Laser Engines development.

[Ace]

Ooooooooo please Sir, please Sir  - flat 70cc 👍 (or a flat 360/60cc)

[Jon H]

15 hours ago, Aerotec said:

Hope you don't mind me copying the picture over to the Facebook "Laser Engine Owners" group?

 

No by all means. There is a test run video around here somewhere too. 

 

Thanks for the feedback on the 70cc. I have 3 more guys off forum interested as well and i just need to convince the boss that it would sell. He argues that the 360 sold poorly so clearly its a waste of time, and we should see how the 310 sells. I argue that we never had the 360 in stock so cannot tell how well it would have sold, and those wanting a 70cc engine will not buy a 310 or 360 as they are too small so you cannot derive anything from the sales of the smaller engines we never stocked. He rolled his eyes at me and walked off shaking his head muttering something derogatory. 

 

 

 

 

[Chris Walby]

Put me down for one, don't mind its orientation and TBH finding an airframe in the UK might be harder than getting the engine! If the engine turns up I feel a visit to the Netherland on the cards 😉 

 

[Glenn Ryan]

13 hours ago, Jon - Laser Engines said:

 

No by all means. There is a test run video around here somewhere too. 

 

Thanks for the feedback on the 70cc. I have 3 more guys off forum interested as well and i just need to convince the boss that it would sell. He argues that the 360 sold poorly so clearly its a waste of time, and we should see how the 310 sells. I argue that we never had the 360 in stock so cannot tell how well it would have sold, and those wanting a 70cc engine will not buy a 310 or 360 as they are too small so you cannot derive anything from the sales of the smaller engines we never stocked. He rolled his eyes at me and walked off shaking his head muttering something derogatory. 

 

 

 

 

 

Your boss must not be much of a visionary like yourself. You can't sell what you don't have. It's like that saying from that movie of the name that escapes me. "Build it and they will come".

 

I have a a 360v for a project but I have often thought of buying another one for another project that I have a Zenoah G62 for but given that they have never been in stock when I've looked I've just dismissed the idea.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Field of Dreams.

 

[Glenn Ryan]

That's the one haha. Thanks.

 

Jon's developments are our field of dreams haha.

Edited March 30, 2023 by Glenn Ryan

[Jon H]

9 hours ago, Glenn Ryan said:

I have a a 360v for a project but I have often thought of buying another one for another project that I have a Zenoah G62 for but given that they have never been in stock when I've looked I've just dismissed the idea.

 

Exactly, everyone does. 

 

If you want a product and its out of stock all the time you move on to something else. 

 

What i find amusing is that just through this conversation and others had this week i could have probably sold about 20 360+ size engines. Not bad for an engine that apparently never sells. 

 

Admittedly that 20 includes significant latent demand and might not be sustainable, but given that models are larger now it is a more attractive proposition in my view. I know many will scream 'MAKE IT PETROL!!' but if i do that it will be probably £1200 vs 750 as a glow. Fuel consumption on a 360 isnt bad, maybe 400-500ml for 10-12 minutes in the air? Not sure, not tested it in a while but my sea fury had about 1/3 tank left after a flight and it starts with 28oz, but i have not checked it since changing to low oil so its probably less now. I know for sure consumption isnt the 1-2litres people seem to think it is when i ask them! Assuming 500ml though you get 10 flights per 5litre pot of low oil fuel. the difference between the £1200 petrol and £750 glow will buy you 19 (rounded up .25 gallon) gallons of glow fuel at £24 a time. So 190 flights divided by probably no more than 30 flights for the model per year (3 flights per session flying 1 day 10 weekends out of the year) and you end up with 6.3 years of flying to break even with the guy who bought the petrol one and didnt fly it yet. 

 

Add that to the fact that a model flying a 360v is going to be...£2500 or more to build? The 'i am using a petrol engine to save money as glow fuel is expensive' argument holds no water at all and i am not enthusiastic about a petrol version as i dont think they offer good value to the customer. I just dont think the engine is big enough for it to matter. 

 

Anyway rant over. I will keep badgering him about it. Dont loose faith just yet Glenn. Give me a call if you want to discuss the model at all, i would be interested to know what ou have planned

[Martin Dance 1]

I've always assumed that AGC (Lasers parent company) is a precision engineering company that produces components etc on a short run basis for other manufacturers. Therefore it will have gaps in production. Ideal then to have a subsiduary business that makes model engines. In your manufacturing gaps you run off batches of model engine components and employ someone (Jon) to assemble them and sell them and indeed to design them. The risk is quite small you might waste some materials in the form of unassembled components and have components you outsourced  unused. The engine design rules can be quite simple, a high degree of common components across the range of engines, especially for bought in components. The biggest risk is paying Jon's enormous salary 😀 whilst he sits around drinking tyea with no orders coming in for engines. therefore making no profit.

 

Or am I completely wrong about AGC?

