Flight Design Ramps Up Production of F2, CT Series Planes
This article was previously published on FLYINGmag.com.
Flight Design general aviation, the European manufacturer of the F2 and CT series of aircraft, is increasing production at its new Sumperk factory in the Czech Republic. The LSA manufacturer noted that the first two production F2-LSA models are now heading to U.S. importer Airtime Aviation in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
According to Flight Design, the order list currently stands at more than 100 aircraft, and production is increasing to support four F2 aircraft per month by the end of 2023. The company said this was made possible in part by support from the Lindig Group, a majority shareholder.
“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,” said Daniel Guenther, CEO of Flight Design. “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.”
Not the least of these challenges was retrieving four CTLS airframes from the factory in Kherson and getting them to customers in Europe. The company noted that the completion of airframes will continue through 2023 and then move to production of new airframes by a manufacturing partner.
Flight Design is anticipating an increase in business as a result of the FAA MOSAIC (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification) project, in particular regarding its F2 series.
The Flight Design F2 entered the American market in 2021 and its design continues to evolve.
The F2-CS23 is approved as a European Union Aviation Safety Agency type-certified GA aircraft in Europe, and the validation process has progressed with the FAA. It is expected that the F2-CS23 will be popular with flight schools and in rental fleets.
“The F2 in its current S-LSA form can carry a much larger payload,” said Tom Gutmann, owner of Airtime Aviation. “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.”
The company is also continuing the development of the Flight Design F4, the four-seat version of the F series. The F4, described as a larger version of the F2, is equipped with a Rotax 916 turbocharged powerplant and designed to carry four adults.
The F4 passed a design review earlier this summer and is moving toward the prototype stage. The company noted the F4’s systems and tooling are identical to the F2, which should make the process go quicker.