New customer assembly center touts reduced assembly times

Renewed interest in the Glasair designs coupled with an enthusiastic response to the new Sportsman 2+2 has led to some significant improvements at the factory where these popular kits are produced.  12,000 square feet have been added to kit production facilities and the customer service areas.  Additional employees have been hired to accommodate accelerating orders and increased customer service needs.

The most notable expansion at New Glasair is the development of a new Customer Assembly Center (CAC) which, upon its announcement, is already booked through the end of 2004.  What is unique about New Glastar’s CAC is that it is designed to educate customers about the assembly and maintenance of their aircraft while allowing them to utilize precision factory jigs and tooling to assemble their airframe and install their firewall forward components, all in a very short period of time. 

In only two weeks at the factory, customers assemble all structural components in the airframe, leaving little more than some fairings, windows, upholstery and paint.  In addition, all firewall aft fuel and control systems are in place, and the wings are completely closed up and mated with all of the fuselage systems.

Customers who opt for a third week at the factory CAC can expect to complete virtually everything from the firewall forward, except for minor items such as optional monitoring instruments, final connection of control cables and cowl paint.

Once the customer takes his project home he will have an estimated three to six months of part time work required prior to flying the aircraft. 

“The object is to meet the FAA requirements while expediting the assembly process so our customers can get to the flight line as quickly as is humanly possible,” said New Glastar president Mikael Via.  “There truly isn’t another program like this.  The three weeks are very intense, but the customer learns about his aircraft, has a lot of fun, and, in three short weeks leaves with an aircraft almost ready for taxi tests!”

Orders for Glasairs and Sportsmans have been escalating over the past year, creating a backlog that has necessitated extra staff and space for new tooling.  “It’s still a lean company,” said Via, “and we’re stretching to satisfy demand in reasonable timeframes, but we all feel a sense of excitement for the growth brought on by the versatile performance of the designs, the factory support, and the incredible praise from people who’ve completed and flown their aircraft.”

FMI: www.newglasair.com