Falconar Avia

Falconar Avia was a Canadian aircraft manufacturer based in Edmonton, Alberta. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of kits and plans for amateur construction.[1][2]

Falconar Avia
TypePrivately held company
IndustryAerospace
Fatebusiness wound up
PredecessorFalconar Aviation Ltd (1960s), Falconar Aviation Ltd (1985)
Founded1960s
FounderChris Falconar
DefunctJune 30, 2019 (2019-06-30)
Headquarters
Edmonton, Alberta
,
Canada
ProductsAircraft parts, kits and plans, Aircraft fabric covering
Number of employees
two
Websitefalconaravia.com

Founded in the 1960s by aeronautical engineer Chris Falconar, the company created a new aircraft fabric covering process called Hipec. The company also acquired a large list of aircraft designs that were either orphaned, like the Fauvel AV.36 glider, or long out of production and added their own designs to the line. The company provided plans and kits for all their designs, as well as parts and modification kits for other aircraft, including the Ercoupe.[1][2][3][4]

In 1963 Falconar partnered with designer Marcel Jurca to produce the Jurca Gnatsum. By 1967, Falconar recommended a large number of changes to the design, which resulted in Jurca leaving the project. The modified aircraft was developed as the Falconar SAL Mustang, first flown in 1971 after significant cost overruns. Falconar Aircraft Ltd was sold to George F. Chivers and other investors and operated as Sturgeon Air Ltd with Falconar as an employee until 1973.[5]

In 1985 Falconar established a new Falconar Aviation Ltd. with the assets of A & B Sales and the rights to many Jurca plans. Falconar also carried on operations as president of Hirth engines during this time. In 1994 the company was dissolved following legal disputes and was reestablished in its current form as Falconar Avia Inc. in 1995.[6]

Falconar died on 9 September 2018. The company operations were wound up on 30 June 2019 and the design rights sold. Phil Hale of Manna Aviation bought the rights to the F-series aircraft, plus the Minihawk, 2/3 Mustang and the S14 Miranda. Leon McAtee of Excogitare LLC bought the rights to the Fauvel plans, while Todd Kammerdiener bought the rights to the Cubmajor and Cub Majorette.[7][8]

Aircraft
Falconar F11 Sporty
Summary of aircraft built by Falconar Avia
Model name First flight Number built Type
Fauvel AV.36 31 December 1951 Glider
Fauvel AV.361 1960 Glider
Fauvel AV.362 Glider
Falconar AMF-14H Maranda 1 (2011) Light aircraft
Falconar AMF-S14 Super Maranda 1961 95 (2011) Light aircraft
Falconar Cubmajor Light aircraft
Falconar Majorette Light aircraft
Falconar F9A 1965 30 (1998) Light aircraft based on the Jodel D9
Falconar F10A Light aircraft based on the Jodel D9
Falconar F11 Sporty 101 (2011) Light aircraft based on the Jodel D11
Falconar F12A Cruiser 20 (2011) Light aircraft based on the Jodel D11
Falconar Golden Hawk 1983 4 (2001) Light aircraft based on the American Aerolights Falcon
HM.290 Flying Flea Light aircraft designed by Henri Mignet
HM.293 Flying Flea Light aircraft designed by Henri Mignet
HM.360 Flying Flea Light aircraft designed by Henri Mignet
HM.380 Flying Flea Light aircraft designed by Henri Mignet
Falconar Minihawk 1 (1998) light aircraft
Falconar SAL Mustang 1969 18 (2012) P-51 Mustang 2/3 scale replica
Falconar Teal December 1967 amphibious light aircraft
Druine Turbi circa 1953 light aircraft
Falconar Master X models only Twin engined light aircraft under development

References
  1. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 153-157, 307. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  2. Vandermeullen, Richard: 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 52. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  3. Hunt, Adam & Ruth Merkis-Hunt: Finishing With Hipec, Kitplanes June 2001 pages 70-74. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  4. Falconar Avia (28 March 2010). "Hipec Finishing System". Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  5. "A Chip off the old blockbuster". Air Progress. November 1971.
  6. "Falconar History". Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  7. "Obituary". Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  8. Falconar Avia (30 June 2019). "Notification of Closure". falconaravia.com. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
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