Saf-Air
Just called and talked with John, the owner of SAF and he would neither confirm nor deny that its been sold. He said that "nothing is firmed up just yet."
When asked if they would continue to make Aeronca parts he said that he felt that they would but if a sale happened he would have no control over it. I then asked about closing down the current operation in Albert Lea and he said that this would happen if a sale occured.
Asked about keeping the current employees with the company and he said that he hoped that they would be taken care of, but nothing firm. He added that "you might call me Thursday afternoon" when I can say more.
Sure sound to me like its more or less a done deal. Anyone wanting or needing Aeronca parts better call them now and get them on order before the actual sale takes place!
JoeA
When asked if they would continue to make Aeronca parts he said that he felt that they would but if a sale happened he would have no control over it. I then asked about closing down the current operation in Albert Lea and he said that this would happen if a sale occured.
Asked about keeping the current employees with the company and he said that he hoped that they would be taken care of, but nothing firm. He added that "you might call me Thursday afternoon" when I can say more.
Sure sound to me like its more or less a done deal. Anyone wanting or needing Aeronca parts better call them now and get them on order before the actual sale takes place!
JoeA
Safe Air
Boy!! That would be a heart breaker 
to see a class organization like Safe Air close. Everything (and I mean everything) I've bought from them has been as described. Not to mention the knowledge about Champs that Joe and Dan have. Hopefully, that won't happen and if WAG buys it they'll continue letting the company operate as usual.
to see a class organization like Safe Air close. Everything (and I mean everything) I've bought from them has been as described. Not to mention the knowledge about Champs that Joe and Dan have. Hopefully, that won't happen and if WAG buys it they'll continue letting the company operate as usual."If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money"
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Nathan K. Hammond
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well damn. 
there goes one hell of a group of guys and girls. I've NEVER had problems with them, NEVER. I guess I better order my fuel tanks today!
We ordered an exhaust stack from Wag in the 80's. It looked really nice, until we ran the engine. They forgot to cut the hole in tube where the pipes joined!! After that insident, we stopped using Wag-Aero if at all possible.
Anybody know how all this buy-out crap started? Keep us posted Joe.
nkh, a little more depressed.
there goes one hell of a group of guys and girls. I've NEVER had problems with them, NEVER. I guess I better order my fuel tanks today! We ordered an exhaust stack from Wag in the 80's. It looked really nice, until we ran the engine. They forgot to cut the hole in tube where the pipes joined!! After that insident, we stopped using Wag-Aero if at all possible.
Anybody know how all this buy-out crap started? Keep us posted Joe.
nkh, a little more depressed.
7AC-5691
Super 85-12F @ DVK
Super 85-12F @ DVK
From Aero News:
Top News
Safe Air Repair Acquired By AeroFab/Wag-Aero
Fri, 11 Mar '05
Aeronca Community Expressing Concerns Over Pricing, Service
A well-known and much trusted aviation parts manufacturer is selling out... to another such business. Safe Air Repair, an Albert Lea, Minnesota, based operation, is the FAA-PMA approved manufacturer of over 11,000 parts for the Aeronca, Champion, Bellanca, 7,8,& 11 Series Aircraft, as well as a number of Taylorcraft parts (though that remains a fair but small part of the total business).
The new owner, as of a few hours ago (when we promised "Real-Time," we weren't kidding), is Wisconsin based Aero Fabricators, an arm of Wag-Aero, a well-known aero-catalog house started by the highly-respected team of Dick and Bobbie Wagner and sold in 1995 to Bill Read and Mary Myers. Since then, Wag-Aero has been on something of a buying spree, having acquired (among others) the assets of Viking Aero Manufacturing in April 1997 (MFR of hand-held tow bars, hitch towbars, windsock frames and aircraft jacks), Leading Edge AirFoils, a major Rotax support business, in 2000 (after the death of the irrepressible Bill Raisner in 1999) and Ground Support Manufacturing (tow-bars, jacks, engine stands, chocks, winches, etc.) in 2002.
Wag-Aero's Bill Read has acknowledged that their acquisition may be viewed with concern by the Aeronca community, in particular, who had come to have a very high regard for Safe Air, it's staff and owner, John Roscoe. "John is a tough act to follow... but we will be able to rely on his expertise through the transition. We do expect to have all the assets in Lyons, WI, by this weekend and the reissuance of Safe Air's PMAs within a matter of days."
Read noted a few promising aspects of the new acquisition will result in the availability of Aeronca spars for the first time in nearly a year and that the cooperation he's received from the FAA has been exceptional. He also promises to increase attention to the Taylorcraft product line once they have a handle on the Aeronca side of the business.
Some Aeronca flyers note that this is going to be a tough sell to the somewhat polarized community... some of whom have claimed to have made offers to Roscoe for the business before the surprise announcement. While Wag-Aero and its associated operations have great expertise in tube and rag component fabrication, the biggest issue among those talking to ANN has been one of price. The general consensus expressed concerns over price increases for the future, as well as for the welfare of some of the key employees that buttressed the positive reputation Safe Air earned over the years. Read notes that he is in negotiation with a number of key Safe Air personnel but had no concrete announcements as to who (if any) may be coming to Lyons as part of the sale.
In the meantime, there is yet another aeronautical changing of the guard to complete. "The fine folks at Safe Air were (some) of the best customer service professionals in the business," noted one Aeronca rebuilder. "Joe (Bolinger) and Dan (Schumaker) at Safe Air knew our aircraft inside and out and could help with suggestions in order to save us some money and decide which part would be a better fit."
