| Compare!
Compare! Compare!!
If you're reading this section, please
don't think we are slamming our competitors, we haven’t done it in 15
years and we're not about to start doing it now. What we are going to
try and do is state some of the major differences, between our
"SUMMIT" and what is currently being offered in the PPC
marketplace today. We feel very strongly that we undoubtedly have one of
the best powered parachutes available, and after reading some of our
statements below, we think you'll agree.
We displayed and flew the Summit at the Florida
"Sun-N-Fun" air show in April of 1999 and again in April of 2000. Look what's
happened in a year.
1. In 1999, no other manufacturer
flew with what we called our: "Cell Canopy Stiffeners". These were thicker and
heavier pieces of material sewn into the opening of the canopy. During our R&D testing
we tested all kinds of different brands of canopies and finally ended up making our own.
Since we had the ability to make our own, we installed the stiffeners and this greatly
improved on canopy inflation during the initial ground roll. We know it must have
been a good idea because later at "Sun 'n Fun 2000 - 2004", every other PPC
manufacturer had cell stiffeners too!
2. We believe that there was
maybe one other manufacturer at the "1999 show" that had true "two place
seating", besides our Summit, this year there was at least 3 or 4 more.
Which one of these, would you rather take your overweight Uncle Albert,
for a flight around the patch in???
3. Compare the two photos below. Why do we
show you this ??? Well, you will see the huge advantage in the Summit design when it comes
time to land. The only disadvantage is for our Summit dealers, it seems as though they're
not going to to sell a lot of spare parts like prop guards, prop blades etc., like our
competitors do.
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Competition - 8 degree
angle |
Summit - 31 degree
angle |
4. MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT
We are confident that we probably have the most money invested in
equipment, than any other PPC manufacturer. This is not a bad thing, but rather
advantageous in the fact that we do not have to outsource, or rely on other suppliers.
We also can insure that our quality control is
second to none, because we are fully CNC, (computer controlled
machining) equipped. By using computers to make our components, you can
be assured that duplication is easily achieved. This also enables us to
uses a higher grade of material and machine things out of solid
material, when it is just too expensive for some of our other
competitors to do. We are able to do this because we have been
manufacturing ultralights, and now the recently added PPC’s for over
15 years.
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Here is our 4
axis 24 tool CNC mill |
CNC Lathe |
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And it
goes on and on and on …….. |
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HYD Shear |
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5. Since we already have our bins full of AN
aircraft hardware, that is exactly what is used on all hardware and
fittings for the SUMMIT. You will also see stainless steel and of
course, precision machined fittings throughout the entire Summit frame.
6. ANODIZING IS
SUPERIOR
The Summit is manufactured from an aluminum alloy called 6061 T6. After manufacturing
each part is then anodized. This is a method in which a part is dunked into a tank
containing a solution or solutions. The solutions allow a chemical reaction, which embeds
a protective coating around the entire part that is being treated.
The common practice in the PPC industry is to powder coat parts. This is a spray-on
application, which is then then baked in an oven. WE DISAGREE with this method for a few
reasons:
- If not done correctly the sprayed-on coating is easily chipped. Also, if the baking is
not monitored correctly, it will begin to deteriorate the strength of the tube.
- Because it is sprayed on, it does not get inside or down the entire length of pipe. This
application is fine, if you are not planning to be near the ocean, or if you're not
wanting to keep your PPC long.
- Our components are precision CNC machined, we rely on tight tolerance and clearance. If
we were to use a powdered coating, our CNC machined fittings wouldn't fit. Please remember
that, powder coating is only as good as the guy spraying it. It is next to impossible to
get an even and accurate thickness when you're spraying the coating on.
- Finally, our engineers wouldn’t let us do it. Why?....All they said was,
"Do you see regular airplanes with a powder coating?" Well, of course this
didn’t make our accounting division happy either, because it does cost more to
anodize, than to powder coat. Maybe that’s why the others guys aren’t doing it?
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