normal wear and tear, it's going to hurt a LOT. For this reason, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to recommend that anyone buy a Flight Design aircraft at this point.

 

Sorry for ranting.

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I do agree, parts are way too expensive...especially nose gear.

I bet many CTSW owners would like to upgrade to tundra tires if FD offer price reduction on parts.

Can FDUSA ask all CTSW owners with small tires and do one time bulk order of parts to upgrade everyone in the U.S.?

Then also stock pile some of the at cost parts at FDUSA for flight school owners like Anticept would be nice.

I am very sure that upgrading all CTSW to tundra at cost will further help FD to grow more roots in the U.S. market.

Also, publishing that story on aviation magazine is like free marketing too...no?  just my 2 cents?

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I bet many CTSW owners would like to upgrade to tundra tires if FD offer price reduction on parts.

 

I think you fail to take into account the sheer raw materials that tundra tires require!

 

9133168153_334f88b815.jpg

 

Of course, Karen is of the opinion that size does matter!

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FastEddieB,

 

Sorry, I failed to mention, CTSW tundra upgrade is not exactly "tundra" like your picture.

We can only upgrade nose from  400 x 4 to 400 x 6, then mains from 400 x 6 to 600 x 6.

For this, we have to change nose folk & all 3 fairings which will cost $7000.

FD said, we cannot just change mains since bigger mains will change the angle... 

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One upgrade I would love to see for the CTSW is the composite landing gear for the mains.  It is my understanding that the European version of the SW is equipped with it.

 

Ian, maybe you could weigh in on this?

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post-112-0-96918100-1428599880_thumb.jpg

One upgrade I would love to see for the CTSW is the composite landing gear for the mains.  It is my understanding that the European version of the SW is equipped with it.

It,s called the Supralight

SW body with LS gear and wings

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Bill, Jacques beat me to it - the SW Supralite does have the composite gear.

 

I went down to Damyns Hall last week which is the home of the UK distributor and saw one (just to look at - not to buy) - what I didn't like about it was that to get the weight way down they ONLY have a single EFIS - no back up gauges at all. Personally I wouldn't fly it, if the electronics fail I want at least an ASI.

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We're doing a repair job on one of our CTs from a student hard landing busting up the firewall, and as soon as we got the parts quote, our jaws dropped.

 

4,700+ for an engine mount.

3,000+ for a nose fork and strut.

 

By the time we were done including some other odds and ends, the materials from Flight Design hit close to 10k.

 

I know that these are not common parts, so economy of scale can't easily play a role, but seriously. Piper engine mounts are under 500. Evektor engine mounts are just over 300.

 

I love Flight Design USA and their support is great, and helps us source parts locally for cost reasons (even offered to pay them for the referrals but they refused), but somewhere in the logistics chain, there's some serious price gouging and I'm really, REALLY getting tired of it. Even though this is an insurance job, this really puts me off because if I ever have to replace any of these parts from normal wear and tear, it's going to hurt a LOT. For this reason, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to recommend that anyone buy a Flight Design aircraft at this point.

 

Sorry for ranting.

 

Teach the students not to wreck the planes.

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