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  #1  
Old 11-10-2009, 12:56 AM
Initiator001 Initiator001 is online now
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Default A Visit to Quest Aerospace

As I am currently a 'man of leisure' at the moment ( ), I decided to do some traveling.

I was planning to meet with a friend in Phoenix, AZ, and was looking at a map. I noticed while looking at the map that Colorado was not too far from Phoenix. Specifically, Pagosa Springs, CO, home of Quest Aerospace. The driving distance was about 500 miles which could be done in one day.

I contacted Bill Stine, President of Quest Aerospace, to ask if I could drive up and pay a visit. Bill thought I was 'crazy' but said if I would drive up then he would meet with me. Bill and I have known each other for over 20 years, going back to when Bill was my boss at Enertek.

Getting to Pagosa Springs was the easy part. Finding the Quest warehouse/plant/facility was the REAL challenge. I called Quest last Monday morning and spoke with Nettie who gave me directions to the warehouse. I would have never found it otherwise.

I arrived at the Quest facility a little after 9:00 AM. I entered the building and was greeted by Nettie. Bill came out of his office and welcomed me. As Bill and I walked back to his office, I passed a room where Scott Hunsicker (Nettie's husband) and Shrox were working. Scott is Quest's I.T. master, watching over the website and making sure all the company's computers and servers are working correctly. Scott was responsible for getting the new Quest website up and running. He, also, was behind getting Quest set up with PayPal.

As for Shrox, anyone who frequents this forum knows about him and his excellent design and graphics skills. More about him later on...
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  #2  
Old 11-10-2009, 11:49 AM
jetlag jetlag is offline
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No cubicles???
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Old 11-10-2009, 12:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Initiator001
I arrived at the Quest facility a little after 9:00 AM. I entered the building and was greeted by Nettie. Bill came out of his office and welcomed me. As Bill and I walked back to his office, I passed a room where Scott Hunsicker (Nettie's husband) and Shrox were working. Scott is Quest's I.T. master, watching over the website and making sure all the company's computers and servers are working correctly. Scott was responsible for getting the new Quest website up and running. He, also, was behind getting Quest set up with PayPal.

I didn't realize Nettie's husband worked for Quest, but he sure has done a good job revising the website.
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Old 11-10-2009, 12:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRThro
[snip] he sure has done a good job revising the website.



Understatement.
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  #5  
Old 11-10-2009, 01:22 PM
Initiator001 Initiator001 is online now
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(Continued)...

Bill and I went into his large office and sat down.

Behind where I was sitting was a table full of odds-n-ends (Competitor products, rocket parts, etc.). We chatted about non-rocket stuff for a few minutes then Bill said he would give me a tour.

The room next to Bill's office was the Conference Room. It was set up with pegboard along one wall and all the current Quest products hanging on hooks, just like in a hobby shop. There was a large table against the wall. The opposite wall featured a glass display case with examples of historic model rocketry items from the Stine archives. Bill was gracious in taking several items out of the display case so I could photograph them.

We then passed by Scott and Shrox working away in their room.

Next was a room where Henley the cat was hanging out. Nettie picked up Hanley for a picture. Scott & Nettie's daughter, Stephanie, was packaging kit parts in the room.

Bill then took me into the Quest warehouse which was run by Shawn (Shaun (SP?)). He handles warehouse operations and the packing & shipping of orders. Boxes of product, parts, instructions, etc. were stacked to the ceiling, about 20-25 feet high. There was definately a lot of parts. So, if you need any pink plastic fin can pieces (As was used in the Big Rage kit), they are in-stock and available for immediate shipment!

Next, Bill lead me into another room...
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Last edited by Initiator001 : 12-24-2009 at 07:39 PM.
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  #6  
Old 11-10-2009, 02:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Initiator001
...Next, Bill lead me into another room...


First rule, never talk about that room. Unless it's the spanking parlor, you can talk about that one...
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Old 11-10-2009, 02:06 PM
Initiator001 Initiator001 is online now
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(Continued)...

This room was the Quest R&D Department. Bill asked me not to discuss what I saw and no pictures were taken. I can say that there was some neat stuff in the room.

Adjacent to the R&D Department was a storage area containing the many boxes of the Stine Archives. Bill told me only 20% of it had been sorted and catalogued. I thought it would be fun to spend days/weeks/months going through all that stuff.

Leaving the R&D area, Bill and I passed by Scott & Shrox, again. This time, as I was speaking with Scott & Shrox, I noticed some rocket models in the back of the room. Shrox said they were possible prototypes for new models. I went over to look at them. Somehow, a conversation began about my taking pictures of the models and Shrox holding them. Bill said it was 'okay' so I took a few pictures.

(Message to Shrox: Would you mind if I posted those photos?)

Then Bill and I went back to his office...
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Old 11-10-2009, 02:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Initiator001
...(Message to Shrox: Would you mind if I posted those photos?)...


OK. I was dressed right?
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  #9  
Old 11-10-2009, 02:20 PM
CaninoBD CaninoBD is offline
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Very cool.

Do you know or did Bill talk about the rocket / boost glider looking rocket in middle of the display case?
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  #10  
Old 11-10-2009, 02:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Initiator001
(Continued)...

...Next was a room where Hanley the cat was hanging out....
I would have thought that all cats related to the Stine family must be named "Cosmo"...
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