Clancy Aviation Update

[columbiarcdude]

Those of you that already get the SMALLnet Posting, this will be a repeat. Anyway ... SMALLnet Posting # 400 had this:

...In the previous Posting I answered a query about Andy Clancy's
Ladybug design. The information I gave was accurate, except for
the web site -- as several SMALLsters notified me. The Clancy
Aviation web site is down. Rumors that Andy had gone out of
business surfaced, and I became worried personally because when
my wife & I tried calling him at his home, we received an
"out of service" message.


However, further investigation provided the new Clancy telephone
number. We had a long conversation and cleared up the confusion.
Here's a follow-up letter from Andy to me, which clarifies the
situation nicely:


Andy Clancy < ANDYCLANCY@aol.com > wrote:


Dear Joe,


It was sure great talking to you and Joan today!


I wanted to explain to you how this deal with Hobby People/
Global is really the best thing for me and my family right now.
It's getting harder and harder to make a living selling kits direct.


Hobby People will be selling and marketing my kits exclusively.
The kits will still be made by me, and they will be the same as
ever. Because Hobby People will be purchasing them in large
quantities, and I will no longer have to deal with advertising,
order-taking, shipping, etc. I will be able to produce them
more cheaply. So a Lazy Bee kit will be the same old Lazy
Bee kit, using the same wood supplier we've always used, but
probably cost a bit less. I am hoping that this deal will make
my kits less expensive and more accessible to more modelers
than ever.


Hobby People can do the jobs that THEY are good at --
marketing, distribution, customer service, shipping, etc., and
I can focus on the jobs that *I* am good at -- designing planes.


I DREAM of having more time to design planes. I have so
MANY things I want to produce. This deal will give me some
of that time.


Hobby People will be producing ARFs of all my planes, too.
This will take some time to achieve, but they are working on
the Yard Bee right now. Unlike any other deal I have made,
it is part of my contract that I will be reviewing each ARF
before it is produced. The guys at Hobby People seem to have
a lot of respect for me and for my opinion. They are very
interested in doing this RIGHT, and I feel confident that
these will be the best ARFs I've been involved with.


I just couldn't DO this if I didn't feel sure of that. In the
past 2 years I have passed on other opportunities (coulda used
the money!!) because I could tell that the end product would
not be something that I would be PROUD of.


One thing is for certain -- if I'm to make a living in this
business, ARFs have to be part of the plan.


Hobby People is interested in selling and/or producing ALL of
my planes. Not just the Lazy Bee, not just the Yard Bee, but
EVERYTHING that Clancy Aviation has done, and everything
that we were just ABOUT to do (such as the Turbo Bee and
the Stits Sky Baby), and everything that we WILL do. They are
really excited about seeing my newest ideas. They want me to
design as many planes as possible.


How can I resist that, Joe?


I have agreed to make myself available for customer questions at
given times (because I feel strongly about helping people who are
building my kits) but overall I will be on the phone a LOT less.
And though that will give me more designing time, too -- I admit,
I will miss the constant contact with my customers. They really
are like family to me. SO this is a big change for me.


Anyway, I wanted to tell you more about what's going on.
Please feel free to ask me any questions, now and at any time.


Your friend, Andy


...Here's a little more information. Andy's "Hobby People Deal"
just started a few days ago. For the time being, SMALLsters
can still obtain kits etc. directly from Andy. See the next
submission for more details on this. [JW]


Stephen C. Drivon < wedrivon@mediaone.net > sent:


First, as this is my first submission, I'd just like to say
Hi and thanks to you for SMALLnet.


Just another word to Dean Owen about Andy Clancy's designs
smaller than the Lazy Bee.


I just got a laser cut kit of the Lady Bug from Andy the last time
I was in Mesa. The kit is quite complete and the cutting and wood
are excellent (lots of sticks in the Clancy tradition). The new
CAD plans are beautiful too. I'm hoping to build this guy soon
after I finish rebuilding a Lady Bug that I rescued not long ago.


