Flight Design

Last updated

Flight Design General Aviation GmbH
Company type Limited company
Industry Aerospace
Founded1988
FounderMatthias Betsch
Headquarters Eisenach,
Germany
Number of locations
2
Key people
Daniel Guenther, Managing Director (2019-current)
Products Light aircraft, hang gliders, paragliders
Parent Lift Air
Divisions Flight Design Ukraine[ citation needed ]
Website www.flightdesign.com
Flight Design CTSW CTSW-G-CLEG.jpg
Flight Design CTSW
Flight Design MC Flight Design MC G-CGOM (7273417536).jpg
Flight Design MC
Flight Design C4 mockup C4-Mockup.jpg
Flight Design C4 mockup

Flight Design General Aviation GmbH (formerly Flight Design GmbH) is a German aircraft design company and aircraft manufacturer, formerly based in Leinfelden-Echterdingen and Kamenz and now in Eisenach. [1]

Contents

History

The company started building hang gliders and paragliders in the 1980s, and ultralight aircraft 1993. [1]

The CT series first flew in March 1996 and was put into production in 1997. The aircraft line can be flown under Microlight/Ultralight regulations in many countries and under the Special Light-Sport Aircraft (SLSA) rules in the US and countries that use the ASTM standards for showing compliance. The original engineering and design work was performed in Germany, but production and all assembly of the aircraft was established in Kherson, Ukraine, to lower production costs. [2]

In February 2011, the company announced that it was developing a four-seat design to be designated C4. [3]

In February 2016, the company entered receivership, due to its high debt-load. Lawyer Knut Rebholz, a partner of the law firm Mönning & Partner, became the temporary administrator of the company. [4] [5]

In April 2017, in collaboration with Vessel Co. of South Korea, the company introduced the new KLA-100 low-wing, light aircraft. AOPA editor Jim Moore noted that this had been done while the company was undergoing a financial crisis. However, by June 2018 the design was not listed on the company website as being in production. [6] [7]

In July 2017, the Flight Design-Design organization, the production facility in Kherson, and all rights to the CT series (CTSW, CTLS, CTSL Supralight, CTLSi, CTLE) was acquired by Lift Air, a division of Lift Holding from Eisenach, Germany. The company has since moved to the Kindel Airport, near Eisenach where final inspection, test flights and engineering management are performed. Lars Joerges is the new managing director. [8]

At AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2019, the now-reorganized company announced two new models, the F2 and F4. The F4 will be a four-seat airplane powered by a Rotax 915iS turbocharged engine, while the F2 will be a two-seat European microlight, as a modular design that will include a future electric aircraft variant, to be designated the F2e. Work on the four-seat Flight Design C4 has been stalled, but not abandoned, and it "remains an aspirational product" for the company. [9]

In June 2019 the company manufacturing the CT line, AeroJones Aviation Technology Company, announced plans for a new factory to build the design for the Asian market at the Dalu General Airport in Zhenjiang, China. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2019, employ 200-250 people and produce 240 CT aircraft per year. [10]

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Flight Design temporarily halted operations at the Kherson facility and circulated a letter to Ukrainian staff, announcing plans to expand manufacturing capacities in Czech Republic and offering staff to transfer to the new location. [11] The company began to supplement production in a joint venture with Virazh in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2024. [12] [13]

Aircraft

Flight Design Aircraft
Model nameFirst flightNumber builtType
CTLS 2006>1800LSA long range cruiser, high wing microlight/sport aircraft, 2-seat
C4 2015in developmentFour-seat design
CTSL-Supralight 2013Ultralight aircraft, high wing microlight/sport aircraft, two-seat
MC 2008Metal Concept, high wing microlight/sport aircraft, two-seat
CTSW 2003CT Short Wing, high wing microlight/sport aircraft, two-seat
CTLE 2010CT Law Enforcement, high wing microlight/sport aircraft, two-seat
CTHL 2010Composite two-seat, high wing microlight/sport aircraft
CT2K 1999Composite Technology, high wing microlight/sport aircraft, two-seat
KLA-100 2017Low-wing, light aircraft, two-seat
Axxess Single or two-place rigid wing hang glider
Exxtacy Single place rigid wing hang glider
A4 paraglider
Stream paraglider
Boxtair paraglider
Twin two-place paraglider

