| Business scholars and students throughout recent | | | | Back then Lance thought he would try aircraft sales, |
| periods have studied the fascinating business model | | | | however he was young and naive and nobody would |
| of franchising. In the most history of commerce | | | | give me a chance. He knew he would do well, he |
| under a common currency from Amsterdam forward | | | | happen to know just about everyone at five |
| to the Global Power House of the United States of | | | | different airports, contacts for sales would be a |
| America we have seen franchises lead the way. The | | | | no-brainer. Not only was he young, but he was small |
| first franchise was said to be that of the Singer | | | | for his age. It was hard enough to get people to let |
| Sewing Machine. Yet if one were to carefully study | | | | him wash their planes at age 12 let alone sell planes |
| the Catholic Church or even colonialism itself you can | | | | at age 15. So at 15 he formed an aircraft finders fee |
| see that franchising or at least its structure is all over | | | | business and asked a commission for referring |
| mankind's creations. This is on of the reasons we | | | | buyers. This was when the ITC-Investment tax |
| study franchising and franchised companies. From Ray | | | | credit was taken away, America was still in the |
| Kroc at McDonalds to the modern day automaker | | | | energy crisis with high fuel prices and luxury tax law |
| dealerships, we see franchising's mark all over our | | | | went into affect the next year and killed General |
| civilization. | | | | Aviation. We still had the aircraft washing business, |
| However rarely do we study the makings and grass | | | | but Lance now armed with a driver's license at |
| roots humble beginnings of niche franchise companies. | | | | sixteen knew no limits. He started washing fleets for |
| This article is about the history of just such a | | | | utility companies, California Highway Patrol, Post |
| company. It is intriguing to read how franchises occur | | | | Office Jeeps, anything. At the time we had several |
| naturally in free market systems. Below is the story | | | | Independent contractors we called "franchisees." Of |
| of how the Aircraft Wash Guys wash founded and | | | | course at the time Lance didn't really understand the |
| how they got started in the Aircraft Washing | | | | total extent of what franchising was, he understood |
| Business. Although there is tremendous data and | | | | McDonald's and attention to details, but was only |
| written articles to back it up, the story is written | | | | starting to grasp what he would some day become. |
| from a fictional point of view and opinion, so we do | | | | Lance was winning in the market in the middle of the |
| not intend to try to prove anything to anyone, nor | | | | recession, he said we do not participate in recessions. |
| do we want to get the founders in any trouble for | | | | We are good at the down times too, we have been |
| the fun of the past. We claim freedom of speech, of | | | | there and we won and we understand the market |
| the press in its entirety since a good part of it is | | | | and the sectors we are in. Here are some articles in |
| opinion based. This of course should be familiar to | | | | the beginning. |
| any of those who have read the history of | | | | Lance started a company he called Speedy Aircraft |
| McDonalds in Ray Kroc's "Grinding it Out" or Subway | | | | Finders. As part of this business he started the first |
| Sandwich Story; "Start Small, finish Big." | | | | Aircraft Multi-Listing Service, which was online. |
| The Aircraft Guys was not always called the Aircraft | | | | Although the Internet was not really being used yet |
| Wash Guys. The founder Mr. Lance Winslow's original | | | | and TRS 80's were just hitting the market. He used |
| company at age 12 was Speedy Waxers. He stared | | | | dumb terminals and watts lines to send aircraft |
| with partners. Andrew Rice and Mark Daily, who | | | | brokers updated listings. He sold approximately 40 or |
| father both owned aircraft too. In Lance's family | | | | so aircraft back then and assisted other brokers in |
| they had a Piper Colt, two-seater, which Lance had | | | | doing the same. He took on two partners and later |
| some 80 flying hours in. Andrew's dad bought a | | | | they were able to squeeze lance out of the pattern. |
| Cessna 150 and Mark's dad had Bellanca Decathlon | | | | Two years later one of the gentleman later went to |
| and a Beech Bonanza. It was in the business of | | | | prison for embezzlement when he sold the same |
| aircraft washing and waxing. Mark Daily became a | | | | aircraft to three people, the other reprimanded on |
| businessman, Andrew Rice joined the Air Force. All | | | | another deal and eventually lost everything. |
| three were in the Civil Air Patrol at the time. Andrew | | | | Lance after being forced to sell his third of the |
| and Lance were also in the Boy Scout Aviation | | | | business went to work for Air Camarillo and started |
| Explorers. Lance eventually came to own the | | | | the Aircraft Sales Department determined to out-sell |
| business by himself and later sold this business to a | | | | those gentlemen. He did and everyone else too. |
| friend, Glen Tierney, who was in the Junior ROTC. | | | | Although he really did not like to do sales, he loved to |
| This was in 1979 at Camarillo Airport (CMA) in | | | | fly the aircraft for sale. Sometimes he would insist |
| California near the Coast above Los Angeles. After | | | | that every buyer fly every single aircraft on the line |
| selling Speedy Waxers, Lance went to work for a | | | | for sale and many that Lance had brokered |
| local McDonald's as an employee, for Clay Passion, | | | | agreements, before they were allowed to make and |
| Franchisee, who owned a Beechcraft Debonair that | | | | offer, sign a conditional sales contract or buy an |
| Lance use to wash on a weekly basis. Clay was a | | | | airplane. Thus Lance got more flying time in lots of |
| long time customer and his office staff were Car | | | | cool aircraft and he doubts he ever had an unhappy |
| Washing customers for at least a decade in Lance's | | | | customer, they always gave referrals and always |
| other company the Car Wash Guys; . Clay promised | | | | came back. It was through this high volume of sales |
| Lance a quick advancement due to his previous | | | | that Mira Slovak, a famous Russian Defector during |
| business experience and aircraft washing loyalty. | | | | the Cold War, came to Lance with a proposition to |
| Lance was waiting for a turn to go into training to be | | | | help him sell Partnavias. An Italian Built Aircraft, which |
| an assistant manager. Meanwhile he read Ray Kroc's | | | | Mira had the North American rights to sell. Lance |
| book and studied every single manual and videotape | | | | became a dealer for that brand too. |
| in the place and how every single detail was | | | | One day Mira shows up in an Italian Bi-Plane and asks |
| accounted for. WOW, he thought, this is how you | | | | Lance if he wants to go for a ride. Lance says sure. |
| really do it, this is when Lance decided he would | | | | Lance and Mira Slovak inventor of the aircraft |
| emulate Ray Kroc whenever he could. Glen Tierney | | | | maneuver the Lumshovak, fly to 300 AGL and do |
| later joined the Air Force five months later and left | | | | the inverted snap roll entry cartwheel and tumble |
| the business.Lance recontacted all the customers and | | | | through the sky. Lance was then hooked on |
| went back into business under the name Aero Wash, | | | | aerobatics. There was a time when if Lance could |
| and then set up more units at Santa Paula Airport, | | | | not cage the gyros and in a plane so he could do a |
| Van Nuys, Oxnard Airport and even got accounts in | | | | spin or a barrel roll or in aerobatic aircraft do a loop |
| Santa Barbara. Back then we washed 135 aircraft per | | | | or tail slide he just wouldn't fly. He got over that |
| week at approximately $10.00 each. (Can you imagine | | | | quick enough, sometimes it gives you a real head |
| those prices today?) | | | | ache. |