where to from here ??????

[leprechaun]

I am presently busy with targets and budgets for the new year.
what i cannot understand is what is happening to our countries economy . products costing less than R100,00 per unit last year are presently in excess of R145,00 per unit???? yes I have just had 6 product managers in the boardroom around the table and this was confirmed in one of those never ending meetings .
Rotax parts , check prices - Last year a short block was around the R30,000-00 now nearly R50,000-00 .
I am presently purchasing used / timex motors as I cannot afford to Pay inexcess of R100,000-00 for a new Rotax 582 plus ebox - where have we lost the plot , presently you can buy a 582 trike for R50,000-00 , sell the parts and pieces and make good money - is that the way to go - Ek wonder maar net , dis dan die rede hoekom daar so min gevlieg word huidiglik - Ek sal nie my Trike kan vervang vir n nuwe tensy ek my pryse drasties opsit - Julle insette Asb Leprechaun

[Tumbleweed]

The Rand has lost about R2.50 to the dollar in the last 1.5 years but besides that, I don't think we have felt a full reccession here like the yanks have yet.

There the Walmarts are effectively closing down small retail competitors i.e. butcher, tyres & spares, clothing, bakeries e.t.c. by working on 10% margins, squeezing advertising/ promo rebates from suppliers, paying 30 days on statement but recieving cash in the till, reducing their normal 3 week stockholding to forcing the suppliers to re-stock within 5-7 days, unconditional return policy, staying open 24/7 and using cheap casuals- people moonlighting a second job who can't service their debt to pack shelves in the evening.

Business needs to drop the BBEEE bullS$%$t and sourse and support the smaller family businesses who will bend 24/7 to secure loyalty and provide service cheaper as long as they're paid C.O.D then the BBEEE's just to survive.

Business needs to reduce their pre-tax profits by uplifting the local shools and other projects like sponsering a loyal emplyee's kid through varsity. Our petro giant here is spending billions over the next few years on local projects, including refurbishing our airfield, parks, fire dept e.t.c. because everything would otherwise go to ruin. Why show it to the government to waste it for you?

We need to re-think our lifestyles to loosen up more cash- snip the credit cards, don't be lulled into loyalty bonus cards, don't support overpriced Woolies and clothing chains because of the ads and credit, don't drive cars costing more than a quater of your pay but something that's not worth highjacking, personally pressurise the local ( DA? make them work) councillers to look into bad service delivery/ neighbourhood government schools to provide proper education and not send the brats to private schools.

Shoo (Am I repeating myself?

[Bundy]

That's not good at all Alex....

We can expect more aeries around the country to become rotting carcasses. When a fully flyable 582 trike struggles to fetch R50K it shows just how unaffordable flying has become for most...
Oh..... and PLEASE don't crash!!!....Last year DBP cost us R90k to repair...and that was without any engine damage!!! We basically bought a brand new airframe, prop and wing. I think that would have been closer to R120k now..which would've made it unfeasible to say the least...

....And yet I still have trouble convincing pilots that the running cost of a trike is close to R180 an hour (Dry!)...and that's conservative! I'd hate to know what a new 912 engine now costs???

[afterburn]

Laat my dink aan die "slogan" "born free taxed to death". In hierdie "Nuwe Suidafrika" betaal ons mos belasting op belasting.
Miljarde word geblaas op sinnelose uitgawes soos Kentucky partytjies, luukse karre, Nkandla's ens. (Dit beteken net iemand word iewers ingeloop)
Ons moet eerder saamwerk en NIE die korrupte regerings tenders najaag nie.
Laat ons saamstaan en op 'n eerlike manier met mekaar besigheid doen en mekaar ondersteun.

[Jean Crous]

The financial crunch done me a HUGE favour.........no more vehicle finance to pay, no more credit cards, no overdrafts..........I HAD to pay them off because they became unaffordable.Only a bond on one of four properties. The other day I tried to get a small overdraft, yeah right, they said I am a risk and do not qualify for such .......... I could not get "them " to say that in plain English
Jean.

[Blue Max]

A couple of years ago I had hope.
now ! nothing.
What ever sh1t we are having now, it will get worse.!
Fuel will get more expensive, and the Rand will continue on its downward trend.
Weet julle ouens hoeveel verdien die hoofde van Evkom, SABC, SAA, Vervoerdienste, Hoofde van Stadsrade soos JHB en Pta.? BLA, BLA, Bla....
Geld filtreer nie deur nie, dit word bo afgeskep.! BIGTIME.

[ZULU1]

The answer lies in the solution and not the problem. May i suggest the mods start another forum category "Alternative power solutions".

This forum has members from around the world, work in many industries, somewhere a suitable motor is deployed that may be converted?

An example being the Briggs and Stratton vee twin generator motor in the UK for single seaters.

A outline spec is a 3 cylinder, water cooled 4 stroke of 800-900 cc of 70 hp, weighs 60 kg and made in the millons. Closest is the Yaris engne. The new Ford Ecosport 1,000 cc 3 cylinder has a iron block, pity.

There are some very nice motors in the 800 cc class used in Japan, Suzuki i think make some small motors? Even turbo units would be better for the highveldt.

But if these issues are not resolved, Alex coined it without saying it, the sport may be doomed..that is not possible.

[Bundy]

My question is... is it not cheaper to import direct from overseas? Talking Rotax now...through USA perhaps? I honestly don't know so please educate me.... How much money is the "Taliban" actually making on these parts and engines?...rumor is A LOT!

Also...how long before the 582 becomes extinct too? The emissions police in the EU have surely got it square in their cross hairs....

I've always liked the idea of an electric option...but the tech is too expensive...and currently only in single seater config as far as I know? Maybe in another decade or so that will change...?

Paul... having worked in a lawnmower shop many years ago, I can't say I like the idea of a "breek en Staan" Yamaha, Honda...now we talkin!

Has to be a 4 stroke, has to be reliable and proven....then we go back to single ignition I guess? Will the Company Against Aviation welcome these ideas with open arms? Hmmmm.....

But a solution must be found if there is to be a silver lining...

[THI]

If you are talking engines, why not boat engines. Robust and +- light enough to float.

[John Boucher]

If ever there has been a time for alternative and reliable engines it is now!!!!

[Boet]

Those aly-block Toyota engines. Light and boringly reliable. http://www.flyingfrontiers.com Check the "Skyranger" engine. Interesting times!

[THI]

Those aly-block Toyota engines. Light and boringly reliable. http://www.flyingfrontiers.co.za Check the "Skyranger" engine. Interesting times!

http://flyingfrontiers.com/ ?

[flybynite]

I think Boet means the flyingfrontiers.com site. Look under engines at the Skywalker options

Regards

Larry

[John Boucher]

I corrected Boet's link...

130 hp is overpowered for our applications. A Cheetah will go straight into an inverted roll with so much oomph up front!

I wonder if there will be a 100hp / more torque (detuned??) version which is more suited to our applications?

[THI]

Maybe put the 130hp in a gyro

I'm sure you can re-map the ECU for 100hp application.