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Talk:Epic Aircraft

Latest comment: 7 days ago by MaryGaulke in topic 2024 COI edit request
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COI edit requests

edit
Latest comment: 2 years ago23 comments5 people in discussion

Hi! I'm a COI editor for Epic, here with some requests for this article. My colleague OJDrucker and I have also created a mockup of these requests implemented in the article.

original requests (some completed)

Lead

edit
  • Update the title parameter of the infobox to "Epic Aircraft, LLC", the company's legal name.[1] I believe the first sentence of the lead should also include the legal name, per MOS:FIRST.
  •   Done In the infobox, update
| parent = S7 Technics
to
| parent = MVF Key Investments Ltd.
  •   Done In the first sentence, update
owned by the Russian company S7 Technics.
to
owned by the Cyprus-based[2] company MVF Key Investments Ltd.[3]

History

edit
  • Image updates:
    •   Done Update the caption "Epic LT single turboprop aircraft" to "Epic LT experimental single turboprop aircraft".[4][5]
    • Move the E1000 to the bottom, since it's the most recent aircraft.
  • I think it might make sense to organize this section a bit more thematically, rather than as a strict chronology with subsections for each year. For instance, the first section could be "2004–2009: Early years", the second could be "Reorganization and acquisition by Engineering LLC", and the third could be "2015–present: E1000 era".
  •   Done In "2004", update
The company was founded in 2004 and located in Bend, Oregon
to
The company was founded in 2004 by Rick Schrameck, a veteran of the computer hardware and aviation composites industries,[6] and located in Bend, Oregon,
  •   Done Add after "2004":
Epic’s first aircraft, the LT, was positioned as a homebuilt kit aircraft, and Schrameck claimed deliveries were estimated to begin by year’s end 2005.[7] The FAA approved the LT as an amateur-built craft in 2006,[8] the same year that the first LT was delivered.[9]
  • Under "2009", update:
The case went to court in 2013 and ended "without an award of costs, disbursements or attorney’s fees to any party".[10]
to
The case was dismissed in 2013 and ended "without an award of costs, disbursements or attorney's fees to any party".[11]
Per the source: "A federal lawsuit filed against Epic Air in 2009 was dismissed in 2013, without an award of costs, disbursements or attorney's fees to any party, federal court records show."
  •   Done Also under "2009", update:
In late June 2009 the company dramatically scaled back its operations. The lay-offs primarily affected the aircraft build center, where customers worked on their own kits.[12]
to
In late June 2009 the company dramatically scaled back its operations.[12] The lay-offs primarily affected the aircraft's owner-assisted build center,[13] where customers worked on their own kits.[12]
  • Also in the "2009" subsection, these three paragraphs seem WP:UNDUE in detail, given that they're citing only one secondary source and four primary sources:
Several additional lawsuits were filed against Epic. These included "serious allegations about the conduct of company principals". In a sworn statement Chief Financial Officer David Clark said that Epic owed its customer builders an estimated US$15 million for parts and that the company had no money to pay those debts. Also in his sworn statement Clark alleged many financial irregularities and that company financial reports and practices "did not comply with generally accepted accounting practices". Other sworn statements by Clark and General Manager David Hice alleged that the company was a "chaotic financial environment over which CEO Rick Schrameck ruled exclusively". Hice further alleged many financial irregularities, including that the company missed its payroll in July 2004 and was only able to pay its staff using customer aircraft deposits from sales at AirVenture that same month. Hice also alleged that "On June 16th, 2009 I was terminated after Rick Schrameck physically attacked me."[14][15][16]
In September 2009 CEO Rick Schrameck was removed by the board of directors from any "managerial or supervisory capacity" with Epic parent company Aircraft Investor Resources, and the company voluntarily entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, seeking to reorganize, find investors and continue kitplane production on a reduced scale.[17][18]
As a result of the bankruptcy filing customers with aircraft under construction at the company facility were permitted to remove their aircraft and parts.[17][18]
I propose rewriting the above to stick to what's covered in the AVWeb source, as well as a few other independent sources I dug up:
In September 2009 CEO Schrameck was removed by the board of directors from any "managerial or supervisory capacity" with Epic parent company Aircraft Investor Resources,[17][19] and the company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[20]
Epic LT owner Doug King filed a motion requesting that the bankruptcy proceedings be moved from Nevada to Bend. That filing included a sworn statement by Chief Financial Officer David Clark, saying that Epic owed its customer builders an estimated US$15 million for parts and that the company had no money to pay those debts.[21]
  • Given that 2009 marked the end of Schrameck's leadership of Epic, I propose moving the content about him in the 2015 and 2018 sections after the first paragraph above (immediately following "...and the company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy.") (using the "Withycombe" ref[11] already in use in the article). I also tightened up the copy a bit (very open to feedback on this) and fixed a few "Schramek" misspellings:
Due to his actions at Epic, Schrameck was arrested for fraud in March 2015. On 27 March 2015, he pleaded not guilty in US District Court to eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and six counts of money laundering regarding his dealings with Epic and its customers. The case alleged that Schrameck deliberately defrauded customers of more than US$14 million.[11][22] In April 2018, Schrameck pleaded "guilty" to one count of wire fraud. The Department of Justice, US Attorney's Office, District of Oregon stated, "Schrameck gave customers Airframe Purchase Agreements and Aircraft Completion Assistance Agreements that misrepresented how the customers’ funds were being used. Without his customers’ knowledge, Schrameck used the funds for other projects, to complete existing Epic LT aircraft, and to support his own lavish lifestyle."[23][24]
  •   Done I think it would be helpful to add a transition sentence to the beginning of "2010":
Following the bankruptcy filing, Epic went up for sale.
  •   Done In "2010", update
On 2 April 2010 the judge issued a judgement ordering China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. Ltd. to form a partnership with the LT Builders Group allowing the latter to run the Bend plant.
