Remember back when Trek Aerospace was going to auction off the SoloTrek XFV on eBay? Well, bidding got up to almost $7 million by the second day. Then, on the third day, the seller ended the bidding early because of an error in the listing.

It turns out that,

"...significant information relevant to this item was omitted from the original listing. This item is nonoperational and as such is not warranted or represented to be capable of performing flight or other operations."

Omitting the fact that the contraption doesn't even work is more than just a simple listing error. The original listing states,

"As a condition of sale, the successful bidder will have to execute an agreement warranting that they will use the aircraft for static exhibition and educational purposes only."

A second listing was posted after the error was corrected. The second listing adds this bold, simple phrase,

"The aircraft will be sold in its as-is, nonoperable condition."

Apparently, "nonoperable condition" is clearer than "static exhibition."

So I think this was just a grand marketing test by Trek Aerospace to see how much some idiot would actually pay for the XFV Prototype. Seven million dollars. That's how much. Just about probably enough to keep them from having to go out of business. Since the Segway Human Transporter has been banned from the sidewalks of San Francisco, the personal-motorized-vehicle market is wide open. Watch, Sharper Image stores everywhere will have the second generation vehicle in stock for $8.5 mil. by Christmas. Meanwhile, not a single bid was placed during the second eBay auction for the "nonoperable" XFV. Trek Aerospace not only learned the value of their product, they also learned that no one wants their junk.

Sorry Trek Aerospace. Call me when you invent an operable amphibicopter.

Check it out yourself

burton@pigdog.org