Quote:
Originally Posted by WTE_Galway
The American legal system is copyright obsessed, they recently changed the law at the request of Disney to extend copyright to 95 years for corporations with an option to renew after that.
Ironically it goes completey against the original views of the US founding fathers who basically believed copyright should quickly evolve to public domain after the creator has had a reasonable chance to benefit from their ideas.
Personally I believe if Americans start to see their own favorite historical aircraft disappearing from games and the model shelves in hobby shops because of the stupidity of litigious US lawyers trying to make a few quick bucks well thats America for you 
Meanwhile ... here is the top of MY wish list for a future patch
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MSFT and many other flight sim games have a workaround.
They opened up the sim to 3rd parties that provided free aircraft. It is real hard to make a legal issue out of stuff created by "individuals" that make no money from their creations.
Anytime commercial enterprises have gotten involved the patent and copyright junk became an issue.
I don't know if TD could be considered a commercial enterprise, but maybe because it is a team effort involved with a commercial enterprise it might be an issue.
SO... I"d say if Oleg opens up the SOW for aircraft builders and doesn't put his name to anything or credentials anything I'd say suing 3rd party individuals wouldn't be much of a payback for the patent and copyright holders.
Remember, most legal stuff associated with copyrights or patents on old stuff is just not worth pursuing unless the so-called violators are making money from the stuff.