to
On 2 April 2010 the judge issued a judgement ordering China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. Ltd. to make an agreement with the LT Builders Group to acquire Epic's assets.[25]
This is more accurate to the source.
  •   Done In "2010", update and flesh out
The deal was completed by 11 April 2010, with the LT Builders Group agreeing to run the plant and market to North America, while the Chinese company would market to the rest of the world.
to
The deal came about following public concern about why a state-owned Chinese aerospace company would take interest in Epic, although the primary theories were that the Chinese firm was interested in acquiring Epic's designs or the carbon-fiber composites used in Epic's aircraft.[26] Due to potential concerns, the final deal excluded any defense-related material potentially subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations from the purchase.[27] The deal was completed by 11 April 2010, with the LT Builders Group taking control of the company and marketing the Epic LT to North America, while the Chinese company obtained rights to market the Epic LT to the rest of the world.[28][25]
Per the cited sources,[28][25] this agreement was specific to the LT.
  • I'm also not sure why "LT Builders Group" is italicized, so we may want to remove the italics.
  •   Done Also in "2010", update
Doug King became CEO, as an unpaid volunteer in 2010, following the bankruptcy. King had an incomplete LT in the plant
to
Doug King, CEO of the LT Builders Group,[29] became CEO of Epic as an unpaid volunteer in 2010. King, who had owned several transaction processing and computer services businesses and had revitalized operations of Syncro Aircraft,[30] had an incomplete LT in the plant
  • In "2012", add ref and revise:
Filev's company, Engineering LLC
to
Engineering LLC,[31]
  •   Done Also in "2012", update "Cessna owns" to "Cessna owned".
  • In "2013", delete:
Filev had his own, personal Epic LT delivered from Bend, Oregon, to Moscow by King in August 2013, delivering it for Filev's 50th birthday.[32]
This doesn't really feel notable or germane to the article, in my opinion.
  • In "2014", delete:
By 2014 the company was engaged in certification of the Epic E1000 and had purchased the former Cessna 204,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) facility in Bend, Oregon that had once produced the Columbia Aircraft line.[33]
This is cited only to a press release, and it's redundant of the information under "2012" (when the Bend purchase was finalized).
  • Add:
In 2016, Epic held the "Epic Odyssey World Tour", in which six Epic LTs circumnavigated the world in 21 days, stopping in 21 cities after departing from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.[34]
  • In "2018", delete
The company had intended to outsource production of some composite material parts, but encountered issues with quality, meeting specification and timeliness or deliveries. As a result, they decided to produce all 587 composite parts for the E1000 in-house.[32]
This is more detail than is notable, in my opinion.
  •   Done In "2019", update
On 31 March 2019 Filev's wife, Natalia Fileva, was killed in the crash of an Epic LT on approach to the Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport. Fileva was one of the wealthiest women in Russia and co-owner of S7 Airlines, with her husband. Also killed in the crash was her father and the pilot. Fileva was on her way to Frankfurt for medical treatment.[35]
to
On 31 March 2019 Filev's wife, Natalia Fileva, was killed in the crash of an Epic LT on approach to the Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport. Fileva was one of the wealthiest women in Russia and co-owner of S7 Airlines, with her husband. Her father and the pilot were also killed in the crash.[35] The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation found in its investigation that on approach, the plane had made a 30–45 degree left-sided bank turn.[36] Kommersant reported that the cause of the crash was pilot error, likely a pilot-induced stall.[37]
  • It also may make sense to move the above information from this article into Epic LT (where it's already partially covered). From what I can tell, crashes and incidents are usually part of the articles for individual planes, but not their manufacturers (cf. Cirrus Aircraft vs. Cirrus SR22, Cessna vs. Cessna Citation Excel).
  • Also in "2019", update
After certification the company indicated that it intends to ramp up production to one aircraft every three weeks by the second half of 2020 and earn its production certificate, so each individual aircraft will not require FAA inspection prior to delivery. This will be followed by one aircraft every two weeks by the first half of 2021 and work towards one aircraft a week. The goal is to ultimately produce 50 aircraft per year.[32]
to
After certification the company indicated that it intends to ramp up production to one aircraft every three weeks by the second half of 2020, then one aircraft every two weeks by the first half of 2021, and ultimately produce 50 aircraft per year.[32]
for conciseness/clarity, using "George"[32] ref name already in use in article.
  • In "2020", update
The first two E1000s were delivered to customers at the end of May 2020.[38]
to
The company announced in May 2020 that the first two E1000s had been delivered to customers.[39]
(The first delivery actually occurred a bit earlier, but this isn't detailed in the source.)
  •   Done Add to the end of the first paragraph of "2020":
In July 2020, Epic earned FAA production certification for the E1000, allowing the company to to build, test, and approve aircraft with less FAA oversight.[40]
  •   Done Add to end of "2020":
Plane & Pilot magazine named the E1000 its 2020 plane of the year, citing its powerful engine, range, and design.[41] That December, Epic and ATP, an aircraft software company, announced a partnership for tracking maintenance and distributing technical publications.[42][43]
  •   Done Add to end of section:
In July 2021, Epic announced that its next-generation version of the E1000, the E1000 GX, had received its FAA type certificate. The E1000 GX includes integration with Garmin's GFC 700 autopilot system and a Hartzell 5-blade composite propeller.[44] By the end of July, Epic had announced an expansion to its service network with a Fort Worth-based maintenance station, bringing its service network to three facilities in the United States.[45] By Q3 of 2021, Epic had delivered six E1000 GX aircraft,[46] with another 4 delivered by the end of Q4.[47] Epic's stated goal is to complete 20 planes in 2022, and up to 40 in 2023.[3] As a part of increasing production capacity, Epic hired 175 additional staff between July and December of 2021, with many of the new staff working in composite part fabrication.[3]

