In conjunction with our Kickstarter campaign we OK'd the release of a pretty innocent and straightforward press release about how Kickstarter changed their mind.

The first WILDLY INACCURATE articles to appear reminded me instantly why press coverage can be an incredibly dumb idea. It's bad enough that the media doesn't know anything about airplanes or aviation. The real problem is they like to make things up, write science fiction, totally misquote, and refuse to do the slightest research. Then all of us who do know something pile on to comment on THEIR errors, which are obviously the "claims" of some loony who doesn't know the slightest thing about designing an airplane.

Now it seems I've given them an excuse to attribute wondrous, impossible powers to an object that has never claimed them, isn't finished, and obviously isn't going to get any of my attention this week. All blame for THEIR ineptitude goes to ME! GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One article said we're designing for 100-450MPH... and the dumb stories will not only replicate, they will devolve as they go. Expect antigravity and nuclear fusion to be the claims next.

For those who know what I mean, this is a call to all troops to help the media, or more particularly, the negative commenters who will be lined up around the block, to figure this out... it will take some time. The major points mangled so far:

1. It's about powered drag reduction (AKA boundary layer control etc.), at much higher speeds than where reasonable experience suggests it would be applied. But HELLO?! Not THAT FAST! How 'bouts we shut up and find out, instead of speculate?

2. Big deal about the double box tail... that's only one of seven ingredients made to cooperate. It's not a magic pill.

3. We're not aiming for ridiculous speeds or making ridiculous claims. We're building this to eliminate that problem of silly speculation.

More to come, no doubt. Sure hope I've made some friends here who can help keep the mess down. Even you, flyingriki... enjoy the laugh at my expense!

Bottom line: If I haven't said it already, folks, I certainly didn't say it to them.