Stunt pilot Corkey Fornof is looking for new opportunities and the LoPresti Fury won’t be flying airshows in 2013 as LoPresti Aviation attends to a fast-growing business in lighting for jets and turboprops.
Changes reflect a sharper business focus by LoPresti Aviation’s new CEO, Tyler Wheeler, who is capitalizing on demand for Boom Beam landing lights and other innovations for turbine aircraft. Demand has been strong for LoPresti lighting products on Citations and similar jets. Now, the Gulfstream and King Air markets are getting into the act.
“Tyler brings us better business focus,” said David LoPresti. “He brings us strong contacts in the jet and turbine space.”
Former LoPresti CEO and ex-Apple executive Rj Siegel has retired.
Along with its traditional speed mods, LoPresti still hopes to offer five custom Furys to be licensed in the exhibition category but no mass market kit program is now foreseen.
“They’ll be mechanic-built airplanes. Five (exhibition category) Furys is still our goal for five guys who really want the aircraft,” said LoPresti, “and we don’t need airshows to do that.
“We haven’t given up on the Fury, but we had to get more realistic about where it’s going,” added LoPresti. “This is a real change for us. And it’s a kick-in-the-head not to have Corkey here. He’s a great guy. Maybe next season…”
Meanwhile, Fornof (left) is back at his home office in Frisco, Texas, putting the word out that he can help another industry player promote and demonstrate its wares.
Aside from aircraft demos and air shows, “I can open a lot of doors,” says the legendary stunt pilot.
Most purpose built sport planes have spun and burned. Look at the Micco, and other fast moving acro planes. Even though they are interesting, in this market, how many can afford six or seven figures for a toy? Just how many Pitts can the market absorb?
I could never understand the expected market of the Fury. I would think anyone who wanted a Fury would buy a pristine big engine Globe/Tempo Swift and pocket the 200k savings to pay for fuel and maintence for the rest of his/her life.