Go figure. It could happen.
Kaliste Saloom #30703 IPMS/Acadiana Plastic Modelers Society Lafayette, LA
Off the Sikorsky.com website:
SIKORSKY RETURNS TO TABLE AT THREAT OF CIVIL SUIT AND FEDERAL INVESTIGATION TO ACCEPT LICENSING OFFER BY MODEL COMPANIES April 1, 2006
- Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp (NYSE:UTX), settling a long standing dispute between Sikorsky and the plastic model manufacturing industry, to forestall a federal investigation and to settle a civil lawsuit recently filed by the industry and a newly formed grass roots organization comprised of key members of the Rec.model.scale newsgroup calling themselves "Plastic Modelers for Free Access to Military Images Paid for by Taxpayers", or "Sikorsky Sucks" for short, yesterday agreed to accept the model industry's latest offer.
As part of a model building license Settlement Agreement, Sikorsky agrees to pay for the full retail price for each kit manufactured with its name or design, in effect making all kits free to the general modeling public, in perpetuity, as an advertising surcharge to the model manufacturers for positively marketing the Sikorsky name for generations to past, present and future tax payers who will undoubtedly pay more taxes to support its profitable military division, and to set up a fund to subsidize a comprehensive health care plan for all plastic modelers to pay for medical procedures associated with model related activities such as Xacto blade stabbings, supergluing of fingers and a chronic orthopedic condition known as "Apactra" caused by straining joints and ligaments of the fingers, hands, and arms due to the inability to open old paint jars.
In exchange for allowing free licensing for all tax payer funded aircraft to the model industry to design, manufacture and market plastic models of the aircraft, the industry and Sikorsky Sucks agreed to drop its lawsuit and federal inquiry into incompetent management, corruption and spending waste of tax dollars estimated in the billions, including overcharging for military contracts, subjecting Sikorsky management to hundreds of years in jail and tens of millions of dollars in personal fines. Those changes were eagerly accepted by Sikorsky. Sikorsky stock sank $10.00 per share, primary due to disappointment of greedy investors but its credibility as a good corporate citizen rose to highest levels since the invention of the helicopter.
Sikorsky issued the following statement:
"We acknowledge Sikorsky Sucks and the modeling industry for their efforts at bringing this matter forward. We realize that we were being shortsighted and greedy by expecting the general public to pay for use of the images which they already paid us billions of dollars to produce. Our profit margin has been enhanced primarily at taxpayer expense and any short falls now incurred by our company are our own fault and should not be placed on the backs of the modeling industry to support our poor performance and top-heavy management overhead. Accordingly, Sikorsky eagerly accepts the model industry's generous offer not to pursue jail terms, heavy fines for our management, or a federal military and tax audit. In return, Sikorsky will allow the model industry to manufacture and sell plastic models of our aircraft license free. We really didn't expect to charge for the licensing, but we just wanted to see if the modeling industry and the general taxpaying public were paying attention."
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacturing, and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high-technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries, and now free licensing to the plastic modeling industry.
Media Contacts: Ed Steadham
203-386-7143 snipped-for-privacy@sikorsky.com Bud Grebey 203-386-6200 snipped-for-privacy@sikorsky.com