ALCOR EGT Probe #86255

[SkyKing]

Here's the scoop on another item you will be paying MORE for, but not so much because of ALCOR's doings.

For those of you with the 'old' 2001 Chief Catalog #16, on page 48 you'll find the Alcor 3-year EGT probe P/N 86255... this is the very same OEM unit that Cessna installed on the front and rear engines of most Skymasters, if yours has the optional "Economy Mixture Indicator", Item No. C49-A listed in the Equipment List Description of Section 6 of your POH.

The same probe that Chief used to sell for $58.50 is Cessna P/N C668503-0102, that Cessna will gladly sell you today for a whopping $169.50 bucks each!

The reason I bring this up... I called Chief this morning to order a spare probe to have on hand... and I was shocked to learn that Alcor P/N 86255 is now $72.50. Chief's new catalog #18 that I just THIS WEEK received in the mail lists the probe for $65.50. Now, from $58.50 to $72.50 is about a 24% INCREASE, or $14 bucks.

SO boys & girls, I called Chief and asked them 'WHY' the price of this particular item had gone-up so much, but all of the rest of Alcor's probes had not. The sales rep at Chief said the price increase was all because of Alcor raising their prices. So I called Alcor and spoke to Rick who is the head-honcho. BTW, their number is 1-800-FLI-SAFE and they are GREAT people to talk with. And if your probe ever fails within the 3-year warranted period, they WILL replace it free of charge. Rick informs me that Alcor only increased their price by 6% on January 1st of 2002... and it's their first price increase in almost 5-years. So far so good. But wait, 24% minus 6% is still 18%... so WHO is ripping off who?

Well, there are two things going on here. First, Alcor's probe, P/N 86255 is used on practically EVERY Cessna single-engine airplane ever made, including the Skymaster, and as such, there is a large demand. Second, Alcor doesn't sell direct to customers or Chief Aircraft direct... they sell the same item to Cessna under their exclusive proprietary part number, and to the Big 3: AAR Corporation, AVIALL, and API (formerly AMR/Combs)... which in turn sells to the FBO's and Chief, and from there to the end user. So, it is both the 'middle-man' and Chief... who have made what they refer to as a "business decision" (quote from Chief Aircraft) to raise their price by 18%... and now you know some of the rest of the story. Just know that some bean counter has made a "business decision" to raise their end of things by 18%.

BTW, Rick and I had a rather long discussion about how pricey parts are becoming for airplanes and while he is aware of the problem, it's a double-edged sword of sorts, as his small company is kept in business by the Big 3 and their MONOPOLY of bulk purchases... and you can bet the Big 3 are getting theirs for at least 50% of list price, which for the #86255 probe is about $42 bucks. Alcor's list price is $84. Isn't Capitalism, or is it called Profiteerism, just great? And just think about what makes up the probe in the first place: a couple of pieces of measured Ohm resistance wires, two dissimilar metals, an adjustable metal band, heat resistance covering and two connectors.

BTW, Rick tells me that under an old grandfather agreement, before the Big 3 came along, they've always sold direct to SkyRanch, so we'll report later what their price is... hopefully it will be less expensive.

SkyKing