Mon, Aug 18, 2008
It's been a long tough road for the folks of Quartz Mountain
Aerospace in their quest to bring a fabled airframe back to life.
Following years of sometimes-choppy operations, a small Altus,
OK-based planemaker might finally be heading for smoother skies.
Quartz Mountain Aerospace recently earned a significant milestone
on its way towards having its name associated with the likes of
Cessna, or Mooney: the company earned its first airworthiness
certificate from the FAA.
Aero-TV caught up with QMA at the 2008 AOPA Fly-In to see an
example of their handiwork. Formerly known as Luscombe Aircraft
Corp., the company says the Model 11E -- which will be used
primarily as a trainer -- is an adaptation of the Luscombe Model
11A Sedan, introduced in 1946. The new model is distinguished by
superior in-flight and landing stability over the
tailwheel-equipped Sedan.
Like with innumerable other upstart planemakers, QMA's trip to
this point hasn't been an easy one. As ANN reported in June 2007,
Quartz Mountain attributed the need for layoffs (since rescinded)
to delays in FAA inspections related to earning production
certification, and various parts, training, and supply issues. With
the ability to now produce sell its Luscombe 11E en masse, Quartz
Mountain's 110,000-square-foot work floor -- eerily quiet just a
year ago -- is now filled with the noises of a busy production
facility.
Quartz Mountain has also taken recent steps to show it's serious
about playing in the big leagues. As ANN reported last April, QMA
announced it will be the first to offer Garmin's G950 glass-panel
avionics suite.
More News
With Testing Soon Complete, Launch Preparations Begin in Earnest Sierra Space's Dream Chaser has been put through the wringer at NASA's Glenn Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio, but w>[...]
Takeoff Roll The process whereby an aircraft is aligned with the runway centerline and the aircraft is moving with the intent to take off. For helicopters, this pertains to the act>[...]
“We’re proud of the hard work that went into receiving this validation, and it will be a welcome relief to our customers in the European Union. We couldn’t be mor>[...]
"Aircraft Spruce is pleased to announce the acquisition of the parts distribution operations of Wag-Aero. Wag-Aero was founded in the 1960’s by Dick and Bobbie Wagner in the >[...]
IDENT Feature The special feature in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) equipment. It is used to immediately distinguish one displayed beacon target from other be>[...]