Related Research Articles

Rotax is the brand name for a range of internal combustion engines developed and manufactured by the Austrian company BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, in turn owned by the Canadian Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). Under the Rotax brand, the company is one of the world's largest producers of light piston engines.

Jabiru Aircraft Pty Ltd is an Australian aircraft manufacturer that produces a range of kit- and ready-built civil light aircraft in Bundaberg, Queensland. The company also designs and manufactures a range of light aircraft engines. Types past and present include microlights, including the Calypso, two-seat trainers and recreational aircraft and four-seat aircraft (J400/J430/J450).

Sonex Aircraft, LLC is an American kit aircraft manufacturer located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, producing kits for four all-metal homebuilt monoplanes. The company was founded in 1998 by John Monnett, who has designed the Monnett Sonerai sport aircraft series, Monnett Monerai sailplane, Monnett Moni motorglider, and Monnett Monex racer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light-sport aircraft</span> Category of lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly

A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a fairly new category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weight and performance separates the category from established GA aircraft. There is no standard worldwide description of an LSA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lancair IV</span> American homebuilt aircraft

The Lancair IV and IV-P are a family of four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear, composite monoplanes powered by a 550-cubic-inch (9,000 cm3) Continental TSIO-550 twin-turbocharged piston engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flight Design CT</span> German family of light aircraft

The Flight Design CT series is a family of high-wing, tricycle undercarriage, two seat, ultralight and light-sport aircraft produced by Flight Design of Germany. The family includes the original CT and the CT2K, CTSW, CTLS and the MC models.

Pipistrel d.o.o Ajdovščina is a Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer established in 1989 by Ivo Boscarol and based in Ajdovščina. Its facilities are located in Ajdovščina, Slovenia, and near Gorizia, Italy. By March 2019, Pipistrel had produced more than 2000 aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evektor SportStar</span> Czech light sport aircraft

The SportStar and EuroStar are a family of a two-seat, light sport aircraft (LSA), manufactured by Evektor-Aerotechnik of the Czech Republic and powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower (75 kW) engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ICON A5</span> Amphibious light-sport aircraft developed by ICON Aircraft

The ICON A5 is an American amphibious light-sport aircraft (LSA) designed and produced by ICON Aircraft. A concept aircraft was first flown in 2008, and creation of the production tooling began in December 2012. The first production aircraft made its first flight on July 7, 2014, and made its public debut at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on July 27, 2014. A year later at AirVenture, it was temporarily donated to the youth group Young Eagles, with the first official A5 customer deliveries occurring in 2016. As of 2019, 100 A5s had been delivered. The aircraft is known for having brought significant excitement and publicity to the LSA industry since its unveiling in 2008, although company legal and financial issues have slowed production since 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aero-Works Aerolite 103</span> American ultralight airplane

The Aero-Works Aerolite 103 is an American single seat, high-wing, pusher configuration ultralight aircraft, designed by Terry Raber and introduced by Aero-Works, Inc, of Millersburg, Ohio, in 1997. The aircraft's model number indicates that it was designed to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration FAR 103 ultralight rules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flight Design C4</span> German light aircraft

The Flight Design C4 is a German four seat, high-wing, single engine light aircraft under development by Flight Design of Leinfelden-Echterdingen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spacek SD-1 Minisport</span> Czech ultralight aircraft design

