Feeling the crunch ?

Ok, boring and depressing subject I know, but I was just wondering.

In view of the constant news about the current dire financial situation, with many people feeling the pinch and job losses both in the airline industry and in the wider economy, what has been the impact on aircraft projects, whether vintage rebuilds or homebuilds?

‘Wrecks and Relics’ lists numerous aircraft as being under restoration but I can’t help feeling that a number of them, especially those which have not been reported on for several years, may have fallen by the wayside and been shelved as no longer viable.

I would imagine the cost of engines, spare parts and instruments must have shot up, especially in the UK due to the relative strength of the US dollar and the Euro against the £. Presumably the cost of standard Lycoming or Continental engines has substantially increased and I hesitate to think of the cost of keeping a warbird flying. At the lower end of the scale some of the older engines like the Pobjoy and J.A.P. must be very difficult to keep going, which is why you don’t see many of the aircraft using them still flying.

Please don’t mention the ‘V’ word, but what other projects do Forum members know about, which have been adversely affected by the so-called ‘credit crunch’ ?

Wicked Willip :diablo: