CGS Aviation

CGS Aviation, Inc. is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Grand Bay, Alabama. The company was founded by Chuck Slusarczyk in the early 1970s in Broadview Heights, Ohio as Chuck's Glider Supplies. Today it is run by Danny Dezauche and specializes in the design and manufacture of ultralight aircraft in the form of kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly aircraft in the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules category.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

CGS Aviation, Inc.
TypePrivately held company
IndustryAerospace
Foundedearly 1970s
FounderChuck Slusarczyk
Headquarters
Grand Bay, Alabama
,
United States
Key people
CEO: Danny Dezauche
ProductsUltralight aircraft
Websitewww.cgsaviation.com
The original CGS Hawk prototype at Sun 'n Fun in 2006. The plane was brought to the show and flown for the first time in 24 years, after which it was donated to the Florida Air Museum.
A CGS Hawk Arrow II at Sun 'n Fun.
A CGS Hawk Ultra, a legal US FAR Part 103 ultralight vehicle, at Sun 'n Fun, 2006

History

The company started in the early 1970s as a hang glider manufacturer and aircraft parts supplier under the name Chucks' Glider Supplies. Founder Chuck Slusarczyk later carried out experiments with powered hang gliders and developed a reduction drive system to turn larger propellers more slowly to reduce noise and improve efficiency. He was granted a US patent for his system.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

In October 1979 the company was renamed CGS Aviation, Inc.[5]

In 1980 development of the CGS Hawk aircraft series was begun, starting with a survey of pilot expectations and desires for a new ultralight aircraft design.[5]

Products

The Hawk line of ultralight aircraft was introduced at Sun 'n Fun, Lakeland, Florida, in March, 1982. The Hawk was the first fully enclosed ultralight, the first with fully strut-braced wings, three-axis controls, a steerable nose or tail wheel and wing flaps. The original 1982 CGS Hawk Classic remains in production in 2015.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

The Hawk series includes the single seat Hawk Arrow, Hawk Plus, Hawk Sport, Hawk Ultra and AG-Hawk. Two seat models include the Hawk Classic II and the Hawk Arrow II. More than 1700 Hawks series aircraft have been flown.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

The Hawk prototype was named Best New Design for 1982 at Sun 'n Fun in March 1982. At the EAA Convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin that same year the Hawk was named Outstanding New Design and also Reserve Grand Champion. At Oshkosh 1983, the Hawk won the Dupont Kevlar Air Recreational Vehicle Design Competition against more than 126 other aircraft designs in the competition.[5]

Aircraft
Summary of aircraft built by CGS Aviation
Model name First flight Number built Type
CGS Hawk Classic 1982 990 (2011) Ultralight aircraft
CGS Hawk Arrow 135 (2011) Ultralight aircraft
CGS Hawk Plus 65 (2001) Ultralight aircraft
CGS Hawk Sport 8 (2001) Ultralight aircraft
CGS Hawk Ultra 8 (2001) Ultralight aircraft
CGS AG-Hawk 30 (1998) Ultralight agricultural aircraft
CGS Hawk Classic II 290 (1998) Two seat ultralight aircraft
CGS Hawk Arrow II 186 (2011) Two seat ultralight aircraft

References
  1. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 132-133. BAI Communications. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  2. Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 45-46. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  3. Kitplanes Staff: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 42-43. Primedia Publications. IPM 0462012
  4. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-28 & B-82 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  5. CGS Aviation. "CGS Hawk History". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  6. Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 45. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  7. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 34. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
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