Finally made it to Phoenix. It got to 109 degrees today, so I’m glad I’m heading North toward Flagstaff to spent the night. Then I’ll head on to Salt Lake City to pick up my son, Wynter, who has been backpacking with his friends. Wynter and I will come back to Flagstaff for a couple of days recuperation from all the driving I’ve been doing and to see the Grand Canyon, which I have never been to before.
I had two vendor visits today, Pacific Modelworks and Flight Miniatures. Pacific Models is one of our sourcing companies for Mahogany models. Models hanging from the walls, on display stands, and in cabinets, surrounded the showroom. We have been getting a growing number of requests for these beautiful models, both from the stock items available and as custom models of customer’s airplanes. It is always fun to see a model come in that is an exact replica of a real plane owned by a customer. Pacific Modelworks has recently upgraded their production facilities in the Philippines toward bringing out new designs and an ever expanding desire to improve the product. With the rapid change in technology we’ve seen improved products reaching the market on a pretty consistent basis. If one compares a modern GeminiJet diecast model, with an early one, or the same with Herpa, or Corgi, etc, it is easy to see how technology has increased the ability to do fine details in just the past 10 years. And the technology changes keep coming.
Flight Miniatures is also retooling to keep up with the competition in plastic snap-fit models. Flight Miniature models (formerly Long Prosper) have been around for nearly twenty years and were the top of the line until a few years ago, when companies like Hogan Wings and Skymarks raised the bar in weight, detail, and feel of this style of model. Not a company to stay static, Flight Miniatures has come out with some new designs, the AN-124 and 787 and will be doing even more in the coming year. In some ways Flight Miniatures is not directly in competitio
n with Hogan Wings and Skymarks as they shoot for a better price point, but their aim is a quality product and that is what they deliver. The packaging may not be as nice, but the models are worth every penny. The view from the company’s Cottonwood, AZ office was just spectacular as well. I sure wouldn’t mind that view out my office window.
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