Ayres Corporation

Ayres Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer owned and run by Fred Ayres.

Ayres Corporation
IndustryAerospace
FateBankruptcy; acquired by Thrush Aircraft
PredecessorAlbany, Georgia, division of Rockwell International
SuccessorThrush Aircraft
Founded1977 (1977)
FounderFred Ayres
Defunct2001 (2001)
Headquarters
Albany, Georgia
,
United States
SubsidiariesLET
(1998–2001)
An Ayres S-2R Thrush

History

In 1977, Ayres bought the Albany, Georgia division of Rockwell International, which made the S2R Thrush Commander agricultural aircraft.[1] Before this, Ayres had been a distributor of Thrush Commanders. After the acquisition, Ayres developed two-seat and turboprop-powered versions of the Thrust Commander. By 1981, the company was operating a crop-dusting training school.[2] A special V-1-A Vigilante version of the Thrust Commander was developed in 1989 for anti-drug operations in South America.[3] The company attempted to sell 10 Turbo Thrush aircraft to Iran in 1993, but was unable to receive an exemption from U.S. government sanctions.[4]

In 1996, urged on by Federal Express, development was begun on the Ayres LM200 Loadmaster, designed to carry 7,500 pounds of cargo.[5] The aircraft was to be powered by two 1350 hp LHTEC TP800 driving a single five-bladed Hamilton-Standard propeller through a combining gearbox. To support this development effort, Ayres acquired the LET aircraft manufacturing company in the Czech Republic in September 1998.[6][7] In 2001, the company was forced into bankruptcy when creditors foreclosed on it and the Loadmaster program was terminated.[8]

In 2003, the company's assets were bought by Thrush Aircraft.[9]

Aircraft
Model name First flight Number built Type
Ayres Thrush Single engine agricultural monoplane
Ayres LM200 Loadmaster N/A 0 Unbuilt single engine cargo monoplane

See also

References
  1. "What's New". Atlanta Constitution. 30 November 1977. p. 3C. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  2. Pirtle, Caleb (9 August 1981). "Let Us Spray". Atlanta Weekly. pp. 6–9, 12, 16, 17, 25. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  3. Scott, Phil (1 August 2007). "You Might Get Shot At". AOPA. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  4. Brice, Arthur (8 January 1993). "South Georgia Manufacturer Upset that U.S. Won't OK Crop-Duster Sale". Atlanta Constitution. pp. H1, H8. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  5. Thurston, Scott (1 December 1996). "FedEx Deal Could Put Small Firm 'On the Map'". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. R6. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  6. Thurston, Scott (18 August 1998). "Ayres Soars into Europe on Czech Purchase". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. D2. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  7. Hirschman, Dave (10 September 2000). "Carrying the Load". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. pp. Q1, Q5. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  8. Padfield, R. Randall. "Loadmaster in limbo as Ayres fades away". AINOnline. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  9. Hirschman, Dave (28 September 2003). "Aircraft Factory Enjoys Revival". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. pp. E1, E7. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
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