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AMS Flight is a manufacturer of gliders, motorgliders and ultralight aircraft. It is based in Begunje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia.
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AMS Flight is a manufacturer of gliders, motorgliders and ultralight aircraft. It is based in Begunje na Gorenjskem, Slovenia.
In 1978 the first DG-100 license-built for the ELAN company, a single-seat sailplane, was built by a team of Elan employees at the German company Glaser-Dirks in Bruchsal, Germany. Long-term licensing with Glaser Dirks and later DG Flugzeugbau continued. In the then ELAN factory at Begunje glider models DG-100 Elan, DG-300 Elan, DG-500 Elan and DG-1000 were made.
The company AMS Flights d.o.o. was established in 1999 to continue the existing aircraft production and took over the entire ELAN FLIGHT division of Elan on 1 September that year.
The company's manufacturing facilities are located at Begunje, in the northwest part of Slovenia, close to the borders with Austria and Italy.
On 14 November 2001 AMS took over from Technoflug GmbH the production of the Carat motorglider. The Carat is a single-seat, powered glider with the engine in the nose. The Carat was designed in Germany for long-range cruising flights and for soaring. The Magnus, a two-seat, side-by-side version of the Carat is under development by AMS.
The AMS product range expanded with the acquisition of the Apis ULA / Sport Class motor-glider program of the Slovenian company Albastar on 30 July 2003. Manufacturing of the Apis continued in AMS until serial number 52.
In 2005/06 AMS took over the license for the German-designed sailplanes Rolladen-Schneider LS4 and LS6. These types and their planned developments replaced the manufacture of the DG-300 and DG-500, which was being run down.
In 2007 production of the Apis and Bee gliders was transferred to Pipistrel.
To July 2008, Elan and AMS had built the following gliders and aircraft parts:
AMS is the sole owner and manufacturer of the Carat. A family of light aircraft and motor gliders are under development with the names of Magnus, Mingus and Maxus. AMS is continuing[ when? ] to supply spare parts to the DG-300, DG-500 and Apis.
The Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug, or DFS, was formed in 1933 to centralise all gliding activity in Germany, under the directorship of Professor Walter Georgii. It was formed by the nationalisation of the Rhön-Rossitten Gesellschaft (RRG) at Darmstadt.
A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: a fixed-wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion (MoP), capable of sustained soaring flight without thrust from the means of propulsion. In the US, a powered glider may be certificated for up to two occupants, up to 850 kg maximum weight, and with a maximum ratio of weight to wing span squared of 3 kg/m2. Similar requirements exist in European JAA/EASA regulations, at a maximum weight of 750 kg.
Elan is a Slovenian company, located in Begunje na Gorenjskem, specializing in the production of sporting goods. It is best known for its skis and snowboards. Other products include sailboats from 30 to 50 ft length, motor yachts, apparel, and equipment for sports facilities. The brand became better known in the late 1970s, when Swedish alpine skiing ace Ingemar Stenmark won three consecutive World Cup overall titles on Elan skis. The company also manufactured license-built DG gliders from 1978.
Lesce-Bled Airport is located in Lesce, in the northwest part of Slovenia, only a few "air" kilometers between airports in Slovenia and Austria. Road connections with Austria and Italy are possible via the A2 motorway.
The Schempp-Hirth Discus is a Standard Class glider designed by Schempp-Hirth. It was produced in Germany between 1984 and 1995 but has continued in production in the Czech Republic. It replaced the Standard Cirrus. It was designed by Klaus Holighaus.
DG Flugzeugbau GmbH is a manufacturer of sailplanes and other composite parts based in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, Germany.
The Glaser-Dirks DG-200 is a 15 metre class glider built by Glaser-Dirks. It first flew in 1977. Wingtip extensions to 17 metres were offered in 1978. Later enhancements included a single-piece canopy, a carbon-fibre wing spar and a change in the wing profile. A total of 192 DG-200 were built.
The Rolladen-Schneider LS4 is a Standard Class single seat glider manufactured by Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau GmbH between 1980 and 2003.
The Glaser-Dirks DG-100 is the first sailplane manufactured by Glaser-Dirks. It is a standard class glider designed by Wilhelm Dirks in 1974 and developed from the Akaflieg Darmstadt D-38.
The Glaser-Dirks DG-300 is a Standard Class single-seat high-performance glider built of glass-reinforced plastic. The DG-300 was designed by Wilhelm Dirks and manufactured by Glaser-Dirks Flugzeugbau's Slovenian partner company Elan (company). A total of 511 of all versions were built since production started in 1983. Representative contemporary types from competing manufacturers are the Rolladen-Schneider LS4 and the Schempp-Hirth Discus.
Competition classes in gliding, as in other sports, mainly exist to ensure fairness in competition. However the classes have not been targeted at fostering technological development as in other sports. Instead classes have arisen because of:
The Glaser-Dirks DG-400 is a single-seat self-launching motorglider that was produced by Glaser-Dirks between 1981 and 1992. It was the first self-launching motorglider with retractable engine and propeller to be produced in large numbers.
The AMS-Flight Carat A is a single-seat, high performance motorglider. The sailplane was originally designed and built by Technoflug in Germany and is now manufactured by AMS-Flight in Slovenia.
The Glaser-Dirks DG-500, and later the DG-505, is a two-seat glider of glass-reinforced plastic and carbon fiber reinforced plastic construction, manufactured in the DG Flugzeugbau GmbH in Bruchsal, Germany. It first flew in 1987.
Rolladen-Schneider was a major glider manufacturer. It originally made rolling doors and shutters and was run by Willi and Walter Schneider based in Egelsbach near Frankfurt, Germany. Walter was a keen glider pilot and recruited a sailplane designer Wolf Lemke. The company built its first glider in 1967.
Albastar Ltd is a Slovenian aircraft manufacturer, founded by former Elan employee Pavel Potočnik in 1993. It was originally based in Zgornje Gorje and now in Begunje na Gorenjskem. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of gliders and light aircraft in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft, plus the production of subcontract aircraft parts for other manufacturers.
Polyteknikkojen Ilmailukerho (PIK) is the student flying club of the Aalto University. As well as a flying club, it develops light aircraft and gliders, often on a small scale but sometimes its designs have been produced in quantity. Approximately 536 aircraft have been built by the organisation and its sub-contractors. It is similar to the Akafliegs of German Universities in that students make designs with advice from staff to give practical experience before seeking employment.