Aircraft

edit
  • It may be more standard to name this section "Products". I also think it could make sense for this section to precede "History".
  • Using existing ref name,[48] update the section text from
  • LT is a 6-place kit-built turbo-prop airplane.
  • Victory was a proposed single-engine jet project, with only a prototype completed. The company has not pursued development.
  • E1000 is a type certified six-place turbo-prop airplane.
  • Escape was a proposed 92% scaled version of the Epic LT, with 4-5 seats. The company has not pursued development.
  • Elite was an proposed twin-engine jet project, initially intended as a kit aircraft, which the company had planned to certify later. It was to utilize an LT fuselage with cosmetic and structural changes. Only a prototype has been completed. The company has not pursued development.
to
  • The LT is a 6-place kit-built turbo-prop airplane,[4] later replaced by the E1000.[48]
  • The Victory was a proposed single-engine jet project in 2007.[49]
  • The E1000 is a type certified six-place turbo-prop airplane. It is the type-certified, manufactured version of the Epic LT.[48]
  • The Escape was a proposed 92% scaled version of the Epic LT in 2007, with 4 to 6 seats.[50]
  • The Elite was a proposed twin-engine jet project, initially intended as a kit aircraft in 2008.[51]
  • The E1000 GX is a type certified single turbo-prop airplane based on the E1000. The E1000 GX replaced the E1000 as the only product Epic Aircraft is manufacturing.[44]

Thanks for your time or feedback! Mary Gaulke (talk) 16:16, 30 March 2022 (UTC)Reply

