LTA --- GRIST FOR THE BLOG MILL --- FINANCIAL CONFERENCES
This is a radical expansion and re-write of our previous BLOG of 23 January 2013 : The additional material is, if not priceless (too much to ask for) --- at least, we believe--- greatly value enhancing,
We don't know how many interested souls this will reach. That
said, we would like to thank you all for your comments, and go on record --- reflecting
a previous role as organizer and manager of university conferences during time
in academia --- with the following thoughts to ponder :
The wisdom that comes from maturity (a nice term for aging), now suggests that
a conference on the subject of lighter-than-air craft --- NOT the mechanics,
NOT the history, and NOT negatives such as the cause of one-time 75-year-old
disasters --- but rather, as someone
suggested recently, How to Make it Work : Follow the Money .
We believe that, given the financially-oriented structure of our civilization,
it struck us that a national, or even international, conference bringing
together manufacturers and operators of LTA equipment with interested investors
and financial advisors in a forum entitled something like "LTA : Make it Work, Make it Pay" might be successful and
beneficial to both cohorts.
Despite prevailing economic conditions, there's a good deal of capital
available, as very few investors are willing to put their money out at the 0.5
% Return on Investment that we were quoted recently by our bank; investors may
be interested in opportunities in the airship field, but find that airship
manufacturers don't talk their language. In any case, it couldn't hurt to
attempt the matchmaking.
We envision airship designers, manufacturers, and purveyors, both big and
small, be given the opportunity to talk about and demonstrate their efforts and
successes to venture capitalists and those financial groups who instruct and
assist small companies in Private Placements under Section 504 of the SEC
Regulations or, indeed, even full-bore Initial Public Offerings (IPO's) .
Let's
say we choose a large open venue --- perhaps near an operating under-utilized
airport (NOT an O'Hare or a Kennedy International) --- conveniently located
near indoor exhibition space, perhaps close to a University with an engineering
department that might wish to participate and an academic structure that encouraged the
interchange of ideas. LTA airship demonstrations, forums providing sound
financial advice, and even vending of airship-oriented accessories and
supplies, it might warrant the effort.
Also present would be representatives of
C.P.A. firms with an interest in New Business Development and small start-ups
AND, especially, small firms engaged in the design and manufacture of remote
sensing devices . So many small businessmen engaged in the LTA field think only
about ferrying tourists around for a fee, in the tradition of the great
Zeppelins of the past. Yet the two neglected areas of remote sensors and ,
possibly, cargo (freight) transportation might prove to be the two most financially
rewarding aspects of the airship business, that turn failure into success.
We'd also encourage knowledgeable advisors to be available to analyze current
Business Models and Business Plans --- two very distinct species of financial
animal --- and to recommend beneficial changes to new businesses. We know of
one recent case where --- no matter how
many trips the airship took, no matter how many tourist passengers booked hour-long
sight-seeing passage --- the design of the tour and the income-expense math could
not possibly succeed in earning any sort of a Return On Investment for the
venture . Sadly, the business closed permanently and the airship had to be
returned to the manufacturer.
Analogy ? Picture a taxicab business in New York
City that advertised it would take you anywhere in New York State for $ 1.00 ;
they would be doomed to lose money on every trip and a successful passenger
load might actually represent a heavy drain on cash flow. One cannot remain in
existence very long with that massive financial drain .
We would also like to see experts in marketing (much more than merely advertising) --- especially
those well-versed in the new Social Media --- teach the airship owners about the
myriad new ways that currently exist to get their airship venture known by
potential public customers .
Those financial analyses and that up-to-date business advice from
professionals would be the core of this conference, and I believe that it would
be beneficial to airship entrepreneurs, investors, and the continued use of
airships in continuing, profitable business ventures.
We also believe that the financial design of this project suggests that
renting the use of airships, OR using the lease-purchase approach as
automobile dealers have done, would be an interesting and useful addition to
the program. Airship purveyors should realize that not many people can comfortably
write a check for the entire price of an automobile ... OR in this case, an airship --- and
that lease-purchase plans could be something for them to consider making available to entrepreneurs.
In order to minimize the effects of bad weather, we would plan
a conference of that sort be held in the halcyon season of incredibly fine
weather upon which one can depend that occurs regularly and predictably here on
the Gulf Coast of Florida (Greater Tampa Bay) between --- roughly ---
Thanksgiving and Easter. [Recent Canadian visitor : "Wow, it's beautiful
down here. every day, perfect blue sky, no rain, no storms ! But tell me,
what's Winter like down here ?" Our
response : "This is Winter down here" ]
Supplementary events featuring sophisticated remotely-operated large-scale miniature airships ,
for example, a one-fourth full size drone up to 30 foot long, capable of being equipped
with a broad range of Remote Sensors that extend its function and
practicability far beyond merely a hobby or a toy.
This event might not be the magnitude of the Super Bowl, but we imagine
that it would attract a substantial number of people in the fields of airships
and finance, together with a large controlled-access public audience that would
provide a basis for viral publicity by the Mainstream Media, and would justify
the effort.
Airship families could attend and, either see the program OR wander off to the beaches (finest in the world) or the many resort and theme park attractions within an hour or so.
We'd like to see many small airship businesses succeed under a
variety of business arrangements. Knowledge is Power .
Whatcha think ? Please give us your thoughts by eMail at HNILS@MSN.COM We will read and reply to anything even remotely sincere.
HybridPelta
Palmetto-Ellenton Lighter-Than-Air Airships, Large and Small
Harold Nils Pelta HNILS@msn.com
P O Box 208
Ellenton, FL 34222
REVIEWING PROGRAM POSSIBILITIES :
Discussion of design
and construction concepts
Public offerings (IPO's)
Private Placements
under §504 of the SEC Regulations
Remote sensing
Power
options --- Internal Combustion , Electricity, Fuel Cell, other Fuel Options
Applications in a huge variety of fields,
practical, research, and academic
Marketing your LTA Airship Business --- Have you tried the new Social Media ?
Business Models, Business Plans - Constructing
a Blueprint for
Success ?
The Federal Aviation
Administration --- Role and Restriction
"Gee,
I Never Thought of That" sessions
COYOTE Sessions (Call
Off Your Old Tired Excuses OR How to Respond to Naysayers)
Examining Instruction and Curricular Requirements for Flying LTA Airships ? Do
we still need to insist on new airship pilots learning to fly hot-air
balloons first --- Isn't it rather like Motor Vehicle Agencies insisting
you learn How to ride a horse, THEN How to drive a horse-drawn carriage BEFORE
you even get into an automobile for your first driving
lesson ?
Are the
new, exciting remotely-controlled Mini-Airships classified as model airplanes?
... OR as Drones? OR as scientific instruments? i... OR analogous to ROV's (Robot submarines) ? OR ?????
Doesn't the
banishment of pilots from the cockpit to a remote location remove the last barrier to
the use of Hydrogen as fuel ? "It Won't Burn,
But If It Does, No Harm
Done, Just Collect The Insurance"
Oh, Right,
The Insurance ! An important resource to have available.
... and much more !
Hybrid-Hal Pelta