[Nigel R]

11 hours ago, Glenn Ryan said:

"Build it and they will come".

 

Wayne's World?

 

39 minutes ago, Jon - Laser Engines said:

i dont think they offer good value to the customer

 

You know that. I know that. The folks on this thread know that. But.

 

"The customer is always right."

 

Of course they may very well not actually be right. But they'll certainly go find someone else to sell them the widget they're convinced they need.

 

 

[Jon H]

24 minutes ago, Martin Dance 1 said:

paying Jon's enormous salary

 

You trying to kill me? thats the funniest joke i have heard in years. I nearly hyperventilated but the tears of reality brought me round.

 

Beyond that, yea not far off. 

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

Oh come on Martin, he may be drinking tea, but he does spend 90% of his time on the forum,,,🤣a very busy man.

[Martin Dance 1]

I did put a smiley after my remark about your salary!😁. Paul I'm sure Jon only spends a little of his time on the Forum and drinking tea the rest is spent productively building, designing, testing engines and trying to pursuade his boss to let him extend the product range.

Quote

 

 

[Jon H]

I dont drink tea actually. Had some once and decided it tasted similar to how i remember the River Thames tasting when i fell in it in my youth so decided to pass. As fizzy sugar drinks make me fat, and i cant stand the taste of aspartame i am more or less a fish with water only when at work. 

 

Fortunately for my productivity i type quite fast so forum posts do not take long to smash out. 

[Zflyer]

Thanks Jon, you have just given me great business idea if anyone cares to invest.

 

We bottle Thames River water and flog it as brewed tea, just add milk and sugar to taste, or not.

Thought of Peckham Spring but think I have seen that used elsewhere, maybe just Thames Tea, obviously have to be taken up stream of parliament due to all the, err dross that comes out of there.

Any investors please contact me at All Bull Inc

[Martin McIntosh]

When I saw a program about how Thames Water treat raw sewage then sell it back to you as drinking water I decided that pure Scotch was the best way to stay alive.

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

6 minutes ago, Zflyer said:

Thanks Jon, you have just given me great business idea if anyone cares to invest.

 

We bottle Thames River water and flog it as brewed tea, just add milk and sugar to taste, or not.

Thought of Peckham Spring but think I have seen that used elsewhere, maybe just Thames Tea, obviously have to be taken up stream of parliament due to all the, err dross that comes out of there.

Any investors please contact me at All Bull Inc

Too late it has been done, Starbucks have made it an acquired taste as coffee.🤢

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

My proud boast is that in 42 years with BT, I never once stopped for a cup of tea.  I can't claim the same for coffee though...

 

You and I are in good company though Jon - according to Ian Fleming, James Bond despised tea, describing it as "that flat, soft, time-wasting opium of the masses."

 

 

[Mike Mc]

What's the latest on a 40th Anniversary produce. 

 

[David Davis 2]

On 31/03/2023 at 19:54, Martin Harris - Moderator said:

My proud boast is that in 42 years with BT, I never once stopped for a cup of tea.  I can't claim the same for coffee though...

 

You and I are in good company though Jon - according to Ian Fleming, James Bond despised tea, describing it as "that flat, soft, time-wasting opium of the masses."

 

 

 

I must be a member of the masses then! 😉

[Jon H]

9 hours ago, Mike Mc said:

What's the latest on a 40th Anniversary produce. 

 

 

Produce? Are we expecting a farmers market or something?

[mike skingle]

I waited so long for a laser 360v I ended up buying a second hand one.

[Scott Edwards 2]

I suppose this is technically a Laser Engines development 😀

 

Laser 40th Anniversary Fly In ! BMFA Buckminster - Friday June 2nd. From a tatty old Wot 4 to a Lancaster full of twins - bring them along to fly, and celebrate the very best of British.

 

 

[Ron Gray]

On 20/05/2022 at 10:03, Jon - Laser Engines said:

know that 2 of the upcoming batch are headed for 1/4 scale Fokker DVII's and that should be a lovely combo as well. 

Have you had any feedback from these Jon. Having nothing better to do (well I can’t do much at the moment!) I’m thinking ahead to swapping one of my 200 in-line from the Giant Sportster (it is in desperate need of a re cover) to the H9 DVII although it’s not yet in my possession! So anyone else’s experience would be good to know.

[Jon H]

13 minutes ago, Ron Gray said:

Have you had any feedback from these Jon. Having nothing better to do (well I can’t do much at the moment!) I’m thinking ahead to swapping one of my 200 in-line from the Giant Sportster (it is in desperate need of a re cover) to the H9 DVII although it’s not yet in my possession! So anyone else’s experience would be good to know.

 

One chap brought his in for a show and tell on the install. it looked great and he was on the right path with cooling and so on. Not likely to fly before next year i am told. 

[Ron Gray]

Interesting, any photos? I would be interested in having a chat with him.