LoPresti Fury..
Adrian Cybriwsky
Here is an aircraft with published quite impressive specs--aerobatic,
great speed and range, and it looks cool.
However, of course, AFAIK, no airframes have been developed to customers,
though the company continues to take orders, now numbering in the several
hundred. What is the holdup? What is going on with this? I read parts
of the article in AOPA Pilot a few months ago, but would appreciate any
more insights / "straight dope" from people in the know.
cheers,
adrian cybriwsky
dauntless-soft.com
frank_henderson
Cybriwsky) wrote:
Mr. Cybriwsky:
I'm a big fan of the Fury and have some good info for you:
>Can somebody give some substantial information about the LoPreti Fury?
The "Fury" is a all-new, aluminum, tail wheel, two-place, fully
aerobatic sport plane based on the 1947 Globe Swift, designed by
imminent aerodynamicist Roy LoPresti and his company, "LoPresti Speed
Merchants". He is planning on certifying the plane for production.
The plane is probably the most passionate statement of a personal
aircraft I've ever seen and has inspired much interest. Currently
flying with a 200 hp Lycoming, it's capable of 217 mph (189 KTAS).
>...... no airframes have been [delivered] to customers, though the company
> continues to take orders,
Right. Customers place an order by putting $2000 in a certficate of
deposit at a Florida bank, in their own name. This reserves a
production spot for you without risking your money. I believe over 300
orders are on hand.
>....What is the holdup? What is going on with this?
Well, it's a long story.
Back in 1989, LoPresti made a highly modified Swift and planned on
offering these mods through Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) as the
"SwiftFury". However, he discovered that more extensive modifications
were necessary in order to give it a "proper" redesign, and the FAA
said a whole new type certificate was required. The plane generated so
much interest that LoPresti, then working for Piper, decided to take
on the project and get certification with Piper funding. But Piper ran
out of money and the project was dropped.
Years later, LoPresti decided to revive the project under his own
company, still in possession of the rights to the SwiftFury, but
something ugly happened.
Stuart Horn of Aviat Aircraft in Afton, Wyoming, had purchased the
rights to the old Swift and was planning on a redesign of his own
(after undoubedly noticing the interest generated by the SwiftFury).
He sued LoPresti for the rights even though LoPresti's plane was a
whole new design! LoPresti offered to stop using the name "Swift" and
call it only the "Fury", but Mr. Horn was belligerent and determined
to stop LoPresti.
LoPresti has now countered Mr. Horn and a trial date has been set.
LoPresti is charging "illegal business practices". I believe that with
all this fighting, the Fury project will be further delayed, much to
the disappointment and disgust of many.
I have much more info and background on this wonderful new plane and
am planning a web page about it soon. In the meantime, you can visit
the Speed Merchant web site for current data:
http://www.flyfast-lopresti.com/
Also, Pilot magazine published a beautiful feature article in July
1990 which I can fax or relate. My personal web site contains
background info on its designer, Roy LoPresti. Just go to my
Aviation/Writings/Plane Perfection page.
Let me know if I can help you further,
Frank Henderson
E-Mail: Frankie66 at mindspring dot com
Web site: http://frankie66.home.mindspring.com
HLAviation
>aerobatic sport plane based on the 1947 Globe Swift, designed by
>imminent aerodynamicist Roy LoPresti
As much as I love flying the old Globe Swifts and seeing them all polished up,
Im amazed that a man would do a total redesign and keep it aluminum. You'd
have a heck of a time selling me another metal plane for recreational use.
Adrian Cybriwsky
:
Thanks for the info, Frank. However, what you have provided
(your web page doesn't seem to work, btw) is sort of background information
on the Fury concept in general. It's not hard to fall in love with the
published specs of the thing, and the look as well.
What I am trying to understand is really what is the current status of
the project and why it is taking forever. It would seem to me that if you
have many willing customers with cash in hand with de facto signed affadafits
of intent to purchase, then getting financing to develop the prototype and
whatever is tooling should be easy and they should be plopping these things
out like so many hershey kisses. However, clearly they're not--all there
is is talk of redesign, restructuring, and delay. So my real question is:
what's up with that? Did they oversell something the numbers (either technical
or financial) now say they can't deliver? Did they have internal problems?
Are they just really really slow? As impressive as the fury's published
specs may be, this is still just a single engine GA aircraft that, while
doesnt happen overnight, certainly shouldnt drag on like it has.
Perhaps this is just impatience talking. I want to see this thing built
so I can buy one in the secondary market in five years (yeah, right).
cheers,
adrian
http://www.dauntless-soft.com - faa test prep software for private
pilot through ATP plus an inexpensive single CD-ROM containing
us approach plates - great for simulator IFR practice!
HLAviation
>the project and why it is taking forever.
I guess you missed the post someone put up. It inferred that another company
had bought the type certificate and manufacturing rights for the globe swift
and that it was all tied up in litigation, LoPresti claiming a complete
redesign therefore it's a different airplane. I imagine it should settle inside
a year or two one way or the other.
Adrian Cybriwsky
: >What I am trying to understand is really what is the current status of
: >the project and why it is taking forever.
: I guess you missed the post someone put up. It inferred that another company
: had bought the type certificate and manufacturing rights for the globe swift
: and that it was all tied up in litigation, LoPresti claiming a complete
Thanks for the note. Mea culpa--I read the message, but was slow to grasp that
point.
Blue Skies,
Adrian Cybriwsky
dauntless-soft.com <- test prep software for your FAA private pilto, ifr, commercial,
and atp tests.