References

  1. ^ Kohn, Michael (29 May 2020). "Epic Aircraft completes delivery of first two E1000 planes". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 25 January 2021 suggested (help)
  2. ^ "MVF Key Investments Ltd". Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Kohn, Michael. "Bend-based Epic Aircraft flying high amid pandemic challenges". The Bulletin. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b Gerzanics, Mike (13 July 2011). "FLIGHT TEST: Epic LT - Experimental Rocket". Flight Global. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  5. ^ Boatman, Julie (1 July 2007). "Turbine Pilot". Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Turbine Pilot". www.aopa.org. 2007-05-07. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  7. ^ "Epic's impressive epic — General Aviation News". generalaviationnews.com. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  8. ^ "Epic LT Receives FAA Sign-Off As Amateur-Built Aircraft". Aero-News Network. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  9. ^ Morris, Gregg (4 December 2014). "Epic Aircraft in Bend, Oregon Builds Their Own". Cascade Business News. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  10. ^ Claire Withycombe. "Former Epic CEO pleads not guilty to federal fraud, laundering charges" The Bulletin (Bend), 8 April 2015.
  11. ^ a b c Withycombe, Claire (8 April 2015). "Former Epic CEO pleads not guilty to federal fraud, laundering charges". The Bulletin (Bend). Retrieved 28 February 2022. Cite error: The named reference "Withycombe" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b c Niles, Russ (July 2009). "Epic "Scaled Back"". Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  13. ^ Di Piazza, Karen (1 September 2007). "Epic Aircraft Making Big Splash in General Aviation". Airport Journals. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  14. ^ Niles, Russ (September 2009). "More Legal Action Against Epic". Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  15. ^ Clark, David (September 2009). "General Affidavit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  16. ^ Hice, David W. (September 2009). "General Affidavit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  17. ^ a b c Sanders, Jeff (September 2009). "Epic Plans" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  18. ^ a b Ford, Shari (September 2009). "Property at 22590 Nelcon Road in Bend Oregon" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  19. ^ Bergqvist, Pia (8 March 2012). "Russian Company Acquires Epic Aircraft". Flying. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  20. ^ Grady, Mary (21 February 2014). "The Return of Epic Aircraft". Robb Report. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  21. ^ Niles, Russ (22 September 2009). "More Legal Action Against Epic". AVweb. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  22. ^ Kauh, Elaine (9 April 2015). "Former Epic CEO Pleads Not Guilty To Fraud Charges". AVweb. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  23. ^ O'Connor, Kate (26 April 2018). "Former Epic Air CEO Pleads Guilty To Fraud". AVweb. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  24. ^ Department of Justice (23 April 2018). "Bend Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme Involving Consumer Aviation Company". www.justice.gov. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  25. ^ a b c Grady, Mary (April 2010). "An Epic Deal Between Builders Group, Chinese Company". Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  26. ^ Read, Richard (27 March 2010). "Chinese bidder wins Bend's bankrupt Epic Air but deal still in doubt". OregonLive. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  27. ^ Thurber, Matt (30 April 2010). "Chinese firm to buy Epic assets". Aviation International News. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  28. ^ a b Niles, Russ (April 2010). "Judge Orders Epic Partnership". Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  29. ^ "Epic LT Kits Back in Production". Aviation International News. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  30. ^ "Virtual Event: CEO Flies Epic Aircraft's Speed Demon Turboprop". Flying Magazine. 28 October 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Epic Aircraft Announces Acquisition by Engineering LLC". Epic Aircraft (Press release). 6 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  32. ^ a b c d e George, Fred (December 2019). "Status Report: E1000 Cleared for Takeoff" (PDF). Business and Commercial Aviation. pp. 50–56. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  33. ^ Schrader, Mike (3 February 2014). "FAA Certification On Schedule For Epic Aircraft" (PDF). Epic Aircraft. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  34. ^ Elliott, Megan (27 July 2016). "Epic Aircraft Completes Round-the-World Tour". Flying Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  35. ^ a b Niles, Russ (1 April 2019). "Wife Of Epic Owner Confirmed As Crash Victim". AVweb. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  36. ^ "Interim Report" (PDF). German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation. May 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  37. ^ Машкин, Сергей (1 April 2019). "Обломки сложились в плоский штопор". Kommersant (in Russian). Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  38. ^ Niles, Russ (1 June 2020). "Epic Delivers First Two Certified E1000s". AVweb. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  39. ^ Niles, Russ (1 June 2020). "Epic Delivers First Two Certified E1000s". AVweb. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  40. ^ Goyer, Isabel (24 July 2020). "Epic Earns FAA Production Certification for E1000". Plane & Pilot Magazine. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  41. ^ "2020 Planes Of The Year: Epic E1000 & Pipistrel Velis". Plane & Pilot Magazine. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  42. ^ "ATP, EPIC partnership for maintenance tracking". Wings Magazine. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  43. ^ Boatman, Julie (10 December 2020). "ATP Provides Epic with Flight Docs, Mx Tracking". Flying Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  44. ^ a b Mark, Rob (20 July 2021). "Epic Aircraft's E1000 GX Earns Its FAA Type Certificate". Flying Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  45. ^ Bergqvist, Pia (26 July 2021). "Epic Aircraft Expands Service Center Network". Flying Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  46. ^ "General Aviation Aircraft Shipment Report: 2021 3rd Quarter" (PDF). General Aviation Manufacturers Association (Press release). 17 November 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  47. ^ "General Aviation Aircraft Shipment Report: 2021 Year End". General Aviation Manufacturers Association (Press release). 22 February 2022.
  48. ^ a b c O'Connor, Kate (7 November 2019). "Epic E1000 FAA Certified". AVweb. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  49. ^ "Epic Victory Jet makes first flight". Flyer Airportal. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  50. ^ "Pictures: Epic AIR unveils two new aircraft at Sun 'n Fun show". Flight Global. 18 April 2007. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  51. ^ Decker, Jeffrey (18 August 2008). "Epic Elite very light jet stranded in Georgia". Flight Global. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.

