Czech Aircraft Works
Encyclopedia
Czech Sport Aircraft, s.a. (formerly Czech Aircraft Works) is an aeronautics manufacturer based in the Czech Republic
.
The company's aircraft include the amphibious
Mermaid, the SportCruiser and the streamlined Parrot.
CZAW manufactured Zenair
's Zenith STOL CH701 aircraft under license until the agreement was concluded in December 2006.
CZAW has 130 employees and ships over 150 aircraft per year. Many of the aircraft fall within new sub-categories of certified aircraft. E.g. the EASA
VLA (very light aircraft) rules in Europe and LSA
rules in the USA.
, Czechoslovakia
for manufacturing gliders
. It was absorbed into Avia
in 1936. That company had its facilities confiscated by the Luftwaffe
after the German invasion of 1938 and was used as a repair and overhaul facility for Junkers
and Arado Flugzeugwerke
aircraft.
After the Second World War the company was re-established and manufactured many different aircraft types, including the Let L-200 Morava
, Zlín Z 37, and Aero L-29 Delfín
. After 1968 the company became part of LET Aircraft
, who produced the LET L-13 Blaník glider.
Today the company has two facilities, the main plant in Kunovice and Way Industry Inc in Slovakia
.
In 2009 the company was acquired by Slavia Capital who terminated distribution contracts with their US distributor Sport Aircraft Works.
In January 2010, the company's SportCruiser aircraft was added to the Piper Aircraft line as the PiperSport under a licencing agreement. The stated plan was that CSA would still produce the aircraft and Piper would market it worldwide, as well as supply parts to customers. In January 2011, the licensing agreement with Piper was abruptly ended with Piper CEO Geoffrey Berger saying "the company has a different business perspective and approach to the market than Czech Sport Aircraft". The PiperSport distributors then formed a dealer association to ensure the continued sales of the SportCruiser and support of both the SportCruiser and PiperSport in the US.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
.
The company's aircraft include the amphibious
Amphibious aircraft
An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an aircraft that can take off and land on either land or water. Fixed-wing amphibious aircraft are seaplanes that are equipped with retractable wheels, at the expense of extra weight and complexity, plus diminished range and fuel economy compared to planes...
Mermaid, the SportCruiser and the streamlined Parrot.
CZAW manufactured Zenair
Zenair
Zenair Ltd is a kit aircraft producer founded by aeronautical engineer Chris Heintz.The company was founded in 1974 when Heintz started to manufacture Zenith kits from his two-car garage. Heintz has introduced more than twelve kit aircraft designs...
's Zenith STOL CH701 aircraft under license until the agreement was concluded in December 2006.
CZAW has 130 employees and ships over 150 aircraft per year. Many of the aircraft fall within new sub-categories of certified aircraft. E.g. the EASA
European Aviation Safety Agency
The European Aviation Safety Agency is an agency of the European Union with offices in Cologne, Germany, which has been given regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civilian aviation safety. It was created on 15 July 2002, and it reached full functionality in 2008, taking over functions...
VLA (very light aircraft) rules in Europe and LSA
Light-sport Aircraft
A Light-sport aircraft, also known as light sport aircraft or LSA, is a small aircraft that is simple to fly and which meets certain regulations set by a National aviation authority restricting weight and performance...
rules in the USA.
History
The company was founded in 1934 as a small workshop in KunoviceKunovice
Kunovice is a town in the Uherské Hradiště District, Zlín Region, Czech Republic.-History:The first written records of Kunovice date back to 1196...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
for manufacturing gliders
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
. It was absorbed into Avia
Avia
Avia is a Czech aircraft and automotive company notable for producing biplane fighter aircraft, especially the B-534, and trucks.- History :...
in 1936. That company had its facilities confiscated by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
after the German invasion of 1938 and was used as a repair and overhaul facility for Junkers
Junkers
Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG , more commonly Junkers, was a major German aircraft manufacturer. It produced some of the world's most innovative and best-known airplanes over the course of its fifty-plus year history in Dessau, Germany. It was founded there in 1895 by Hugo Junkers,...
and Arado Flugzeugwerke
Arado Flugzeugwerke
Arado Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer, originally established as the Warnemünde factory of the Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen firm, that produced military hydroplanes during the First World War.-History:...
aircraft.
After the Second World War the company was re-established and manufactured many different aircraft types, including the Let L-200 Morava
Let L-200 Morava
|-See also:-References:*Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.* at Ugolok Neba site -External links:** at Flying revue magazine *...
, Zlín Z 37, and Aero L-29 Delfín
Aero L-29 Delfin
|-See also:-References:* Gunston, Bill, ed. "Aero L-29 Delfin." The Encyclopedia of World Air Power. New York: Crescent Books, 1990. ISBN 0-517-53754-0....
. After 1968 the company became part of LET Aircraft
Let Kunovice
Aircraft Industries, a.s., operating as Let Kunovice, is a Czech civil aircraft manufacturer. Its most successful design has been the L-410 Turbolet, of which more than 1000 units have been built...
, who produced the LET L-13 Blaník glider.
Today the company has two facilities, the main plant in Kunovice and Way Industry Inc in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
In 2009 the company was acquired by Slavia Capital who terminated distribution contracts with their US distributor Sport Aircraft Works.
In January 2010, the company's SportCruiser aircraft was added to the Piper Aircraft line as the PiperSport under a licencing agreement. The stated plan was that CSA would still produce the aircraft and Piper would market it worldwide, as well as supply parts to customers. In January 2011, the licensing agreement with Piper was abruptly ended with Piper CEO Geoffrey Berger saying "the company has a different business perspective and approach to the market than Czech Sport Aircraft". The PiperSport distributors then formed a dealer association to ensure the continued sales of the SportCruiser and support of both the SportCruiser and PiperSport in the US.