BIG NEWS: Avid is BACK IN BUSINESS!

37 posts in this topic

Posted

I have waited a long time to receive this news! Avid is under new ownership! I proudly introduce to you Mark Mendick. Mark is an Engineer from Iowa. Please keep in mind this is all still very new and please be patient as Mark gets up and running. I have personally spoke with Mark and he is excited to get this off the ground.

Mark will first be focusing on making parts from the same, original jigs and fixtures used in the 90's for customers who have spent years looking for parts that fit their Avid. As the manufacturing facility takes shape, they will go into full-scale production, manufacturing and shipping the same, easy to assemble Avid kits people fell in love with at a cost that makes flying affordable for everyone.

 

Avid’s business development is still in the early stages. Mark is working on an online presence, sorting through old parts lists and manuals, and setting up the manufacturing facility. If you or anyone you know have pictures they would like to share before, during, or after the build, he would love to see them and maybe even include them on his website! He would also love to speak with anyone looking for Avid parts. This includes everything from a complete wing set down to a rudder pedal bracket. Just like Avid in the 1990’s, Avid today will only be sourcing from the highest quality material suppliers in the market. He will strive to take customers input into consideration as they revitalize this company and are so excited to meet all of the Avid enthusiasts.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to email Mark at mmendick@avidkitplanes.com.

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Posted

That is great news. 

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Posted

Did he buy the jigs and fixtures from Brett?  JImChuk

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Posted

This is really good news, I wish Mark the best! When will he start accepting orders for some parts I'd like to get? Bill Hansen

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Posted

Great news!

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Posted

Really good news

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Posted

Sounds good. Is the new owner a member of this site?

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Posted

Sounds good. Is the new owner a member of this site?

I certainly hope that the new owner, Mark, will join us on this site.  This would help the owner and Avid flyers / customers on here to learn and communicate with each other.  Glad to hear that Avid Aircraft lives again!  EDMO

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Posted

I am a member of this site and want to thank everyone for the encouraging words. As C5Engineer said, I am in the very beginning stages of startup and would appreciate your patience as we bring this amazing company back to life. We hope to start taking parts orders before the end of the year and build complete kits in 2018. If you have any questions or would like to share anything Avid, feel free to email me at mmendick@avidkitplanes.com. We hope to have a website up soon and I will continue to be active on this site.

Thank you!

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Posted

Congratulations, Mark.  I wish you the best of luck with your new business!

I don't live far from Brett.  If you would like me to approach him on your behalf about his fixtures and other tooling, just let me know.

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Posted (edited)

Congratulations, Mark.  I wish you the best of luck with your new business!

I don't live far from Brett.  If you would like me to approach him on your behalf about his fixtures and other tooling, just let me know.

Evidently, Mark already owns all the business.   I would think he has already bought Brett's part?   ???  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Seems to me there was a Jim Tomash or something like that involved in Avid at one point. I think there was something mentioned about him setting things up in Iowa or somewhere a few years ago.  Maybe this is his stuff.  I know a guy that has Brett doing a stretch on a fuselage he got from me.  Seems Brett is still involved in a very minor way.  What ever the case, I hope it works out for the best for the Avid community.  JImChuk

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Posted

Seems to me there was a Jim Tomash or something like that involved in Avid at one point. I think there was something mentioned about him setting things up in Iowa or somewhere a few years ago.  Maybe this is his stuff.  I know a guy that has Brett doing a stretch on a fuselage he got from me.  Seems Brett is still involved in a very minor way.  What ever the case, I hope it works out for the best for the Avid community.  JImChuk

Sooo, Maybe Mark owns Avid, and Brett still owns Airdale?  I am glad that Dean's design is still surviving.  Hope they are successful.  EDMO

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Posted

Mark when you get up and running i want to order some heavy hauler wings. 

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Posted

Awesome!!!

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Posted

This is great news. I have visited with Deal Wilson on a few occasions and even had him do work on our last Avid. I'm sure he would be pleased to know his design is still (finally) being supported in a positive way again. Thanks Mark and good luck on your new adventure.

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Posted

Ditto ... CONGRATULATIONS and Best Wishes on a very successful business.  Mark, looks like you already have a number of people looking for bits and pieces.

Let me add my name to that list.  As soon as you are up and running please let us know.  I will be looking for 

1 heavy hauler complete wing kit

1 Left and 1 Right 14 gallon Fuel tank for Speed Wings.

1 Left and 1 Right fiberglass Magnum butt rib (the one that attaches to the fuselage NOT the wing.

Again, CONGRATULATIONS  : )  

Brian

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Posted

Here is Mark's new web address For Avid Aircraft: https://avidkitplanes.com/

Great looking page!!!

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Posted

Very nice web site! Good luck to Mark, wish this had happened last year I would be building a bandit right now. Mike

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Posted

Where is the "like" button? 
I just sent a mail to Mark wishing him good luck... I got a reply within the hour... Not really what we have been used to...

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Posted

Has Mark fallen off the planet?  I am not getting a response to any emails :(

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Posted

Has Mark fallen off the planet?  I am not getting a response to any emails :(

A good friend of mine has talked to him this week. I know he’s extremely busy trying to get this thing off the ground. 

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Posted

Has Mark fallen off the planet?  I am not getting a response to any emails :(

A good friend of mine has talked to him this week. I know he’s extremely busy trying to get this thing off the ground. 

Good to know.  Could you ask your good friend next time he sees Mark to ask if he could possibly look at his emails as he has 4 from me dating back to 6th April..........

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Posted

I spoke with Mark today. He is working a full time job as well as doing this. He apologizes for any delays. I expressed to him that we are a patient bunch as long as people know up front it may be a few days for a response. He’s going to look into a disclaimer statement or an auto reply set up. He said it’s pretty amazing at the amount of email traffic and questions he is getting. Please continue to be patient and know that he is really trying hard at this it’s not a matter of him blowing folks off at all. 

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Posted

Good to know, I guess? Unfortunately, this is beginning to sound all too familiar already. Attempting to balance the time producing parts and filling orders vs. making kits or simply answering questions etc. is tough. Maybe he needs to separate the parts biz from the kit manufacturer biz for the time being. Focus on part production first and include in any parts biz disclaimer that he is able to provide oem replacement parts only, not in-depth technical advice and custom one-off parts. Perhaps direct any technical questions to the AFF forums to not only reduce that time burden, but any potential liability as well. Heck, we are more than happy to help in that regard and multiple member opinions might actually be a good thing. 

In any event, burning bridges early on is a bad business model. As is over-promising. Every business owner should draw upon their own expectations and experience as a customer to understand what bare minimum service they need to provide when they hang a shingle and declare themselves open for business. If the shoe was on the other foot, would 4 email attempts over 3weeks without a reply EVER be acceptable to them? Put up an auto attendant acknowledgement promising a call back at the least. Better yet, just post a list of current, quickly available parts inventory on site. This ain't rocket science.

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