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Aircraft Spruce update

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n801bh(at)netzero.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 6:26 am Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

Well, I was wrong when I said that Jim Irwin would not follow through and investigate my problem with ACS. He did and contacted me with this " 

  

         

     Ben:

  

 Thanks for your quick reply and your understanding. I am sure that the lack of the return tag was simply an oversight by whoever handled this matter 3 years ago. All of our staff is very busy on a day to day basis and they probably just forgot to do the last step in the process, which was to be sure to get the "short" tubing picked up. If you were charged for the replacement tubing but never credited for the first shipment(because it was not returned), please let me know the approximate amount of the replacement invoice so we can reimburse you. 

  

 I appreciate your kind words and am sorry that we could not get this resolved years ago. Thanks in advance for letting the RV readers know that we have discussed the problem. I hope that we can be of service to you sometime soon.

  

 Let me know what the cost was on that tubing!

  

 Best Regards,

  

 Jim Irwin

 Aircraft Spruce

 

/////////////////////////////////////////// 

This the good ol ACS I rememeber when I first started my project. I hope it stays this way because I need ALOT of 4130 tubing and other stuff for the firewall forward packages I am about to selling. The Murphy Moose and the Bearcat kits are first. I don't even want to start on the RV-10 customers yet, those will outsell the others by 5-1. 

 Thanks Jim for your leg work in correcting my bad experience with ACS. 



Ben Haas

N801BH

www.haaspowerair.com 

Any questions? Get answers on any topic at www.Answers.yahoo.com.  Try it now.========================       - The RV-List Esp;many List utilities such as the Subscri================================================       - NEW MATRONICS&nbspnow also available via the Web Forums!

==========================================================   [quote][b]

Aircraft Spruce Info

Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 14

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:14 am Post subject: Re: Aircraft Spruce update

We have reviewed some of the recent postings in response to one that was critical of Aircraft Spruce, and we want to thank those who posted some very nice comments on the good experiences they have had in dealing with Aircraft Spruce over the years....we appreciate your business and your support.

 

These comments were in response to a former customer's posting regarding a custom panel quote and some short cut 4130 steel tubing from several years ago.  On the custom panels, Aircraft Spruce went into partnership with Advantage Avionics several years ago and all panel quotes and panel work are now handled by Advantage Avionics.  They are custom panel specialists and do excellent work.  I have responded to our former customer to apologize for our not being able to meet the quotation he received from our competitor on the custom panel, and for the problem he had with the tubing.  Mistakes can happen, but it is our responsibility to quickly resolve them for out customers, and in the case of the tubing, we apparently did not.  We're not perfect, but we will keep providing the best service we possibly can for our customers.

 

Jim Irwin

President, Aircraft Spruce

n616tb(at)btsapps.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:38 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

Wow, this is impressive.  Why can't other venders get how important customer

service is?  I have been struggling to get a bad component replaced for my

Vision Microsystems unit for over 4 months.  They had me send it to them and

now I don't even have the bad one.  I can't even get my calls returned.  JPI

will not provide me another name or number to get results.



Jim Irwin,  Thanks for caring

Tim

Do Not Archive



[quote] --

jpl(at)showpage.org
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:33 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

Someone ALWAYS answers the sales phone.  Call that number then tell  

the sales person the problem.  THEN tell him that all your friends  

know the situation you're having with Vision Microsystems and they're  

all wondering if it's going to be resolved, as several of them are  

building planes of their own and need to decide what equipment they  

wish to install.



I bet the sales person gets to the bottom of it in a big kind of hurry.



If that doesn't work, try again, but get in touch with the sales  

manager and tell him that you've been talking about this problem on  

the Matronics RV mailing list with other builders.



Look, the tech support guys don't care if the company gets bad press  

and a bad reputation.  But you can bet the sales manager does, and  

he's in a position to do something about bad customer service.



As a last step, call their main line.  Ask for the name of the  

company president.  Get all the info on him they'll give you -- name,  

phone number, email, whatever.  Then take whatever steps you can to  

tell him about your problem.



If none of those work, then none of us should ever even consider  

doing business with the company again.  If the sales manager and  

company president can't get a customer service issue solved, then  

clearly the company is in major trouble.



If I think the tech support department is doing their job, I give  

them some time to work on it.  But if I've given a company the kind  

of money you paid to Vision Microsystems, then I expect the product  

to work.  And if the product doesn't work, I expect a solution the  

same week.  If they can't provide that (because you found an actual  

flaw in the product, not just a bad part), they should at least be  

able to tell you so and tell you they're working on a solution --  

then keep you in the loop.  There's nothing wrong with contacting the  

guy at the top and voicing displeasure with the service department.   

You paid them a lot of money for working equipment, and they haven't  

delivered.



But stay polite.  You want to seem like the most reasonable person on  

the planet, not the most upset.  If you come across as reasonable AND  

upset, that tells them, "Hey, if this reasonable guy is this upset,  

we're really screwing up."



