The saga of the Glasair and GlaStar kitplanes has ended. Rights to the designs were sold separately after the bankruptcy of manufacturer Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft (SHAI), but the buyer of the Glasair line has now acquired the GlaStar assets and plans to produce both kits at the same location.
Arlington Advanced Development (AADI), the original designer of the GlaStar, re-acquired rights to the popular two-seat light utility kitplane at the April auction of bankrupt SHAI's assets and planned to find a third party to manufacture and market the kits.
Meanwhile, Glasair purchaser Tom Wathen found that production of the high-performance kitplanes would not generate sufficient revenue to support his business's overheads. As the designs do not compete and share many of the same suppliers and customers, Wathen agreed to purchase the GlaStar assets from AADI.
Wathen has formed two companies, New Glasair and New GlaStar, both located at the former SHAI plant in Arlington, Washington, and with Mikael Via as president and chief operating officer of both entities. The two companies plan to resume production of parts and kits as soon as possible.
The two companies' first priority is to ship parts to owners of flying aircraft that are grounded by a lack of spares. Second priority is to restart the pipeline to builders who need parts to complete projects. The companies also acquired SHAI's inventory of parts.
Source: Flight International