TLDR

edit

Thanks for going through the COI edit request process instead of making the changes directly. Unfortunately, it's time consuming for independent editors to review. Could you propose it as a series of diffs, from the current article to your proposed version with 1 change at a time. It would be much, much easier to review, and could be copypasted easily (and thus rapidly) by a reviewing editor. EG, this diff show all the changes from the current article to your proposed version. Note it's best to keep minor details (spaces, template order, line breaks) wich don't show outside the wikitext edit window to see the difference easily. Also, keep the same sections order; the order can be changed at the end. Thanks!--Marc Lacoste (talk) 05:43, 7 April 2022 (UTC)Reply

The Aircraft section should be written in paragraph form instead of a simple list. -Fnlayson (talk) 15:17, 7 April 2022 (UTC)Reply
@Marc Lacoste: No problem, and thanks for the feedback. Is this diff of just the proposed edits to History, with no reorganizing of sections, small enough to be digestible? Thanks! Mary Gaulke (talk) 22:19, 10 April 2022 (UTC)Reply
thanks for this work. it's almost ok, just avoid reordering, new titles or extra line breaks to see each sectional differences. once done, it still needs to be split in individual diffs with edit summaries explaining the reason for the change. thanks. --Marc Lacoste (talk) 06:58, 11 April 2022 (UTC)Reply
@Marc Lacoste: Got it, no problem. Is this more like what you had in mind? The intermediate diffs show each individual change with edit summaries. Mary Gaulke (talk) 23:56, 13 April 2022 (UTC)Reply
@MaryGaulke: Thanks, it much more usable. I went through most of your requests. I excluded the apparently controversial requests for:
@Marc Lacoste: Thanks! I've marked the completed items {{done}} above. The information I proposed deleting from "2014" is redundant of the information under "2012" (when the Bend purchase was finalized). Regarding the {{Failed verification}} flag, the cited source states, "Epic hired 175 people between July and December, but more are needed to reach the level of 40 planes a year. Many of the new hires work in the parts construction area of the plant." I'm happy to email a PDF copy if helpful. Thank you again. Mary Gaulke (talk) 14:36, 17 April 2022 (UTC)Reply
@MaryGaulke: For the 2014/2012 redundancy: in 2012 it was a project, keeping the 2014 bit as it was achieved is informative. I'll modify it to avoid repetitions though. I can't verify the bend bulletin because I'm in Europe. I'll let a US-based editor check the ref. Cheers,--Marc Lacoste (talk) 05:58, 18 April 2022 (UTC)Reply
@Marc Lacoste: Hi! One more thing if you have a moment – would you be willing to look at updating the company's ownership in the article lead?
  • In the infobox, update
| parent = S7 Technics
to
| parent = MVF Key Investments Ltd.
  • In the first sentence, update
owned by the Russian company S7 Technics.
to
owned by the Cyprus-based[1] company MVF Key Investments Ltd.[2]
Happy to wait on the other requests, but this one feels a bit urgent to get accurate. Thank you! Mary Gaulke (talk) 17:46, 16 May 2022 (UTC)Reply
MVF Key Investments Ltd is a redlink.--Marc Lacoste (talk) 22:18, 16 May 2022 (UTC)Reply
@Marc Lacoste: Not suggesting we wikilink it, just want to convey the ownership of the company accurately. Thanks! Mary Gaulke (talk) 13:03, 17 May 2022 (UTC)Reply
S7 Technics: The company owns Epic Aircraft with an AvWeb ref. Enough for me, while your ref for MVF KI ltd ownership (and as it has no wiki article, for all I know it can be a shell) is stale.--Marc Lacoste (talk) 13:59, 17 May 2022 (UTC)Reply
@Marc Lacoste: One of the refs I provided is Bend's The Bulletin in February 2022,[2] while the AVWeb ref is from 2019. Is that less stale? Mary Gaulke (talk) 14:48, 29 May 2022 (UTC)Reply
@MaryGaulke: bendbulletin is inaccessible for me, being in Europe.--Marc Lacoste (talk) 19:47, 29 May 2022 (UTC)Reply
Here is an archived version. - Ahunt (talk) 19:58, 29 May 2022 (UTC)Reply
Thanks, and done. I'm not sure why it's so important to underline there is a Shell company for Filev's ownership.--Marc Lacoste (talk) 07:00, 30 May 2022 (UTC)Reply

Remaining open requests

edit

Hi again! Reposting the remaining open items here for clarity, and collapsing the above.

Lead

edit
  •   Done Update the title parameter of the infobox to "Epic Aircraft, LLC", the company's legal name.[3] I believe the first sentence of the lead should also include the legal name, per MOS:FIRST.
  •   Done In the second sentence, update "Epic E1000" to "Epic E1000 GX", per article body updates below.