Company presidents HATE getting phone calls from dissatisfied  

customers.  They always do something about it.



-J



On Feb 6, 2007, at 2:37 PM, Tim Bryan wrote:



[quote] 



 Wow, this is impressive.  Why can't other venders get how important  

 customer

 service is?  I have been struggling to get a bad component replaced  

 for my

 Vision Microsystems unit for over 4 months.  They had me send it to  

 them and

 now I don't even have the bad one.  I can't even get my calls  

 returned.  JPI

 will not provide me another name or number to get results.



 Jim Irwin,  Thanks for caring

 Tim

 Do Not Archive



> --

brianpublic2(at)starband.
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:42 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

Hello Jim,



I've had it on my list of things to do for about 2 years to write to you

about the consistently poor customer service I have encountered at Aircraft

Spruce.   Details of my last couple encounters are posted on my "vendors"

page:   http://brian76.mystarband.net/vendors.htm/#ACS



I'm glad that you cared enough about your customer service to respond to

previous statements from me and numerous others on this list about problems

with Aircraft Spruce's customer service, and I hope you will take steps to

address those issues internally.   If I have any more customer service

problems at ACS, I will be sure to contact you immediately with details.

ACS would be a great source if not for the attitude problems some of us have

encountered.



Brian Meyette

RV-7A

Cornish, NH

--

rvbuilder(at)sausen.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

Let's not forget that VM is now JPI.  Mention the Matronics list to them

and they may sue you for something.  One of the EFIS systems I am

seriously considering is the OP Technologies.  The biggest shortcoming

with OP is they use JPI for their engine monitoring.



--

Bruce(at)glasair.org
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:28 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

In defense of JPI, they PAID Matt well into 5 figures for the name change.



Bruce

www.glasair.org

 



--

n616tb(at)btsapps.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

Who is Matt? Name change for what?



Do Not Archive



[quote] --

kboatright1(at)comcast.ne
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:20 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

If you climb into the wayback machine, you'll find that 8 or so years ago 

(from memory), JPI threatened to sue Matronics for copyright (or was it 

trademark?) infringement over a product name.  Both products were fuel 

totalizers for the aviation market.  In the end, I don't think the suit went 

to trial, but Matronics did end up changing the name of its product.



At the time, it appeared that a larger company (JPI) was using its deeper 

pockets and the threat of legal action to intimidate a smaller competitor 

(Matronics).  Matronics is owned by a guy named Matt Dralle, who is also the 

owner and system administrator for this and a couple of other free forums 

for various flavors of experimental aviation...



Search for JPI in the archives and you'll find plenty of info...



KB

---

khorton01(at)rogers.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

On 6 Feb 2007, at 17:58, Tim Bryan wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Who is Matt? Name change for what?


	


Matt Dralle provides the servers that run the Aeroelectric-List, RV- 

List, etc.  Way back in early 1999 JPI sued Matt for no good reason.   

Matt's post describing the problem can be found in the RV-List  

archives.  I repeat it here to save you the trouble:



From: dralle(at)matronics.com (Matt Dralle 925-606-1001)

Date: Feb 06, 1999

Subject: PLEASE READ - I Need Your Help...

Dear Listers,



I received the letter below from J.P. Instruments' attorneys yesterday.

J.P. Instruments (JPI) manufactures aircraft engine monitoring  

instruments

and they are based out of Huntington Beach, California.  In the  

letter, JPI

alleges that because Matronics (my company and sponsor of these email  

lists)

uses the name "FUEL SCAN" on our product, Matronics is infringing on  

JPI's

registered trademark of "SCANNER".  (The actual name of the Matronics

product is "FUELSCAN" not "FUEL SCAN" as indicated.)  They are  

requesting

that Matronics discontinue the use of the name "FUEL SCAN" by

February 19, 1999 or they will "resort to legal remedies."



As you can imagine, this is very upsetting information.  Changing the  

name

of the FuelScan now will cost thousands of dollars by having to redo  

product

literature, brochures, documentation, silk screening and a host of other

items that include the name.  Many of these items have been  

reproduced in

large quantities to make the reproduction costs more affordable.  All of

this would have to be discarded and reproduced if Matronics is forced

to comply.  Perhaps even more significant, however, is the fact that

after 4 years on the market, the Matronics FuelScan is just now becoming

more widely known as a fine and reliable product.  Changing the  

FuelScan's

name at this critical time in the product's life would be a devastating

blow to both the long term successfulness of the FuelScan as well as

to financial stability of Matronics.  Complying with JPI's request could

cause Matronics to cease to exist as we now know it and might very well

jeopardize the many other services Matronics provides to the Aviation

community such as these email Lists and web site.



With that all being said, I'm not sure what to do at this point.   

There is

no way that I can afford to fight JPI over this.  I definitely don't  

want

to just roll over and give them their way, either.  It just doesn't seem

quite fair that they could put me out of business because, in their

estimation, "my product might be confused with their's".



