LOL. I doubt they are worried about making 10 more sells to the US when the rest of the world is buying their stuff.
Derek
But that is what keeps getting said. This is all driven by a few who want to make money selling high end ARFs to top end nats competitors. So, who are they? What company or person/persons is driving the rules proposals to remove the BOM?
If you examine that angle it makes no sense. There are what 75 top end competitors that on any given day can fight for the win at the nats. Of that 75-100 how many actually attend the nats? Then out of that number how many can plunk down $4000.00 on an ARF. And do it year in year out to make this business of selling high end arfs an actual viable business and an actual money maker? Even a small money maker would be very difficult.
If removing the BOM opened up the nation wide selling of high end ARFs then you may have a point. We see that over seas as the whole world is the market place. But that isn't what is being touted. What is being touted is this is aimed at the Nats 322 market place. That is a very small market. In many places the high end ARF is already a viable option as App points are no longer in play. So there is no starting disadvantage. I still don't see High Enders gaining ground. At least not in the pages of SN or on here where we regularly see contest results along with photos. Do you?
I know first hand from a long while back, as a long time supporter of removing the BOM, my angle back then it had nothing to do with money. I don't feel the same way today about BOM and my views have slowly changed about it over the past several years. Since I have ridden both sides of the fence I can tell you for many who wish it to be gone it isn't about and has nothing to do with money. No matter how many times people say it is.
Truth be told the real coin is in the low end arfs. The cost to produce is very low, the price point is competitive with a non built kit, they come ready to ship. For that reason they sell themselves and they do so at a high rate of speed. Volume puts the money in the pockets. Money in the hobby business is made selling parts and small ticket items. Mark up is 100% and the volume is high. Tom Morris doesn't bring ready made planes for sale to the nats. He brings parts and people raid his table like ants on a picnic basket.