History

edit
  •   Done Move the E1000 image to the bottom, since it's the most recent aircraft.
  • I think it might make sense to organize this section a bit more thematically, rather than as a strict chronology with subsections for each year. For instance, the first section could be "2004–2009: Early years", the second could be "Reorganization and acquisition by Engineering LLC", and the third could be "2015–present: E1000 era".
  •   Done Under "2009", update:
The case went to court in 2013 and ended "without an award of costs, disbursements or attorney’s fees to any party".[4]
to
The case was dismissed in 2013 and ended "without an award of costs, disbursements or attorney’s fees to any party".[5]
Per the source: "A federal lawsuit filed against Epic Air in 2009 was dismissed in 2013, without an award of costs, disbursements or attorney’s fees to any party, federal court records show."
  •   Done Also in the "2009" subsection, these three paragraphs seem WP:UNDUE in detail, given that they're citing only one secondary source and four primary sources:
Several additional lawsuits were filed against Epic. These included "serious allegations about the conduct of company principals". In a sworn statement Chief Financial Officer David Clark said that Epic owed its customer builders an estimated US$15 million for parts and that the company had no money to pay those debts. Also in his sworn statement Clark alleged many financial irregularities and that company financial reports and practices "did not comply with generally accepted accounting practices". Other sworn statements by Clark and General Manager David Hice alleged that the company was a "chaotic financial environment over which CEO Rick Schrameck ruled exclusively". Hice further alleged many financial irregularities, including that the company missed its payroll in July 2004 and was only able to pay its staff using customer aircraft deposits from sales at AirVenture that same month. Hice also alleged that "On June 16th, 2009 I was terminated after Rick Schrameck physically attacked me."[6][7][8]
In September 2009 CEO Rick Schrameck was removed by the board of directors from any "managerial or supervisory capacity" with Epic parent company Aircraft Investor Resources, and the company voluntarily entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy, seeking to reorganize, find investors and continue kitplane production on a reduced scale.[9][10]
As a result of the bankruptcy filing customers with aircraft under construction at the company facility were permitted to remove their aircraft and parts.[9][10]
I propose rewriting the above to stick to what's covered in the AVWeb source, as well as a few other independent sources I dug up:
In September 2009 CEO Schrameck was removed by the board of directors from any "managerial or supervisory capacity" with Epic parent company Aircraft Investor Resources,[9][11] and the company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[12]
Epic LT owner Doug King filed a motion requesting that the bankruptcy proceedings be moved from Nevada to Bend. That filing included a sworn statement by Chief Financial Officer David Clark, saying that Epic owed its customer builders an estimated US$15 million for parts and that the company had no money to pay those debts.[13]
  •   Done Given that 2009 marked the end of Schrameck's leadership of Epic, I propose moving the content about him in the 2015 and 2018 sections after the first paragraph above (immediately following "...and the company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy.") (using the "Withycombe" ref[5] already in use in the article). I also tightened up the copy a bit (very open to feedback on this) and fixed a few "Schramek" misspellings:
Due to his actions at Epic, Schrameck was arrested for fraud in March 2015. On 27 March 2015, he pleaded not guilty in US District Court to eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and six counts of money laundering regarding his dealings with Epic and its customers. The case alleged that Schrameck deliberately defrauded customers of more than US$14 million.[5][14] In April 2018, Schrameck pleaded "guilty" to one count of wire fraud. The Department of Justice, US Attorney's Office, District of Oregon stated, "Schrameck gave customers Airframe Purchase Agreements and Aircraft Completion Assistance Agreements that misrepresented how the customers’ funds were being used. Without his customers’ knowledge, Schrameck used the funds for other projects, to complete existing Epic LT aircraft, and to support his own lavish lifestyle."[15][16]
  •   Done I'm not sure why "LT Builders Group" is italicized, so we may want to remove the italics.
  • In "2012", add ref and revise:
Filev's company, Engineering LLC
to
Engineering LLC,[17]
  •   Done In "2013", delete:
Filev had his own, personal Epic LT delivered from Bend, Oregon, to Moscow by King in August 2013, delivering it for Filev's 50th birthday.[18]
This doesn't really feel notable or germane to the article, in my opinion.
  •   Done In "2014", delete:
By 2014 the company was engaged in certification of the Epic E1000 and had purchased the former Cessna 204,000 sq ft (19,000 m2) facility in Bend, Oregon that had once produced the Columbia Aircraft line.[19]
This is cited only to a press release, and it's redundant of the information under "2012" (when the Bend purchase was finalized).
  • Add:
In 2016, Epic held the "Epic Odyssey World Tour", in which six Epic LTs circumnavigated the world in 21 days, stopping in 21 cities after departing from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.[20]
  •   Done In "2018", delete
The company had intended to outsource production of some composite material parts, but encountered issues with quality, meeting specification and timeliness or deliveries. As a result, they decided to produce all 587 composite parts for the E1000 in-house.[18]
This is more detail than is notable, in my opinion.
  • It may make sense to move the information about the 2019 crash from this article into Epic LT (where it's already partially covered). From what I can tell, crashes and incidents are usually part of the articles for individual planes, but not their manufacturers (cf. Cirrus Aircraft vs. Cirrus SR22, Cessna vs. Cessna Citation Excel).
  • Also in "2019", update
After certification the company indicated that it intends to ramp up production to one aircraft every three weeks by the second half of 2020 and earn its production certificate, so each individual aircraft will not require FAA inspection prior to delivery. This will be followed by one aircraft every two weeks by the first half of 2021 and work towards one aircraft a week. The goal is to ultimately produce 50 aircraft per year.[18]
to
After certification the company indicated that it intends to ramp up production to one aircraft every three weeks by the second half of 2020, then one aircraft every two weeks by the first half of 2021, and ultimately produce 50 aircraft per year.[18]
for conciseness/clarity, using "George"[18] ref name already in use in article.
  •   Done In "2020", update
The first two E1000s were delivered to customers at the end of May 2020.[21]
to
The company announced in May 2020 that the first two E1000s had been delivered to customers.[22]
(The first delivery actually occurred a bit earlier, but this isn't detailed in the source.)

