Glasair Aviation

Glasair Aviation USA, LLC is a Chinese-owned aircraft manufacturer based in Arlington, Washington that produces the Glasair and Sportsman 2+2 line of homebuilt aircraft.

Glasair Aviation USA, LLC
IndustryAerospace
Founded2001
FounderTom Hamilton
Headquarters
Arlington, Washington
Key people
CEO: Randy Lervold (from 14 May 2019)
ProductsHomebuilt aircraft kits
OwnerJilin Hanxing Group
Websiteglasairaviation.com
Glasair Glastar, built 2002
Glasair Merlin LSA

History

Tom Hamilton began flight testing the Glasair TD and founded Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft in 1979. Glasair Aviation was formed in 2001 when Thomas W. Wathen purchased the Glasair assets from bankrupt Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft, Inc. and signed an agreement with Arlington Aircraft Development, Inc. (AADI) to buy all rights to and assets of the GlaStar model. The new companies New Glasair, LLC and New GlaStar, LLC are marketed under the Glasair Aviation name.[1][2] More than 3000 Glasair kits have been delivered worldwide.

In July 2012 the company was sold to the Jilin Hanxing Group of China, which formed a new company Glasair Aircraft USA, LLC. Jilin Hanxing Group indicated that it intended to certify the Glastar design and otherwise retain production in Arlington, Washington. TieJi Fang, chairman of the Jilin Hanxing Group, said that he envisioned the company producing trainers for flight schools and eventually personal aircraft for the Chinese market. He stated that purchasing Glasair was "the first step in a very long journey".[3][4]

Randy Lervold became the company CEO on 14 May 2019. He was most recently Dynon Avionics vice president of marketing and sales and president of Cub Crafters previous to that.[5]

In July 2020 the company announced a "proactive business strategy" to deal with the loss of business due to the COVID-19 pandemic's economic fallout. The company laid-off its production and builder-assist staff, while retaining ten employees for product support and engineering. The company will not take any new orders for aircraft and will instead concentrate on improving the existing Sportsman design for re-introduction in 2021.[6]

Aircraft
Glasair II
Aircraft built by Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft and Glasair Aviation
Model name First flight Number built Type
Glasair I 1979 807[7] Low-wing, two seat kit aircraft
Glasair II 1989 1200 Low-wing, two seat kit aircraft
Glasair III 1986 500 Low-wing, two seat kit aircraft
GlaStar 1994 300 High-wing, two seat kit aircraft
Sportsman 2+2 2003 400 High-wing, four seat kit aircraft
Glasair Merlin LSA[8] 2015 1 High-wing, two seat SLSA aircraft

See also

References
  1. Glasair Aviation, LLC (n.d.). "A bit of history". Archived from the original on 2006-05-10. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  2. "EAA news - New Glastar purchase of AADI". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-01-14.
  3. "Glasair Sold To Chinese Company". Avweb.com. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
  4. Bertorelli, Paul (23 July 2012). "Glasair Buy: Part of a Grander Plan". AVweb. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  5. Cook, Marc (14 May 2019). "Randy Lervold Is Glasair Aviation's New CEO". AVweb. Archived from the original on 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  6. Cook, Marc (7 July 2020). "Glasair Aviation Takes "COVID Pause"". AVweb. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  7. Bud Daviddson (May 2014). "35 Years of Fast Glas". Sport Aviation: 53.
  8. "Glasair adds LSA and Certified Aircraft". Sport Aviation: 14. May 2014.
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