From SIG's facebook page

[Dwayne Donnelly]

Well well, what do we have here?

[Avaiojet]

A fire hazard?

I'm kidding, I just couldn't resist. 

Really nice looking model and a great layout.

My favorite colors.

CB

[bobsrc]

Prototype Skyray XL electric nearing completion.

[Brett Buck]

Prototype Skyray XL electric nearing completion.

  Certain features of that airplane look suspiciously familiar. Nobody tell them I am cutting the elevator back down to the stock size....

     Brett

[Dan McEntee]

  Certain features of that airplane look suspiciously familiar. Nobody tell them I am cutting the elevator back down to the stock size....

     Brett

    It is a different airplane, bigger. I flew one of Bob's prototypes at a previous SIG C/L fun fly. It was a good flying airplane! He came to our fun fly last June and brought a few sample kits and I picked on up from him. It's still sitting where I put it last year!!
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Dan McEntee]

When is Sig going to come out with a modern competition stunt kit that looks like a real airplane. 


Motorman

    Design one and sell it to them. Work out the kinks in the design, Prove out the design in competition, engineer the kit, then develop the marketing plan.  Right now, I think they are just working on staying in business!!

     Type at you later,
      Dan McEntee

[Brett Buck]

When is Sig going to come out with a modern competition stunt kit that looks like a real airplane. 

   I can't see that making sense from their perspective. And at any rate, many of the top stunt planes of the last 30 years (and before) already have kits at RSM. I think it is too much of a "niche" application to appeal to SIG.

    Brett

[wwwarbird]

 Rustoleum? Aw, c'mon, really?

 Might try some Frogtape for masking too, leaves a clean edge everytime.

[Dan McEntee]

Proven designs have already been made, the numbers are well known. Different tips rudder canopy to make it their own. Engineering the kit and marketing is what they do with ease, not my job. Just don't know why they're wasting time regurgitating some generic beginner plane.

Motorman

     Because that is who buys kits these days, and through the years also. They are the ones that do the crashing and need more new airplanes. You have to have a vision of who will buy it. You would be surprised at what is going into bringing this kit to the continuously shrinking market. It's not as simple as you make it out to be.

   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[john e. holliday]

To all,  I am guilty as the rest of you in ignoring the beginner to what is a life time hobby/sport to me.  If only I could get more help I would be out letting beginners fly my planes as well as help with theirs.  Right now no vehicle.

[Brett Buck]

Proven designs have already been made, the numbers are well known. Different tips rudder canopy to make it their own. Engineering the kit and marketing is what they do with ease, not my job. Just don't know why they're wasting time regurgitating some generic beginner plane.

   Dan has it - because they are in business to sell airplanes. Take any established design and make a kit. For the next 20 years people will argue over whether they should have moved the bellcrank pivot 1/4" to the side, and endless arguments over whether it is a good design or not. Or suppose someone finds something slightly new/different - now their kit is glued to the shelf, no one wants it because there is something microscopically "better".

   It's an even bigger issue with engines. ST60 sales were through the roof, along with the price, from 1985-1988. But, suddenly, it was completely obsolete and you couldn't give them away. Why do you think Windy, et al. went  nuts over it?  Local example - "we" were running 40/46VFs and the glow plug to have was the Glo-Devil #300. Hobby shop stocks up on them. Then, we find out that the Thunderbolt 4-Cycle plug gives marginally, possibly, slightly more "power" (not to mention half the price). End of Glow Devil #300 sales forever. I am sure there was a peg full of them in J&M Hobby house when it closed.

   RSM can do it because there is low overhead and the kits can be made on-demand. There is tons more to marketing a kit to a general hobby market than most people can grasp.

     Brett

[dave siegler]

When is Sig going to come out with a modern competition stunt kit that looks like a real airplane. 


Motorman

When there is a market for them.  Sorry, ut flite streaks always outsold Noblers.

[FLOYD CARTER]

When is Sig going to come out with a modern competition stunt kit that looks like a real airplane. 

Well, the main reason(s) have to do with production costs and retail prices.  Modelers are attracted to profiles for lower kit costs.  Similarly, round fuselages, elliptical planform, cowled.  engine, all require more work to build.  Most modelers want quick build, and low cost.