BUSY SUMMER
FOR QAC

.....Interest in the Quickie has been skyrocketing over the last 45 days. Mail has averaged over 50 pieces per day and telephone inquiries are up over 200 percent. Informal surveys and polls taken by us indicate that rapidly rising fuel prices ($2.28 in Denver, CO) together with unprecedented aircraft rental rates ($30.00 per hour for a Cessna 150) have forced much of the pilot population to reevaluate their abilities to continue to fly regularly for pleasure. Pilots already fortunate enough to own an aircraft are looking for ways to reduce their costs when flying alone.
..... A frequent comment heard over the phone has been, “When I first saw your aircraft two years ago, I thought that it was so ugly that only a mother could love it; but every time the price of fuel rises, your aircraft gets prettier!” Likewise, one Pitts owner commented, “It’s ridiculous to run 12 gallons an hour through my airplane just to go out and have fun.” First time builders are looking ahead to the Quickie as an aircraft that they can afford to operate regardless of fuel availability and price in the years to come. (Just using 10% of the proposed Federal standby gasoline ration would enable an individual to fly over 5 hours per month.)
..... As a result, we are gearing up at QAC for a busy summer and forging ahead with our Quickie Dealership network, as well as exploring squeezing even more efficiency out of our aircraft.
..... The authoritative Aviation Consumer reports that many industry sources predict that aviation fuel prices could reach $4.00 per gallon by the end of the year. If true, that would drive aircraft rental rates on a Cessna 150 up to over $40.00 per hour.
..... Although we at Quickie are in a highly favorable position in this regard , we are not gloating. This matter is an extremely serious problem to the General Aviation industry, as indicated by the significant layoffs of personnel and the overflowing inventories, On the other hand, the evidence has been there r everyone to see for over 7 years.

SUN ‘N FUN FLYIN,
LAKELAND, FL

.....Recently, Tom took a few days off from the rainy California weather to attend the EAA sponsored flyin, down in Lakeland, Florida.
.....Tom Blythe, from Virginia, flew his Quickie down to the flyin on Saturday and spent the first three days showing everyone his Quickie, including flight demonstrations every day.
.....On Wednesday, 19 March, Tom’s right main tire blew just at liftoff speed. He left the power on attempting to fly, and in the ensuing seconds he ended up veering off the runway through the weeds and coming to rest upside down with the vertical fin buried in the sand. Tom was unhurt, and his Quickie had only a broken propeller, broken canopy, and, of course, the damaged tire! No basic structure was damaged by the wild ride.
.....Since no Quickie pilot wants to truck his aircraft home from a flyin (it’s too expensive!), we all set about to organize a Quickie workshop to repair the damage by Saturday evening. Although dozens of people lent a hand during the next 3 days, Howard Norton, Al Whitesell, Larry Kienzle, and Dick Fontaine were always around helping repair, replace, or supervise. A very special thanks needs to go to Larry, who donated all of the parts from his Quickie project to get Tom flying again.
.....By late Saturday afternoon, the aircraft was back on the flight line, surrounded by interested onlookers; on Sunday morning, Tom flew home!
.....One high official at Lakeland is reported

to have commented after seeing the accident scene, “If he hadn’t of broken the canopy to get out in a hurry, the aircraft wouldn’t have even been damaged.” Tom Jewett just said that it wasn’t a QAC approved maneuver. .....The cause of the mishap could not be determined, although inspection revealed that the tire was flat-spotted, perhaps from a previous incident.
.....The Lakeland flyin confirmed the trends in public attitude that QAC has been seeing over the last two years. Thorps, Stardusters, and beautiful Steen Skybolts were hardly ever surrounded, whereas the ultralights, small single place aircraft, and the Quickie had constant crowds. Lots of horsepower is out, small engines that don’t burn much fuel are in, perhaps fueled” by the rumor that aviation fuel at Denver was over $2.20 per gallon.
.....The shift in emphasis from horsepower and speed to economy and efficiency was so abrupt and far reaching, that Tom overheard one couple say after watching a pass by a 180 mph. 80 h.p. single seat aircraft, “That sure is nice, but it burnsfrur gallons per hour — we can’t afford that.”
.....Flying will never be the same again.

Another Quickie nearing completion.