Aircraft

edit
  •   Done It may be more standard to name this section "Products". I also think it could make sense for this section to precede "History".
  •   Done Using existing ref name,[23] update the section text from
  • LT is a 6-place kit-built turbo-prop airplane.
  • Victory was a proposed single-engine jet project, with only a prototype completed. The company has not pursued development.
  • E1000 is a type certified six-place turbo-prop airplane.
  • Escape was a proposed 92% scaled version of the Epic LT, with 4-5 seats. The company has not pursued development.
  • Elite was an proposed twin-engine jet project, initially intended as a kit aircraft, which the company had planned to certify later. It was to utilize an LT fuselage with cosmetic and structural changes. Only a prototype has been completed. The company has not pursued development.
to
  • The LT is a 6-place kit-built turbo-prop airplane,[24] later replaced by the E1000.[23]
  • The Victory was a proposed single-engine jet project in 2007.[25]
  • The E1000 is a type certified six-place turbo-prop airplane. It is the type-certified, manufactured version of the Epic LT.[23]
  • The Escape was a proposed 92% scaled version of the Epic LT in 2007, with 4 to 6 seats.[26]
  • The Elite was a proposed twin-engine jet project, initially intended as a kit aircraft in 2008.[27]
  • The E1000 GX is a type certified single turbo-prop airplane based on the E1000. The E1000 GX replaced the E1000 as the only product Epic Aircraft is manufacturing.[28]

Thanks for your help and time. Mary Gaulke (talk) 00:11, 21 June 2022 (UTC)Reply

MaryGaulke, thank you for following the COI edit process. I believe I've implemented all of your requests except for moving the photo – I'll sign off on you re-arranging them yourself. GeneralNotability (talk) 00:33, 28 September 2022 (UTC)Reply
@GeneralNotability: Thanks so much for your help! Just wanted to chase this item: I think it might make sense to organize this section [History] a bit more thematically, rather than as a strict chronology with subsections for each year. For instance, the first section could be "2004–2009: Early years", the second could be "Reorganization and acquisition by Engineering LLC", and the third could be "2015–present: E1000 era". I think this could make the History section a lot more reader-friendly – what do you think? Thanks again. Mary Gaulke (talk) 02:11, 28 September 2022 (UTC)Reply
MaryGaulke, sure, that seems uncontroversial enough. Would you prefer that the year headings be preserved and pushed down a heading level (so History -> Early years -> 2004), or remove the year headings and consolidate the contents (so everything from 2004-2009 would be under the Early years heading but without further year headings)? GeneralNotability (talk) 23:42, 29 September 2022 (UTC)Reply
@GeneralNotability: I think it makes sense for the descriptive titles to replace the year headings. In the mockup, I also noted year ranges as part of the headings. Let me know what you think! Mary Gaulke (talk) 18:59, 1 October 2022 (UTC)Reply
MaryGaulke, okay, I'll go with the mockup (though I might drop the year ranges - I feel like most articles don't do that). GeneralNotability (talk) 00:09, 5 October 2022 (UTC)Reply

