Company Eyes American Facility as WAVE Welcomes Part 22 Framework

Vickers Aircraft’s latest update for 2025 admits what many in aviation manufacturing already know: “production is hard”. The company missed its self-set delivery goal for midyear, but is coming back strong under the newly released MOSAIC regulation and is ready to push forward in testing.

The planemaker’s design, dubbed the Wave, has been public since 2014. It is a two-seat amphibious aircraft that flies on a Rotax 915 or 916 iS engine, giving it a cruise speed of 120 knots and allowing takeoff and landing distances of just over 400 feet.

Much of 2025 has been dedicated to refining composite manufacturing techniques and proving repeatability. Early wing and flap assemblies for the Wave have been tested to failure, with results matching predictions. The first full production wing is currently being built and will undergo a full load test in the near future. On the hiring side, Vickers has brought on new staff in both production and CNC machining as engineering releases completed assemblies, including landing gear.

The company also announced the formal launch of Vickers Aircraft USA: a C Corporation that assists in the cause of international expansion. Planning for a US manufacturing facility is already underway, with site selection and early hiring in motion. This move hopes to avoid tariffs, lower shipping costs, grant access to a larger workforce, and position production closer to the target customer base.

Regulation is also shifting in Vickers’ favor. At AirVenture 2025, the FAA confirmed that the long-anticipated MOSAIC rule is now official, replacing the old Light Sport framework with Part 22.

Like many light-sport manufacturers, Vickers was ready for the shift and adjusted the Wave’s design accordingly years ago. The company raised the aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight to 2,000 pounds and refined the stall speed to 50 knots. The door has also been opened to retractable gear, constant-speed propellers, higher speeds, and even four-seat configurations. For pilots, the change means that an LSA certificate will give access to the WAVE, even with its higher performance envelope.

FMI: www.vickersaircraft.com