REFLECTOR:ATP Turbines - info
Chuck Jensen
reflector@tvbf.org
Fri, 23 Apr 2004 18:46:21 -0400
Scott, what do ya think? Do you think I oughta put down a deposit with 'em?
-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-admin@tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-admin@tvbf.org]On
Behalf Of Scott Baker
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 4:59 PM
To: reflector@tvbf.org
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR:ATP Turbines - info
To anyone who is remotely interested in purchasing an engine from ATP -
Affordable Turbine Power - LISTEN UP!
What follows may save you $10,000 (or more)!
ATP is selling "snake oil" as far as my opinion goes.
Several Velocity customers have placed orders and deposits for ATP engines -
and have been the victims of broken promises and outright fraud.
One Velocity customer placed a $12,000 deposit with ATP towards a +300hp
version of their experimental turbine - waited to the promised delivery
date - called for the delivery - and was told by the "good" folks at ATP
that:
a. They discontinued development of the 300 hp version of the engine
b. They had no immediate plans to renew development of the 300 hp engine
c. Despite the written order form that guaranteed all deposits would be
escrowed - ATP nevertheless spent his deposit, and
d. They have no plans to refund his deposit.
To add insult to injury, this Velocity builder had purchased a constant
speed propeller that works (for all intent and purposes) on a turbine
engine - so he is also "out" the money he invested in the propeller.
This is not an isolated case. Another Velocity customer that I spoke with
ALSO lost a substantial amount of money due to the fact that ATP could not
provide an engine and would not return his deposit.
In the last edition of AOPA's ePilot, it had an announcement piece promoting
ATP. I wrote to the editor of ePilot and told him about the fraud this
company has committed and gave him the names of two Velocity customers who
were cheated by ATP. The editor followed through - and attempted to reach
ATP for comment. They (ATP) refuse to talk with him. The customers did
talk with AOPA and told them what happened.
One year ago ATP had a booth at Sun n Fun showing their ATP powered RV.
Between SnF and Oshkosh the aircraft added (what is reported to be) less
than 10-hours of flight time. Think about that. 10-hours of flight time in
4-months. If I were selling a new engine - turbine or otherwise - I would
hardly boast about 10-hours of operation in 4-months. Something was (and
is) obviously amiss.
Incredibly, I am contacted by Velocity customers who have talked with ATP
... and ATP believe it or not, is giving Velocity as a reference! What
balls!
After SnF 2003, ATP went "underground" at last years Oshkosh and this years
SnF. They did not have a booth, but they did promote their "fantastic,
everybody needs to have one turbine engine" at an obscure Cub display. ATP,
you will find, is not in the show program.
These people have the lowest business ethics. If you are fool enough to
give them your money, they are happy to take it.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Scott B.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Cervini" <john@johnsonlane.com>
To: <reflector@tvbf.org>
Sent: Friday, April 23, 2004 4:47 PM
Subject: REFLECTOR:ATP Turbines - info
> This is from another group.
> ************************************
>
> Dear Friends,
>
>
>
> My name is Jeff Davidson, and I am the new CEO of ATP. I am writing to
> provide an update on our activities, our future and the availability of
our
> products.
>
>
>
> Many of you are likely wondering what ATP has been doing the past several
> months and years. In short, we've been preparing ourselves, in a number
of
> ways, to manufacture, market, distribute and support turbine engines for
the
> experimental market. We have been at work building a business team,
raising
> money, finalizing patent applications and production requirements and
> developing a great and innovative product more fully. Rather than come to
> market with an incomplete product or plan, when we launch, we will be
fully
> prepared to fill orders and support our customers. In short, we've been
> working out the challenges and difficulties of this business, so that our
> customers are well taken care of.
>
>
>
> We will be selling two engines initially - one in the range of 150-200 hp;
> another in the range of 200-250 hp. We are pleased to confirm that
> customers will be able to order ATP engines at the 2004 AirVenture /
Oshkosh
> Air Show, and the first engines will be delivered within 60 days of order.
> As additional technical information is finalized, we will share this
> information with you here and on our website. We further anticipate that
> both of these engines will be sold in the range of $30,000 to $40,000. In
> addition, depending upon your current configuration, additional
investments
> may be required in the firewall-forward.
>
>
>
> As you know our engines will offer several significant advantages:
>
>
>
> - Reliable with a 10,000 hour time between overhaul (TBO)
>
> - Low maintenance - with few moving parts
>
> - High Performance - with a very high power to weight ratio and
> very effective performance at altitude
>
> - Little reason to throttle to 55% to "save the engine"
>
> - Pilot Friendly - Easy to control and operate with the engine
> computer doing the hard work
>
> - Fuel Efficient and Fuel Versatile - Capable of burning nearly
any
> fuel - Gasoline, Diesel, Kerosene, JP-series efficiently
>
>
>
> Within the next few months, we will have far more detailed flight and
> operational characteristics available as we gain flight time on additional
> aircraft beyond the RV-4. We look forward to keeping all of you updated
on
> our progress in this regard. I am confident that this information will
> answer this forum's questions on the performance characteristics on the
> engine. We are convinced that the ultimate characteristics and
performance
> of the engine will speak for itself; however, we are in the process of
> confirming all of our test results. Much like we will not go to market
with
> an incomplete product, the test data that we share must be of the highest
> quality and not marketing hype - we respectfully ask your indulgence as we
> conduct additional tests and validate this data.
>
>
>
> We have partnered with Rivers Aeronautical to provide the firewall-forward
> kits to the experimental aircraft market. Rivers and ATP will have
several
> of the most popular kits available for purchase at Oshkosh, with plans to
> quickly offer kits for a broad array of kit aircraft.
>
>
>
> These firewall forward kits will require the buyer to install a new engine
> mount if replacing a current engine or to use a Rivers Aeronautical
firewall
> forward kit if doing a new build. Due to our engine's considerably lower
> weight, as compared to internal combustion, reciprocating engines, the
> turbine will be moved slightly forward (averaging about 10 to 12 inches)
> from the firewall to keep the center of mass in its proper location. With
> this new mount, the aircraft will also need a new cowling. Finally, a
> variable pitch in-flight adjustable electrical propeller is currently
> required. This is required because the engine must start in a a no-load
> condition. The details on the kit are still being hammered out; however,
> this kit will cost approximately 10,000 to $12,000, and a propeller will
> cost an additional $5,000 to $10,000. In short, with the purchase of the
> engine, the propeller and the firewall-forward kit the buyer is fully
> prepared to install our engine - we don't expect any hidden costs of any
> sort.
>
>
>
> Going forward, we are very excited about our ability to deliver these
> products to the experimental market. We are confident that our product
> brings a host of advantages to the kit builder and pilot and we look
forward
> to sharing more information with you in the coming months. In the
meantime,
> please bear with us as we prepare to hit the ground running in July.
> Between now and then, expect a number of changes with respect to our
> presence in the market and our ability to share information with you.
We're
> confident that the team we've assembled, in conjunction with ATP's
founders
> - Charlie and Chuck Nearhoof - will exceed your expectations.
>
>
>
> Again, thanks for your interest - and we look forward to delivering a
> practical, sensible turbine engine to you.
>
>
>
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
>
>
>
> Jeff Davidson
>
> Chief Executive Officer
>
> ATP
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
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