References

  1. ^ "MVF Key Investments Ltd". Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b Kohn, Michael. "Bend-based Epic Aircraft flying high amid pandemic challenges". The Bulletin. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  3. ^ Kohn, Michael (29 May 2020). "Epic Aircraft completes delivery of first two E1000 planes". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 25 January 2021 suggested (help)
  4. ^ Claire Withycombe. "Former Epic CEO pleads not guilty to federal fraud, laundering charges" The Bulletin (Bend), 8 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Withycombe, Claire (8 April 2015). "Former Epic CEO pleads not guilty to federal fraud, laundering charges". The Bulletin (Bend). Retrieved 28 February 2022. Cite error: The named reference "Withycombe" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ Niles, Russ (September 2009). "More Legal Action Against Epic". Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  7. ^ Clark, David (September 2009). "General Affidavit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  8. ^ Hice, David W. (September 2009). "General Affidavit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  9. ^ a b c Sanders, Jeff (September 2009). "Epic Plans" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  10. ^ a b Ford, Shari (September 2009). "Property at 22590 Nelcon Road in Bend Oregon" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  11. ^ Bergqvist, Pia (8 March 2012). "Russian Company Acquires Epic Aircraft". Flying. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  12. ^ Grady, Mary (21 February 2014). "The Return of Epic Aircraft". Robb Report. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  13. ^ Niles, Russ (22 September 2009). "More Legal Action Against Epic". AVweb. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  14. ^ Kauh, Elaine (9 April 2015). "Former Epic CEO Pleads Not Guilty To Fraud Charges". AVweb. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  15. ^ O'Connor, Kate (26 April 2018). "Former Epic Air CEO Pleads Guilty To Fraud". AVweb. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  16. ^ Department of Justice (23 April 2018). "Bend Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme Involving Consumer Aviation Company". www.justice.gov. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  17. ^ "Epic Aircraft Announces Acquisition by Engineering LLC". Epic Aircraft (Press release). 6 March 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d e George, Fred (December 2019). "Status Report: E1000 Cleared for Takeoff" (PDF). Business and Commercial Aviation. pp. 50–56. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  19. ^ Schrader, Mike (3 February 2014). "FAA Certification On Schedule For Epic Aircraft" (PDF). Epic Aircraft. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  20. ^ Elliott, Megan (27 July 2016). "Epic Aircraft Completes Round-the-World Tour". Flying Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  21. ^ Niles, Russ (1 June 2020). "Epic Delivers First Two Certified E1000s". AVweb. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  22. ^ Niles, Russ (1 June 2020). "Epic Delivers First Two Certified E1000s". AVweb. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  23. ^ a b c O'Connor, Kate (7 November 2019). "Epic E1000 FAA Certified". AVweb. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  24. ^ Gerzanics, Mike (13 July 2011). "FLIGHT TEST: Epic LT - Experimental Rocket". Flight Global. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  25. ^ "Epic Victory Jet makes first flight". Flyer Airportal. 10 July 2007. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  26. ^ "Pictures: Epic AIR unveils two new aircraft at Sun 'n Fun show". Flight Global. 18 April 2007. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  27. ^ Decker, Jeffrey (18 August 2008). "Epic Elite very light jet stranded in Georgia". Flight Global. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  28. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mark was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

2024 COI edit request

edit
Latest comment: 7 days ago4 comments3 people in discussion

Hi! As noted above, I'm a COI editor for Epic, here with one new request for this article: In the lead, update

Epic went through bankruptcy in 2009 before being purchased first by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft in 2010

to

Epic went through bankruptcy in 2009 before being purchased first by LT Builders Group in 2010

Per the article body and the sources cited there,[1][2] (N.B. I've added archive URLs to both those refs, since it looks like both original URLs have gone down.) CAIGA only acquired the rights to market the Epic LT in certain regions.

References

  1. ^ Niles, Russ (April 2010). "Judge Orders Epic Partnership". AVweb. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  2. ^ Grady, Mary (April 2010). "An Epic Deal Between Builders Group, Chinese Company". AVweb. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2024.

Thanks for your time! Mary Gaulke (talk) 01:20, 22 October 2024 (UTC)Reply

Hello Mary,
I'm not sure that the sources here bear out the edit request.
The two links in source 2 are dead links despite only have been posted here 24 hours ago.
My reading of source 1 is that it doesn't say that the co was purchased first by LTBG, but instead that An Oregon federal judge has made bedfellows of strangers in a ruling aimed at forcing a partnership between a huge Chinese aviation company and a group of homebuilders, both of whom were trying to buy the assets of Epic Aircraft. Randall Dunn accepted the $4.3 million cash bid for Epic from Aviation Industry Corp. of China on the condition that it sign an agreement allowing the LT Builders Group to run the facility in Bend, Ore. So, it looks to me as though the current article text is correct and the initial sale was to Aviation Ind Corp.
It seems that the ownership situation around this time was not straightforward, but the current text is essentially accurate and going into further detail on the exact details would be WP:UNDUE in an encyclopaedia article.
Happy to discuss further if you believe I'm missing something here.
Kind regards, Axad12 (talk) 03:34, 23 October 2024 (UTC)Reply
@Axad12: Thanks for flagging the broken source link. Here is the reference with fixed archive link.[1] This article[2] also spells out the arrangement: "Americans will revive aircraft manufacturing in Bend, licensing technology to a Chinese company that can make and sell Epic's sleek carbon-fiber LT turboprop outside North America." So, it is inaccurate to say CAIGA purchased Epic. If this level of detail is undue for the lead, I'd suggest removing the 2010 sale entirely, perhaps restoring that paragraph to its status in this diff.

References

  1. ^ Grady, Mary (April 2010). "An Epic Deal Between Builders Group, Chinese Company". AVweb. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  2. ^ Read, Richard (8 April 2010). "In surprise deal, Bend's Epic Air remains under U.S. control". The Oregonian. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
Thank you again. Mary Gaulke (talk) 01:48, 5 November 2024 (UTC)Reply
  Not done: see Axad12's comment. Encoded  Talk 💬 09:23, 29 October 2024 (UTC)Reply
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