Kudos

[Kilo Hotel]

I mentioned this over on the Announcements and Events forum, but nobody seems to have noticed: in the current issue (August/September 2004) of Air & Space Smithsonian, Wayne Sagar, Bill Pearce and Tyson Rininger are all credited contributors. There's glory for you; nice work, all!

Would you guys mind explaining what you went through to get your words and pictures published in the magazine?

Somehow, it had escaped my notice that Nemesis NXT is a two-place airplane. Looks cozy.

[W J Pearce]

Re: Kudos

Thank you Kilo. I appreciate the appreciation!

I'll tell you what I went through to get it in there, which is not the full story:

Wayne asked if I could go to Mojave for the NXT deal. I am about 3 hours away and he is over 13 I think. I said that I could and took it on myself to stop in on Wildfire. Wayne felt that we could submit the NXT photos to various publications to gain exposure for all involved. I came back and got the photos up on the board that evening, which were the first painted NXT photos available to the public (to my knowledge). I then wrote the article and Wayne put it up. In the meantime, Wayne had asked a few publications if they would be interested in running a story on NXT. Air & Space said yes and asked for around 150-200 words to go along. Wayne and I agreed that we were in this 50-50 so my photo, his words. I actually submitted four photos for them to choose which they liked best.

I have not seen the magazine yet. I can't seem to find it at any of my local newsstands, but there are plenty of tattoo mags available, if I were into that. I'll check back in a few days and if it is still not there, I will have to ask one of you nice people to scan it in or see if you have a copy available at a newsstand with less tattoo mags.

So, Wayne did all the real "work". Once again thank you for the kind words.

Bill Pearce

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Kudos

Congrag on the credits, and a "good show" for your contributions...I definitely have to get a copy of that issue.

There's one article in that issue I really want to read that disturbs me. Here's a quote from one paragraph:

Twenty-five years after it was first conceived, the Beech model 2000 Starship is still a head-turner, its sleek, futuristic design looking as if it's doing 400 knots standing still. Last year, parent company Raytheon Aircraft announced that it had purchased most of the fleet, wanted to buy the rest, and would destroy all it could find, calling the cost of continued product support "prohibitive."

I hate seeing or hearing about perfectly good airplanes being destroyed, but this is really terrible. Couldn't they sell the maintenance contracts to another outfit to support them?

A larger portion of the article can be read at:

http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Mag/latest.html ("A beached Starship")

[W J Pearce]

Re: Kudos

Tyson,

I think I'm the one who is not worthy, but don't tell A&S.

AirDOGGe,

I think Rutan (Scaled) was using Bob Scherer’s (mentioned in article) Starship for the Space Ship One flights, and Scherer’s was in Chino during their airshow in May. I also believe that Beech donated a few to museums. I agree that it is very sad to see any airplane scrapped.

I think Beech is not new to making mistakes. Ever hear of the Beechcraft Lightning? I think it would have been a winner; the TBM 700 and turbine Malibu and A36 conversions are testament to that. Also with the Starship, many parts look as an afterthought. Didn't Beech and Rutan butt heads on the project? Didn't Beech drive over the 85% scale test model with a bulldozer?

What seems to make since and what actually happen are not always the same.

Bill

[Kilo Hotel]

Re: Kudos

Airdogge, you're right: Bob Scherer has one of only four Starships still in private hands. The rest were flown to Marana for breakup (criminal!) or given to museums. Scherer is quoted in the article saying, "From my cold, dead hands will Raytheon get this airplane."

Bill, I can't post a scan of the piece with your NXT photo -- it's copyrighted material and Wayne will be down on me like a ton of bricks -- but I'll email it to you so you don't have to wade through the tattoo mags at the local newsstand.

Tyson got a two-page spread, and it's a pip. It's exciting to see so much material in such a great magazine from my online compadres. Ain't the internet wunnerful?

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Kudos

Bill, I can't post a scan of the piece with your NXT photo -- it's copyrighted material and Wayne will be down on me like a ton of bricks -- but I'll email it to you so you don't have to wade through the tattoo mags at the local newsstand.

Naa.. mebbie a few beat up and used bricks....

I'm actually not sure how the "legal" would go on that.. in fact, Bill and I still own copyright to our part of that publication.... so... dunno.. I'd not want to tick them off though, Tyson knows how hard it is to cement the relationships with magazine editors and get them to actually trust you enough to committ space to something you've offered!

I thought I was a decent writer until I read what they'd edited mine down to... it "resembles" the original but, they shortened it a bit... and... "clarified" it as well.. mebbie not really as clear as before but.. I fudged on the word count and they brought me back in line...

Wayne
PS, Bill... they were supposed to send me two copies, I only got one.... Send me address again... check will be in the mail..

THANKS!