Record Sales For 20-Year Airplane Manufacturer

Flight Design, based in Echterdingen Germany, told Aero-News Wednesday the company enjoyed its most successful year yet in 2005.

As ANN reported earlier this month, United States distributor Flight Design USA sold an industry-leading 70 aircraft, and delivered 45 CT aircraft models. Those numbers helped Flight Design GmbH record worldwide deliveries of 120 aircraft -- and the company has plans to increase production capacity for future strong sales.

"We plan to deliver 220 to 240 airplanes in 2006, and to do this we are increasing our manufacturing capacity by nearly double," said Managing Director Matthias Betsch. "In order to meet growing overseas and European sales expectations, we must increase our Ukraine carbon fiber fabrication facility."

According to Betsch, Flight Design GmbH is building about four aircraft per week -- a rate of 208 aircraft per year. He reports a backlog of nine months.

"Order lots into November 2006 are booked in full by our sales partners," Betsch reported.

Flight Design partners placed staged orders for the number of aircraft each expect to sell in their respective countries, assuring reasonable time delays for customers ordering a CT.

Led by market-topping US sales, Flight Design reported sales also rose in other countries.

"We enjoyed good deliveries in the USA followed by Germany, Italy, England, Spain, Scandinavia, Australia, South Africa and other countries including the former USSR," reported Betsch.

Over 400 Flight Design aircraft are flying in 25 countries throughout the world.

Betsch is also one of the leading proponents to move the European Aviation Safety Agency toward adoption of the US Light-Sport Aircraft standards.

"We believe establishing similar standards in the worldwide light aircraft industry will benefit everyone," Betsch added.

FMI: www.flightdesignusa.com (United States), www.flightdesign.com (worldwide)