LSA manufacturers continue on despite war in Ukraine

I am flooded with admiration for the airplane manufacturers in Ukraine who have courageously continued even as bombs fall and missiles fly.

I visited three Ukraine aircraft producers of Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) some years ago and I can only try to imagine what they are experiencing today.

Aeroprakt

One of the most successful LSA in the U.S. market is also manufactured in central Ukraine.

When I visited Aeroprakt many years ago, it was new in western markets, bankrolled by a wealthy Saudi Arab businessman and flying enthusiast.

On my visit, I saw an active operation with workers buzzing to build aircraft. However, they did so in a converted factory that was far from optimal. They made it work, but they had ambitions for another facility.

I flew with principal designer Yuri Yakovlev in an A-22 to a location where he planned to expand and improve the company’s facility.

A video the company recently posted to YouTube shows the new facility, as well as the destruction it has suffered from Russian artillery.

Most of you won’t understand the language in this video but words are not necessary to show how a beautiful facility created by Aeroprakt has been badly damaged by artillery strikes. What a shame…

Dennis Long, who once imported Aeroprakt aircraft to the U.S. market, noted that operations are continuing despite the scary conditions in Ukraine. Dennis handed off Aeroprakt imports in May 2022 to Andy Humphrey of Heavenbound Aviation.

Flight Design

The most famous builder of LSA in Ukraine is the German company Flight Design, with its CT series and new F2 series.

Many years ago, company leader Matthias Betsch established a factory in Kherson (pronounced “HAIR-son”). Unless you’ve completely avoided the news you should recognize this name as one of the few areas Russia occupies in Ukraine.

I visited this city in the south of Ukraine some years ago. In addition, many LSA pilots will recognize the name Tom Peghiny, the longtime U.S. importer of the CT series.

Tom married his wife in Kherson and her family remains in this area. This has been an exceedingly difficult experience for them.

While the leaders of countries have their aggressive ambitions, it is the ordinary citizens of those nations who have to bear the consequences.

Flight Design’s Ukraine, German, and Czech employees worked to shift production of CTs and the new F-series from Kherson to Šumperk in the Czech Republic.

The market leader has already resumed shipments, an admirable accomplishment under the most trying and dangerous of circumstances.

In the United States, Airtime Aviation has taken over sales of Flight Designs aircraft.

Aero Hang Gliders and Nanotrikes

I recently heard a compelling story about workers in Kyiv-based Aeros going to their factory pre-dawn, entering quietly, working with reduced lighting to be less conspicuous, and locking themselves in for the workday.

Whatever the present-day facts, I cannot imagine many Americans willing to go to work under such circumstances.

Still the Aeros team continues to build and deliver flying machines, ranging from hang gliders to trikes to the Sky Ranger three-axis airplanes. The Ukraine company has been building these for at least 20 years.

Responding to a growing interest in lightweight trikes, Aeros officials use the term “nanolight” because this tiny trike is extremely light compared with more conventional two-seat trikes.

“These little ones attract pilots for being as portable as possible,” said Aeros officials.

A nanolight trike, they point out, can be folded up to fit in the back of many cars. The entire aircraft can be de-rigged and stored at home with minimum time and effort. Fulfilling the Aeros concept of maximum portability, ANT’s main landing gear is manually retractable even in flight, to position the main gear out of the wind stream.

The ANT, or Aeros Nanolight Trike, is primarily aimed at those of us who like the idea of soaring a hang glider but don’t live near mountains to launch from or simply desire a way to get aloft without needing the support of a launch team.

“Some pilots choose nanolight trikes just to have an alternative on normally non-soaring days, others to open up new soaring opportunities,” explained Aeros officials.

The company builds a variety of models for beginners to experienced pilots, as well as competition-grade hang gliders.

I hope Aeros will be able to keep producing its flying machines throughout this time of war. It puts smiles on the faces of their customers while keeping their workers employed.

This post has no political message beyond hoping for peace, but I felt it was worthwhile to show how bravely those people continue working to build the aircraft many American pilots enjoy.

Here’s wishing for better times for everyone in Ukraine’s light aviation community.