How do we attract new flyers?

I compared prices about 2 years ago. I just recompared products, and It seems that the Powers that Be at Estes have realized this, and brought the prices up to snuff. Also, it seems that I have used as a standard of inflation the cost of newspapers, magazines, real estate, etc. and not used the actual Consumer Price Index. So....

I went to the Inflation Calculator at

did some calculations of my own. In 1973, the last time I bought model rocket engines, D engines were 3 for $2.25. Today, they should cost $9.61, and can easily be had for $6.99. Some other prices:

C Engines, 3 for $1.30. 2004 Equivalent, $5.55. Actual price, $5.29; about the same.

B Engines: 3 for $1.10. 2004 Equivalent, $4.70. Actual Price, $4.98

Now, as far as the rockets go, they have REALLY increased in the last couple of years. For example, in 1973, the Big Bertha was $2.25 (according to the inflaction calculator, that is $9.61 in 2004). Now, the Big Bertha today is $11.29. However, when I priced the Big Bertha a couple of years ago, it was like $5.00 (as opposed to $9.12). Other rockets were similarly priced. So, I apologize for that miscalculation; it appears that, while things like comic books and sodas at the local shop have gone up by a factor of 10, many other things have not, and rockets have gone up in the last couple of years.

Kits in particular are mostly air and are shipping cost sensitive. That has seen recent fuel surcharge increases related to SUDDEN fuel cost increases well above inflation.

Motors are mostly NOT air.

Jerry

This should be in the FAQ.

You are the expert on it, but by behavior not by opinion.

What about deliberate mislabeling of motor shipments, like "MODEL AIRCRAFT PARTS". How would that ship?

Good point, Jerry! Which reminds me, that's one of the things the idiot treehuggers always ignore when they say that fuel should be more expensive in order to force people out of their cars. _Everything_ is dependent on fuel, not just cars. Using the government to artificially inflate the cost of gas would destroy the economy.

"Using the government to artificially inflate the cost of gas would destroy the economy."

The government already artificially increases gas prices in a variety of ways.

You have road tax on gasoline, diesel, propane and others, you have sales tax, refinery taxes and regulations, fuel formulation mandates, smog control equipment on cars that INCREASE usage, and of course you have government hoarding via emergency stores and war activities which increase fuel costs by simple and substantial demand increases.

So your "fear" is already "reality". Would you consider today's economy "destroyed"?

Keeping in mind this rare agreement with my view from someone traditionally a moron and/or a liar is purely random.

Jerry

When did they remove that requirement? I know it was about to take effect when I was excommunicated.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Kits are lightweight and not that expensive to ship. Besides they mostly come from overseas, and are shipped by boat.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Of course. But the treehuggers want to have gas taxed even more, to raise the price up to five bucks a gallon.

It's never been a requirement that I know of. Maybe your information source was wrong, or making erroneous assumptions?

-Kevin

Only on the first of 2-3 legs.

We should just bring back steam powered vehicles so we can burn trees on the road. Besides, eventually we will have to reserve petroleum based fuels for aircraft and launch vehicles.

Alan

said, "Hey, I

ELIMINATE all entrance fees, parking fees, BS fees, etc. for ALL spectators at ALL (TRA, NAR, LAGNAF, PDQ, IHMO, BATFE, OOP, AMA, NIB, FHA, CQ, ETC) rocketry related events. Heck, the vendors could give every kid an Estes 220 Swift kit and a glass of lemonade! I guarantee that the return in revenues would be multifold.

I proved it.

I was TRA blackballed as a result.

Careful what you wish for.

How will the bills get paid? Launches, especially big launches, cost money.

That's a pretty big guarantee, I hope you got the bucks to cover it.

Oh, so now you're claiming that the reason you were booted out was because you held launches that didn't charge an entry fee? What'll your story be tomorrow?