1. TexConeTM
Solving problems of ice formation
Prof. Mool C. Gupta - Principal Investigator
Mr. Paul O. Caffrey - Entrepreneur Lead
Mr. Martin O. Skelly - I-Corps Mentor
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2. 1. Production 1. Durability Eliminate ice Personal Aviation
2. Testing 2. Adhesion Build-up Interaction Experimental
Marketing Immediate General
Plastic Environmental 24*7 Commercial
Replicators Biz Com Attention
Aircraft NASA
Manufactures
DOD
IP Direct Sales
Industrial
Marketing &
Contacts
Sales
People
Raw Materials 60$/500g Sale of coating
People Repair
Marketing & Sales Warranty Sales
Service Contract
4. Getting Out
Calls Overview – 4/7
General – Cirrus Aviation - Garrett Homan
Experimental Aircraft Builders - Greg Morton
Competition/Partner - Superhydrophobiccoating.com
Future:
Scheduled discussions with David Stocker and Greg Morton
Need to talk to more Pilots, General Aviation
Follow up calls with NASA, Boeing (Info for NDA),
Superhydrophobc.com (Panos).
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5. Call Details
Cirrus Aircraft – Garrett Homan – Mechanical Systems Engineer
•Cirrus has worked on Anti Icing and coatings but didn’t find a
suitable solution - Need ICING tunnel data.
•Extremely interested – Proof of function, long term durability,
field experience….months or years
•Application & Re-Application, Maintenance & cost
•2”x >2” samples, Rent Icing Tunnel -> Test on Antenna-
Unheated
•Dust Sand Bugs -> Durability
•Price ~$50K – 10% Cost of Aircraft!!!
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6. Call Details
Owner/Pilot – John Burr – Senior Systems Engineer
•Cessna 172 owner
•Carry’s his own gas on to the airfield
•What would he be willing to pay? $500
•Same issues as others - Dirability
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7. Call Details
Superhydrophobiccoating.com– Dr. Panagiotis Manoudis – founder
• He did his Ph.D research on superhydrophobic coatings for
monuments/statues said he would send us papers.
• He is not aware of anything suitably durable for aviation.
• Who else has products (who are our competitors)
• Various producers of liquids to apply - from Japan
• Superhydrophobic Paint from Germany
• Need to specialize the coating for each application.
• He heats his polymer to create texture.
• We might have opportunity to collaborate, maybe distribute.
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8. Follow up Work
• NASA – Glenn – Ice Formation Tunnel
$3000-4000 Ice testing
• NASA – Langley – Low temp tunnel
$1000 low temp durability testing
Aerodynamic properties of
microtextured surface
• Send presentation to Boeing
• Apex Wind – alternate path
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9. Market Size Update
Aviation Industry
• General Aviation
• 2276 Units 2009 (fleet 22000)
• New $2000/Plane - $4.5M
• Fleet $40MM
• New $40000/Plane - $90MM
• Fleet $850MM
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10. Archetype/Persona – Experimental Aircraft Builder
• Salary $80K+
• Engineer or Doctor
• Particular
• Very Technical
• Decision Makers
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11. Conclusion
• Value Proposition
– There is still a Market for this.
– Cirrus was very interested.
• Customer Segments
– Experimental Aircraft Manufactures
– Potential for distributing
• What next
– Talk to more contacts - 2 calls scheduled
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