Post Oshkosh Report

#42 Oshkosh shows in a row for me. Thats a lot of Oshkosh’s. I have seen a lot. Many companies have come and gone. A lot with big promises and promotions. I am quite sure that there is an inverse relationship between their initial marketing budget and their chance of long-term success. Even Icon with some $100mm swindled from investors shrink their presence every year.

This years’ show was pretty good except for a squall line that bent one tent. I used a hammer to fix it.

But it was also disappointing because the aircraft we had planned for the show didn’t get finished in time. I will go to CZ in 2 weeks to get these delays sorted out. Again. It hurts to have such prime show real estate with unused space. I would have loved to have the new Merlin Lite with electric power on floats on display. Part 103 sailplane, ultralight, seaplane powered by coal. Two are finished and should be finally in the flight test program this week.

The Vtwin is getting a lot of attention. Ben Bosma packed the forum tent for his Vtwin talk. We will post a video once we get the editing done. Builder Brian makes excellent videos. Here is his Oshkosh posting:

https://youtu.be/2h6CFN5s7PI

Here is another short clip. After Oshkosh I got busy in Dayton getting a couple Merlin builds closer to finished:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7fflb5ds4r2ri0y/PXL_20220801_224423982.mp4?dl=0

We now have the engine wiring harness sorted. We cut out about 80% of the ATV harness and make it perfect for length and leads. This will be replicated and sent to everyone who already has their Vtwin and included with every new shipment. We also have the panel finished. Laster cut for the EFIS and the 2 circuit boards. Then anodized. Then laser etched labels.

Builders: Send me your N number and I will cut your panel!

New circuit boards have arrived, and we are busy populating them with the components. Next week I will be able to show you the final panel all complete!

This blog is a week late as I had a deadline to submit a couple proposals to the Air Force. That was finished yesterday. Maybe I can post the slide deck someday. Cool stuff. I am also submitting a proposal to NASA this month. They are interested in our hybrid engine/motor. I guess that makes me a rocket scientist now. Afterall, my dad was one: 

He was also a nuclear engineer. I find out this stuff too late to discuss with him. All highly classified in the 60’s as you can imagine. Dad earned 36 patents mostly in the design of the first nuclear ship and submarine. I only have 2 patents. But Admiral Hyman Rickover did have dinner at our house once. I was sent to bed early. Sigh. But I digress.

The FAA invites a few LSA manufactures to an annual meeting at Oshkosh. The only real news is that Mosaic is delayed a year. Fine with me. I am still busting butt to get Merlin’s finished and parts to builders. Once that is done, we can look at bigger aircraft. Actually, we are already as we have the two-seat Merlin available. We are planning a MEGATWIN engine for it. Watch this space for updates.

Photo from the future Mango Lake Seaplane Base for your viewing pleasure

Back in Florida now for an entire week! Next week is Dayton, then off to the Czech Republic, then back to Dayton to shuffle over to the Midwest Expo, then back to Dayton to finish a couple builds. By then We should be very close to shipping complete firewall forward packages out. Lots of parts will ship in the next container. I will report from CZ.

CWE