Andy designed an even smaller plane in the image of the Lazy Bee
called The Little Plane That Could. It is of close architecture
to the Lady Bug and the Bee, with a wing span of either 9" or 10"
and just over an 8" fuselage. Recommended engine is the C*x .010.
The plans are on three 8.5" by 11" sheets, and though not redrawn
since 1996, there is a hand-written note added to lengthen the
fuselage 1" aft of the wing for more stability.


About six months ago, I doubled the size of the plans to see how a
Depron airframe with a Speed 280 to 400 would do. It's still on
the waiting list, but not far from the top.


The hand-drawn plans are available from Andy by phone, fax or
write as follows:


Clancy Aviation
1116 North Westwood
Mesa, Arizona 85210


Shop: 480-649-1534
Fax: 480-649-9040

[rthalls]

can any tell me if the lazy E-BEE be set up to fly off water ? and where to get parts .thanks

[metalbuggy]

Where are all the KITS?

[big-john-52]

hobby people . look at what is in the post above.................sheeeeeeeesh

[metalbuggy]

I know it SAYS that Global is buying kits from Andy. Where are they? All I see are ragged ARFs.

Enlighten me to this source of new Clancy kits BJ52.

By the way that post is ancient.

Any news on Clancy kits?

Are they gone forever?, Or is Global tooling up?

[metalbuggy]

Just received this e-mail from Global.

"Hi Brian:

All the kits were discontinued pending retooling to
have them laser cut at a new factory. However, there
have been numerous delays, and the return has taken
longer than expected.

We are hoping to have the 4-in-1 version and the Bee
Liner this year, but the other variations may be
further down the road if at all, sorry.

-Kyle"

If at all!

[JawaSnack]

"if at all"

That is soo lame....

[Matt Chester]

Any news on this subject?

[Dereck]

I emailed Global about this around three months ago. Didn't bother to file the email, but the gist of it is that they just weren't getting any kits from Andy. They only have the distribution rights, but did look into getting the kit converted to laser cut. Nothing happened there, due to lack of time to develop the project - hardly surprising when you look at their involvement in the short attention span ready-made world. The result anyway - no kits and no way they can sell even just the plans to Clancy Aviation designs now.

As to Andy Clancy - my 2006 Christmas card to him was returned, no forwarding address known. We exchanged cards Christmas 2005, so have no idea where he's at right now.

The one bright spot is that the Lazy Bee plan and its seperate float plan are still available from Model Aviation magazine, while the still functioning RCM plans service still sells the Speedy Bee plans. Perhaps the stunning 1/4 scale Stitts Sky Baby plan is still available too, from one of those sources.

These are effectively the same plans as the 'real' Clancy Aviation kit plans, so taking up "Bee-keeping" still mostly involves being able to read some and knowing which end of a balsa knife is the best to hold

Now I figure that getting a lipo fed BL into a Lazy Bee at the same weight and power, but with a bigger prop, than my beloved OS15 Lazy Bee is feasible. I still have my original LB wingtip laminating jigs too...

"To Bee, or not to Bee - what a silly question"

Regards

Dereck

[gnofliwr]

Originally Posted by Dereck

...
The one bright spot is that the Lazy Bee plan and its seperate float plan are still available from Model Aviation magazine, while the still functioning RCM plans service still sells the Speedy Bee plans. Perhaps the stunning 1/4 scale Stitts Sky Baby plan is still available too, from one of those sources.
...
Dereck

The Sky Baby plans are available from RCM. The plans included in the kit are an abreviated version of the RCM plans - they're cut in half, top and bottom with a wing panel or fuselage view on each sheet. Also the sheet with the laser cut parts outlines is missing from the kit. The RCM plans are the full sheets and include the parts outlines.

- Roger

[Bill Harris]

The Bee still lives on as long as there are plans. The upside is that we just got to be a bit more see-lect of a fraternity with the exclusion of bARFs.

Still lovin' my Skatty400-powered Lazy Bee...

--Bill

[scubadoo2]

Does anyone have the instructions they could email me for the Lazy Bee Classic arf kit? I have had the kit for several years, and was getting ready to start building when I discovered I have no instructions for it.
Thanks,
Doug
scubadoo2@zoominternet.net