ANN will be following up on this story in the near future... stay tuned.
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?Cont ... 5e99348a8b&
Top News
Safe Air Repair Acquired By AeroFab/Wag-Aero
Fri, 11 Mar '05
Aeronca Community Expressing Concerns Over Pricing, Service
A well-known and much trusted aviation parts manufacturer is selling out... to another such business. Safe Air Repair, an Albert Lea, Minnesota, based operation, is the FAA-PMA approved manufacturer of over 11,000 parts for the Aeronca, Champion, Bellanca, 7,8,& 11 Series Aircraft, as well as a number of Taylorcraft parts (though that remains a fair but small part of the total business).
The new owner, as of a few hours ago (when we promised "Real-Time," we weren't kidding), is Wisconsin based Aero Fabricators, an arm of Wag-Aero, a well-known aero-catalog house started by the highly-respected team of Dick and Bobbie Wagner and sold in 1995 to Bill Read and Mary Myers. Since then, Wag-Aero has been on something of a buying spree, having acquired (among others) the assets of Viking Aero Manufacturing in April 1997 (MFR of hand-held tow bars, hitch towbars, windsock frames and aircraft jacks), Leading Edge AirFoils, a major Rotax support business, in 2000 (after the death of the irrepressible Bill Raisner in 1999) and Ground Support Manufacturing (tow-bars, jacks, engine stands, chocks, winches, etc.) in 2002.
Wag-Aero's Bill Read has acknowledged that their acquisition may be viewed with concern by the Aeronca community, in particular, who had come to have a very high regard for Safe Air, it's staff and owner, John Roscoe. "John is a tough act to follow... but we will be able to rely on his expertise through the transition. We do expect to have all the assets in Lyons, WI, by this weekend and the reissuance of Safe Air's PMAs within a matter of days."
Read noted a few promising aspects of the new acquisition will result in the availability of Aeronca spars for the first time in nearly a year and that the cooperation he's received from the FAA has been exceptional. He also promises to increase attention to the Taylorcraft product line once they have a handle on the Aeronca side of the business.
Some Aeronca flyers note that this is going to be a tough sell to the somewhat polarized community... some of whom have claimed to have made offers to Roscoe for the business before the surprise announcement. While Wag-Aero and its associated operations have great expertise in tube and rag component fabrication, the biggest issue among those talking to ANN has been one of price. The general consensus expressed concerns over price increases for the future, as well as for the welfare of some of the key employees that buttressed the positive reputation Safe Air earned over the years. Read notes that he is in negotiation with a number of key Safe Air personnel but had no concrete announcements as to who (if any) may be coming to Lyons as part of the sale.
In the meantime, there is yet another aeronautical changing of the guard to complete. "The fine folks at Safe Air were (some) of the best customer service professionals in the business," noted one Aeronca rebuilder. "Joe (Bolinger) and Dan (Schumaker) at Safe Air knew our aircraft inside and out and could help with suggestions in order to save us some money and decide which part would be a better fit."
ANN will be following up on this story in the near future... stay tuned.
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?Cont ... 5e99348a8b&
Safe Air
Thanks Joe. Well, at this point we can only hope for the best. Wag Aero is not a bad organization, but John and Safe Air were a known commodity. I also understand John is getting to the "retirement age" (got there myself a few years ago) and you can't blame him for making the best deal he can.
I just have memories of when Aircraft Spruce bought out Barry Jay. Some prices went up and other parts (Good Year pucks at a reasonable price) ceased to be available.
Best of luck to John in his retirement and hope somehow the "Aeronca Arm" of Wag Aero can retain the likes of Joe and Dan. By the way, Joe told me that Safe Air was working with somone a couple of years ago to
manufacture Good Year brake clips...
...we should be so lucky!!
I just have memories of when Aircraft Spruce bought out Barry Jay. Some prices went up and other parts (Good Year pucks at a reasonable price) ceased to be available.
Best of luck to John in his retirement and hope somehow the "Aeronca Arm" of Wag Aero can retain the likes of Joe and Dan. By the way, Joe told me that Safe Air was working with somone a couple of years ago to
manufacture Good Year brake clips...
...we should be so lucky!!"If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money"
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Nathan K. Hammond
- Posts: 2371
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- Location: Danville, KY (DVK)
- Contact:
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visitor
Wag-air repair!
Anyone won't to post a bet that within a couple of years there will be a Wag-Champ like the Wagabond (Vagabond copy) or the Wag-Cub? Would be interesting to see a homebuilt version of the Champ. All of the parts are certainly there now!
Bob F.
Bob F.
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Nathan K. Hammond
- Posts: 2371
- Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2004 00:22
- Location: Danville, KY (DVK)
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I wish we could have had some earlier notice. I know Wag is not the evil empire I sometimes make them out to be. But still, with Joe and Dan, I always had complete confidence in the products they sold. Never once did I have a concern about the gear springs I got from them, or the struts I purchased. And for tech support, they were phenomenal, always willing to take a few minutes to answer some wild ass question bugging me. I only hope that Wag is able to keep the quality and support to the standard that Joe and Dan have for all these years. Still, I would have rather bought a set of fuel tanks from SAR and not Wag.
nkh
nkh
7AC-5691
Super 85-12F @ DVK
Super 85-12F @ DVK