If there is anyone out there that could offer some legal advise or

consultation in these matters, I would really appreciate it.  It would

also seem, that with nearly 1900 members on the combined four email  

Lists,

we would represent a rather strong voice.  If anyone has any ideas on  

how

to organize that strength to help resolve this matter, I would love to

hear it.



I would like to thank everyone here in advance for all of your  

support over

the years.  It's in times like these that it becomes very apparent  

what a

truly great group of people these Lists represent.  I thank you.

Matt Dralle

Matronics

RV, Rocket, Kolb & Zenith List Admin.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

----

Reprint of FACSIMILE

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

----

Price, Gess & Ubell

Attorneys at Law

2100 S.E. Main Street, Suite 250

Irvine, California 92614-6238

February 5, 1999



Joseph W. Price

Albin H. Gess

Franklin D. Ubell

Doyle B. Johnson

Michael J. Moffatt

Gordon E. Gray III

Bradley D. Blanche



A Professional Corporation

Telephone:        (949) 261-8433

Facsimile:        (949) 261-9072

Facsimile:        (949) 261-1726



e-mail:                pgu(at)pgulaw.com

VIA FACSIMILE

-------------

President

Matronics, Inc.

P.O. Box 347

Livermore, CA 94551



         Re:         J.P. Instruments v. Matronics, Inc.

         Our Ref: JPI1-700a



Dear Sir or Madam:



         Enclosed for your review is the federal trademark  

registration for

"SCANNER" owned by J.P. Instruments.  We have recently discovered  

your use

of the mark "FUEL SCAN" for after-market aircraft parts.  The use of

FUEL SCAN is likely to cause confusion with our client's trademark

SCANNER and therefore infringes our client's trademark.



         We request that you respect our client's intellectual property

rights and stop using the FUEL SCAN mark.  If you do not confirm that

you have stopped using the FUEL SCAN mark by February 19, 1999, our

client will resort to its legal remedies.



         If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact  

me.



Very truly yours,



PRICE, GESS & UBELL



[signature]



Gordon E. Gray



GEG:xox

Enclosure

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

----

Reprint of Trademark Enclosure

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

----

Int. Cl.: 9

Prior U.S. Cl.: 26

United States Patent and Trademark Office



Reg. No 1,943,281

Registered Dec. 26, 1995



TRADEMARK

PRINCIPAL REGISTER



SCANNER



J.P. INSTRUMENTS (CALIFORNIA CORPORATION)

1540-K EAST EDINGER

SANTA ANA, CA 92705



   FOR: ENGINE TEMPERATURE INDICATORS, IN CLASS 9 (U.S. CL. 26)



   FIRST USE 6-0-1884; IN COMMERCE 6-0-1984.

   SEC. 2(F).



   SER. NO. 73-742,104, FILED 7-25-1988



KATHRYN ERSKINE, EXAMINING ATTORNEY

=================



I will never, ever purchase a product from JPI.  Their approach to  

downloading data from their engine monitors shows that their  

antipathy to their customers continues.



Kevin Horton         RV-8 (finishing kit)

Ottawa, Canada

http://www.kilohotel.com/rv8

capsteve

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 111
Location: NIAGARA FALLS NY

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:15 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

That’s very interesting. In monitoring the list for the last couple years

I've never caught wind of a payoff... I guess that’s good for matt, but I've

been prejudiced against jpi for heavy handed tactics, and if in fact they

paid well for they're concerns, I need to reevaluate my defense of the

"persecuted"....steve

40205

 



[quote] --

klwerner(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:35 pm Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

The JPI episode  has happened already 8 years ago to the day !?!?!?  (Feb. 6,  1999)

 Time sure fly's by ....

  

 do not archive

 [quote]   ---

khorton01(at)rogers.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 2:27 am Post subject: Aircraft Spruce update

Matt certainly felt legitimately persecuted at the time.  Imagine you  

are a small business owner who gets served a law suit from a big  

company, when you have done nothing wrong.  You've got two choices,  

and neither are good - roll over and do what they want, at a  

considerable cost, or fight the law suit, at a considerable cost.   

Not good.



The only reason for the law suit was that JPI decided that they  

wanted to produce a fuel flow system, and they liked the name that  

Matt had chosen several years earlier.  JPI chose to use the pressure  

of an expensive law suit to try to force Matt to sell them the name  

Fuel Scan.  There was a furor of bad publicity, anti-JPI web pages  

created by RV builders, and letters and e-mails to JPI.  They  

eventually woke up and decided to offer to purchase the name from  

Matt, rather than try to steal it via a law suit.



Kevin Horton



On 7 Feb 2007, at 24:11, Steven DiNieri wrote:



[quote] 

 <capsteve(at)adelphia.net>



 That’s very interesting. In monitoring the list for the last couple  

 years

 I've never caught wind of a payoff... I guess that’s good for matt,  

 but I've

 been prejudiced against jpi for heavy handed tactics, and if in  

 fact they

 paid well for they're concerns, I need to reevaluate my defense of the

 "persecuted"....steve

 40205

> --

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