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Anyone have info on the resurrection of Gorilla Rocket Motors? I'm afraid it's time to mark another manufacturer as inactive...
I heard that too. My hearsay impression was also that the sale would not lead to resumed commercial sales.Someone in Australia bought up his formula.
AT is actually cranking out motors pretty fast these days according to local dealer. He said his orders are getting filled to completion the day he submits his order.It deeply depresses me. The state of motor production is at an all-time low. Maybe I am being melodramatic.
AT is actually cranking out motors pretty fast these days according to local dealer. He said his orders are getting filled to completion the day he submits his order.
I'm pretty sure what he is meaning is that having multiple motor manufacturers is beneficial to the hobby. Having been in the hobby myself for the last 45 years I've flown lots of different manufacturers motors. It made things better for the hobby when we did. Having only 2 or 3 manufacturers is scary to me personally.
I mean more than supply. I mean innovation, supply, and pricing.
AT is actually cranking out motors pretty fast these days according to local dealer. He said his orders are getting filled to completion the day he submits his order.
It deeply depresses me. The state of motor production is at an all-time low. Maybe I am being melodramatic.
Why? There are four (4) motor manufacturers making products available in the US. Around 700 motor types available. The number of AeroTech & Quest motors and their timely availability has never been better.
I guess I should reframe my concerns. I am specifically talking about high power motors. There are only 3 that I am tracking - Loki, AT, CTI.
Don't take my concerns as an indication of something AT and CTI are not doing. You can't provide it as a single company. It takes an industry-wide approach. Maybe I am overthinking this, but I remember when we have AMW, LOKI, Ellis MTN, CTI, and Kosdon. I have probably forgotten a few. When I first started back in high power, I think remember a few from the makers of Magnetite (I think) and Public Missiles. The industry has contracted.
The short answer is that the high power market is not large enough to support more manufacturers. It is marginal to support the ones that exist as is.
And the h..f wit that bought it just doesn't give a rats for anything else but his current project.Someone in Australia bought up his formula.
This is definitely truth. The HPR market let alone all of rocketry is a small market. I think the concerns by some is if something happens to one of those manufacturers the hobby can end up in trouble.
More like 'TINY' in overall economic scale, probably membership, too.
In the last 5 years we've had MAJOR issues with hardware availability from AT at least twice (but yet it seems to be a perpetuating cycle) and ALL SORTS of major issues with CTI motor performance and availability (fwd closure wrong plastic, starter pellet overly energetic).....all of which drove me into flying Loki until the 'issues' got resolved.
I'm actually amazed that we're still around as a hobby. I'm just a 5 year old BAR, but 'back in the day' must have been amazing!
I'm actually amazed that we're still around as a hobby. I'm just a 5 year old BAR, but 'back in the day' must have been amazing!
.......Mark Canepa’s book covers this period well.
Which one, MHPR2 or LDRS?
The short answer is that the high power market is not large enough to support more manufacturers. It is marginal to support the ones that exist as is.
Seems like a little competition is exactly what the hobby needs. Competition is the only thing that drives innovation in the hobby. DMS was a direct response to CTI and the hobby is better for it IMO.
Penetrating the industry is incredibly difficult so it’s not likely to see a new manufacturer.
Internet gold right there folks.
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