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Reply by Jack Allison of Moller to e-mail concerned about M400 delays From: Henry Lahore Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2001 4:54 PM To: Skyaid@topica.com Subject: M400 development strategy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We all share much of your frustration but we realize that Dr. Moller's development decisions can be explained as the logical thing to do given all the circumstances which prevailed at the time. For example, we did fly the VTOL technology in our saucer-shaped M200X. It has the same number of engines - 8 - and an electronic stabilization and control systems which function very much like the M400 systems. The M200X was flown about 200 times resulting in final development of the analog control and stabilization system and a lot of confidence in the rotary engines.
There have been many design iterations between
the M200X and the M400 which were modeled
and wind-tunnel tested and replaced by a better design until we reached the M400
and decided
that was worthy of full-scale testing. During that lengthy and expensive process
we had to raise
sufficient funds to keep the whole process going. One of the ways we raised
funds was by
attracting new stockholders. During the 14+ years that I've been here we have
increased our
stockholder-investors from about 40 to 530 today.
The publicity and "hype" have attracted
many of them. We expect to begin ground testing the
full-scale M400 prototype within the next few weeks and demonstrate it for our
stockholders and
then for the world media later this year.
One of the factors which we have kept in mind
throughout this process is that all VTOL
development projects which reached the full-scale flight testing stage resulted
in the death of one
or more test pilots. We are being particularly careful and patient to avoid
that. We realize that
the Skycar performance figures are derived from wind-tunnel data and are subject
to the scale
errors from use of a 1 to 10 scale model. Dr. Moller realized that from the
outset and was
conservative by 10% in his listed figures.
Only time will tell whether that was an
appropriate fudge factor. We have conferred at great
length with NASA aeronautical engineers about a wide range of issues surrounding
the Skycar
and seem to have them satisfied that it should operate as advertised. The M400
which you have
seen pictured {in e-mail} is not the production design but will prove the
technology and then be
replaced by an advanced design, which will be tested in prototype form before it
enters
production.
The advanced design will incorporate advances
achieved in our rotapower engines, duct design,
redundant digital control and stabilization technologies and the significant
advances others have
made in avionics. We have had a great amount of U.S. military interest during
the past couple of
years and have strong indications that we will receive a contract to develop a
somewhat larger military version of the Skycar for search and rescue, medical
evacuation, logistic
support, etc. We hope to convene a group representing all of the services and
attempt to reach
design compromises which will satisfy most of their mission requirements.
Regards, Jack Allison
Posted by Henry Lahore of Skyaid.org 206-898-9431 ____________________________________________________________ T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less. Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose. http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01
From: Henry Lahore [
Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2001 6:19 AM
To: Skyaid@topica.com
Subject: E-mail which resulted in Moller Dev Strategy
Following is the e-mail which resulted in Moller Dev Strategy letter
From: Kent Goins [mailto:kent_goins@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2001 4:23 PM
To: jack@moller.com
Subject: Regarding Skycar Development
Hello Jack:
I've talked to you on the phone a couple of times regarding investing in
the Skycar and have visited Henry in Seattle. I have been fairly vocal
about the methodology by which the Skycar has been developed and
presented.
Just a few comments, possibly a
complaint regarding methods and
marketing. First, why did Dr. Moller not develop a rough prototype to
test fly long ago? As an engineer, I have never seen a product be
constructed in it's final form before a rough (cheaper) version has been
tested first. Can you explain this to me? This situation is what
prevents more investors from coming forward.
Furthermore, from an investors
view point, it does not seem prudent for
Moller to flaunt a machine which has never been tested. The Skycar has
been shown on many occasions to the public via magazine articles, tv
programs, etc... Additionally, the Moller website has many performance
figures stated for the Skycar. Theoretically, the numbers may seem
correct, however, the numbers remain to be proven. A disclaimer
regarding those numbers would be in order.
All of this leads to one
thing...HYPE!!! I have been to several
inventors conferences around the country and if there is one thing that
turns investors off more...It's HYPE before REALITY. Sure, people get
excited at first, but, that changes to frustration eventually. This is
what has been and is happening to the Skycar.
Get a rough version in the air
quickly to show the configuration and
concept works before you ever present to the public! Quite frankly, it
appears Dr. Moller has approached from the opposite direction and is his
own worst enemy for the fact.
Regards, Kent Goins 1-405-747-8588(cell)
Posted by Henry Lahore of
Skyaid.org
206-898-9431
____________________________________________________________
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