The Spacek SD-1 Minisport is a Czech amateur-built aircraft, designed by Igor Špaček and produced by Spacek of Hodonín. The aircraft was also produced for a short time in the United States by SkyCraft Airplanes of Orem, Utah as a light-sport aircraft, but they had gone out of businesses by 2017. The aircraft is supplied in the form of plans, as a kit for amateur construction, or as a ready-to-fly aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tecnam Astore</span> Italian sport aircraft

The Tecnam Astore is an Italian, low wing, two-seater, light-sport aircraft, under development by Tecnam of Naples. It was first flown in early June, 2013, and introduced at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in 2013. It is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ScaleWings SW51 Mustang</span> Austrian ultralight aircraft

The ScaleWings SW51 Mustang, formerly marketed as the FK-Lightplanes FK51 Mustang, is an Austrian ultralight, light-sport aircraft and homebuilt aircraft that was designed by ScaleWings of Strasswalchen, Austria and was initially produced by FK-Lightplanes of Krosno, Poland, who introduced it publicly at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in 2013. After FK-Lightplanes ceased production, the design was built by ScaleWings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belite Aircraft</span> American ultralight aircraft manufacturer

Belite Aircraft was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Wichita, Kansas and founded by James and Kathy Wiebe in 2009. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of ultralight aircraft in the form of kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly complete aircraft under the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sling Aircraft</span> South African aircraft manufacturer

Sling Aircraft (Pty) Ltd, formerly called The Airplane Factory (Pty) Ltd., is a South African aircraft manufacturer based at Tedderfield Airpark, Eikenhof, Johannesburg South. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of light aircraft in the form of kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly aircraft for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight and the American light-sport aircraft categories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bye Aerospace eFlyer 2</span> Type of aircraft

The Bye Aerospace eFlyer 2 is a light electric aircraft designed and under development by Bye Aerospace of Denver, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomark</span>

Tomark s.r.o. is a Slovak aircraft manufacturer based in Prešov and founded in 1995. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of ready-to-fly ultralight aircraft.

Bye Aerospace is an American aircraft manufacturer based in unincorporated Arapahoe County, Colorado. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of electric aircraft, including unmanned aircraft for geospatial role and light aircraft for the flight training role. The company was founded by George E. Bye, who remains the CEO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volocopter 2X</span> German helicopter

The Volocopter 2X is a German two-seat, optionally-piloted, multirotor eVTOL aircraft. The personal air vehicle was designed and produced by Volocopter GmbH of Bruchsal, and first introduced at the AERO Friedrichshafen airshow in 2017. The aircraft is sold complete and ready-to-fly. Volocopter was formerly known as E-volo.

References

  1. 1 2 Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, pages 16, 44 & 140. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. ↑ Hunt, Adam: One of aviation’s best kept secrets - Flight Design CT2K – Flight report, COPA Flight page C-1. Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, October 2004
  3. ↑ Pew, Glenn (February 2011). "Flight Design's Four Seater". AvWeb. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  4. ↑ Flight Design. "Flight Design Filing For Receivership For Restructuring". flightdesign.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  5. ↑ AVweb. "Sport Aviation Showcase: AeroJones Expands Flight Design". avweb.com. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "www.aopa.org - news". 4 May 2017.
  7. ↑ Flight Design (2017). "Products". www.flightdesign.com. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  8. ↑ Grady, Mary (26 July 2017). "Flight Design Under New Ownership". AVweb. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  9. ↑ Bertorelli, Paul (10 April 2019). "Aero: Flight Design Announces New F2 And F4 Models". AVweb. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  10. ↑ O'Connor, Kate (13 June 2019). "Plans Finalized For New CTLS Factory". AVweb. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  11. ↑ Hirschman, Dave (2 March 2022). "Aircraft Manufacturers With Facilities In Ukraine Under Threat" . Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Kazakh–German Venture to Produce Ultralight Aircraft in Almaty - Qazaqstan Monitor". qazmonitor.com. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  13. ↑ Ualikhanova, Aruzhan (23 August 2024). "German Companies Expand Investment Presence in Kazakhstan - The Astana Times". The Astana Times. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.