Aero Products Delivery

I believe if someone is truly trying to help the control line community it should be noted. This is just an FYI for everyone. I recently ordered some Zinc Stearate from Randy Smith along with a group order. I received the order 4 days after Randy got it. This is the second time in just a few months Randy has done this for us. Talking to Randy this last time he is in his new shop and is doing everything he can to fill orders as quickly as possible. Again this is just an FYI.

>I believe if someone is truly trying to help the control
>line community it should be noted.

Every time I order anything from Randy, it almost invariably is shipped the same day if the item is in stock.

Aero engines can take a while because they are in high demand and only get assembled when the parts are available.

As far as props, supplies, kits, cores, etc. Randy gets them out quick. After all he can't collect the money if they don't ship right?

>As far as props, supplies, kits, cores, etc. Randy gets
>them out quick.

I agree.
Plans received 5 days after I placed an order.
Great service.
Roger V.

Must be just my luck. I have all the respect in the world for Randy but it took well over two months to get a couple of props and a bag of that Zinc stuff this past spring. Might have caught him in the middle of the move, I am not sure. The sad part is, because of delivery I am getting gun shy about ordering from a couple of suppliers we all know and love.

LAST EDITED ON Aug-08-03 AT 10:30 PM (CDT)
 
I tried, really I did. No service is even worse than bad service, so I have come to the conclusion that you have to BE "somebody". As I'm nobody, and don't care to be "somebody", I guess I'll never get anything from Mr. Smith. Oh, well. Steve

PS: I get excellent service from Leonard, Tom Morris, Rich Oliver, John Duncan and Eric Rule. I also get excellent service from Windy, AND he says he loves me!

I here you, and I agree. I ordered an AeroTiger .36, after about 18 months I got an email saying it was available. I passed. The Vector .40 kit still sits. I wrote a nice letter to RCV suggesting that they send a RCV .56 to Randy for evaluation. Ref. Stuka Post:

http://clstunt.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=3275&forum=DCForumID1

They said that they were going to send him one. I don't know if he got it or not. I should have asked them to send it to Godzilla and the Moon Brothers. We would have at the very least found out if they got it.

I "Really Try" and support anybody that sells control line anything. With suppliers like Stuka Stunt Works, Brodaks, RoJett, Tom Morris, JD's Foam Wings etc. My hard earned money spends easier with these Gentlemen.

John (I don't play golf) Jolley

The problem with some of this stuff is supply. I talked to Randy today and we discussed this very thing. The items you have in stock or can get easily are easy to ship. The Aero Tiger engine of Randy's, well, the Thunder Tiger 36 engines are easy to get. But he uses a special liner made special for him. The bearings are also special. If you have to wait for the parts you can't supply the engines. Bolly props come in from Australia. A lot of these things are not just a matter of calling your local distributor and getting them in two days. Even Brodak is out of his engines and doesn't figure to get more until December. I have been waiting for 6 months to have some ST 46 venturis made for me. Still waiting. I will get them eventually.

LAST EDITED ON Aug-09-03 AT 11:42 AM (CDT)
 
I do know that Randy had problems getting engine parts for a while for the PA's. As for the Aero Tiger 36, it's a motor that has a high degree of rework (custom AAC P&L and bearings plus balancing and blue printing). Looking at the problems Brodak is having it's a wonder Randy is producing the amount of Aero Tigers he is.
Also we have a tendency of thinking that if it's in the catalog it's on the shelf and that's just not the way it works.
I looked at having P&L's made one time. It was $73.00 each to make 50, $91.00 each to make 25, $128 each to make 10, then it went up to $168 each to make 5 and $255 to make one. If I waited to have 50 engines on order that could be up to 8 months, then 2 to 3 months to get the parts, then another month to fill the orders. That's as much as a year to get one engine out. If I bought the 50 P&L's then I had to invest $3650 in parts that would take at least 8 months to sell if the price increase didn’t put them off the market. A $139.00 motor would go up to $189.
I did have the one made and Wow did it make a difference. In the end I didn’t want to invest the money or sacrifice the on shelf availability. I also didn’t feel people would pay the price. On top of that I would still only make $21.00 a motor for five hours work.
With AAC P&L's I'll bet Randy has to build a lot of motors to make the engine worth buying and it's still a top dollar motor. It’s also well worth the money and the time.
I commend Randy for doing this to the Aero Tiger because we are the one’s who get the rewards, he gets all the flack.

EDIT: Those prices where in 1993

Hi Leonard

It was July 2002 that I ordered a modified FP 40 clone from one of the suppliers that--to quote Bob Reeves--'we all know and love.' I emailed that person about two months ago to get an update on when I might see the engine and still await a reply to the email. I know that the supplier received the order--we even talked about NVA options.

I've tried all that I can think of. Can you suggest a way that I might get this particular supplier to respond?

I think there has been a response made. Thanks, Geoff.

I ordered an R/O Jett .65 in December and recieved it in 4 days December 23. This is Great Service!

I ordered a Ro Jett 65 and header and recieved it in 8 days. I ordered the pipe, carbon fiber mat, Aero 1 filler, Aero 1 fuel additive from Aero Products and recieved them in 6 days. I think there both great I just like the Bar Stock Engine. I broke in the motor now I just have to finish the airplane.

My flying partner ordered some Aero One Oil and got it 5 days it sure
appears that all is well At Aero Products!

LAST EDITED ON Aug-12-03 AT 09:53 PM (CDT)
 
All,

I am of the opinion the best we can say--and it is a good thing indeed--is that something has changed when it comes to service from Randy. At the Stuntathon here in Seattle a long-time customer was regaling us with stories about past experiences--this including piece-at-a-time delivery of a kit!--along with a truly remarkable story of a most recent purchase which included PROMPT service, backed up by Randy paying the extra for 2nd Day (or some such) shipping.

I know it's not fair to quote a source which I am not willing to divulge, only do so because the individual has such a high degree of credibility. And is known to frequent this site, will chime in if he feels the need.

Dan Rutherford

An edit because after the fact it seems important to note that my source of above information is hardly a star in our little universe of CL Stunt. Good guy. Honest guy. Totally dedicated to our event. But also very much a Joe Bellcrank from the perspective of any and all vendors out there.