Flight Design, the renowned European manufacturer behind the F2 and CT series of aircraft, is scaling up production at its newly established Sumperk facility in the Czech Republic. Notably, the company has initiated the shipment of the first two production F2-LSA models to its U.S. importer, Airtime Aviation, situated in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
With an impressive order backlog exceeding 100 aircraft, Flight Design is poised to bolster its production capacity to accommodate up to four F2 aircraft each month by the conclusion of 2023. This substantial increase has been made possible, in part, through the valuable support of the Lindig Group, a majority shareholder.
Daniel Guenther, CEO of Flight Design, expressed gratitude, stating, "The kind and timely support from the Lindig Group, the staff in Sumperk and Kherson [Ukraine] has made this possible. It takes a lot of commitment to create and sustain an aviation business. We thank everyone involved, our staff, our dealers worldwide, and especially [Lindig Group CEO] Sven Lindig. He has stood beside us through the most difficult times."
Overcoming challenges, including the retrieval and delivery of four CTLS airframes from the Kherson factory to European customers, Flight Design plans to continue airframe completion throughout 2023 and subsequently transition to the production of new airframes through a manufacturing partner.
Anticipating a surge in business, particularly regarding its F2 series, driven by the FAA MOSAIC (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification) project, Flight Design is well-positioned in the market. The Flight Design F2 made its debut in the American market in 2021 and continues to undergo design enhancements.
The F2-CS23 has gained approval as a European Union Aviation Safety Agency type-certified GA aircraft in Europe, with the validation process advancing with the FAA. Foreseeing its popularity among flight schools and rental fleets, Flight Design expects a notable increase in the F2-CS23's adoption.
Tom Gutmann, owner of Airtime Aviation, emphasized, "The F2 in its current S-LSA form can carry a much larger payload. We expect to increase the payload of the new F2-LSA aircraft that are now being delivered under MOSAIC and think there's even more that can be done within MOSAIC."
Furthermore, Flight Design remains committed to developing the Flight Design F4, a four-seat iteration of the F series. Boasting a Rotax 916 turbocharged powerplant and designed to accommodate four adults, the F4 successfully passed a design review earlier this summer and is progressing toward the prototype stage. Notably, the F4 shares identical systems and tooling with the F2, streamlining the development process.
