Fisher Flying Products is a Canadian aircraft manufacturer that produces kits for a wide line of light aircraft. The company's kits all feature wooden construction with aircraft fabric covering. Many of the designs are reproductions of classic aircraft, such as the company's 80% Fisher R-80 Tiger Moth that is based upon the de Havilland Tiger Moth.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
 | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Mike Fisher and Wayne Ison[1] |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Gene and Darlene Jackson-Hanson, owners 1984-2007[2] Paul Riedlinger, owner 2007-2014. Dave Hertner owner 2014-2022 Ckd Aero owner 2022-present[3] |
| Products | Kit aircraft |
| Website | fisherflying |
History
editFounded by Michael E. Fisher and Wayne Ison in the early 1980s as Lite Flite Inc, Aero Visions and later Fisher Aero Corporation, ownership of Fisher Flying Products was later passed to Gene and Darlene Jackson-Hanson in 1984. The company was originally based in South Webster, Ohio and later Edgeley, North Dakota, USA. In 2007 the Jackson-Hansons decided to sell the company and retire.[1][2][4][5][6][7][3][9]
The company was purchased by Paul Riedlinger and moved to Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada. By early 2009 the new owner had re-established the manufacturing operation and commenced producing kits, starting with the Dakota Hawk and the FP-202. By late 2009 all kits were once again available.[3][10]
The first two designs the company built were the Fisher Flyer, which incorporated a new fuselage and tail and the existing wings from the UFM Easy Riser hang glider and the Fisher Barnstormer, a negative stagger biplane. Plans and kits for the latter design were offered in the early 1980s.[11]
On 15 January 2014 president Paul Riedlinger announced that the company was for sale.[12] In mid-2014 the company was sold to Dave Hertner, owner of Effectus AeroProducts, and moved to Dorchester, Ontario.[3]
In 2022, Ckdpack Inc. bought a majority stake in the company and named Arun Modgil as company head. The company intends to manufacture kits at Ckdpack's plants, located on three continents.[3]
Aircraft
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The company currently has 15 different designs available and had over 3,500 aircraft flying in 2007.[2]
| Model name | First flight | Number built (as of) | Type | Replica of, or inspired by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fisher Flyer | 1980 | 1 | Single seat biplane ultralight | UFM Easy Riser |
| Fisher Barnstormer | 1982 | Single seat negative stagger biplane ultralight | ||
| Fisher Boomerang | 1982 | Single seat high wing ultralight | ||
| Fisher Culex | Tandem 2-seat twin-engined mid-wing monoplane | |||
| Fisher Mariah | Tandem 2-seat low-wing monoplane | |||
| Fisher FP-101 | 1982 | Single seat high wing ultralight | Piper J-3 Cub | |
| Fisher FP-202 Koala | 1981 | 325 (2004) | Single seat high wing ultralight | Piper J-3 Cub |
| Fisher FP-303 | 1982 | 200 (2004) | Low wing, single seat ultralight | |
| Fisher Super Koala | 1983 | 105 (2011) | Two seat high wing amateur-built | Piper J-3 Cub |
| Fisher FP-404 | 1984 | 350 (2004) | Single seat biplane amateur-built | Single seat version of Fisher Classic |
| Fisher FP-505 Skeeter | 1984 | 50 (2004) | Single seat parasol wing ultralight | Pietenpol Air Camper |
| Fisher FP-606 Sky Baby | 1986 | 25 (2004) | Single seat high wing ultralight | Cessna 150 |
| Fisher Classic | 1987 | 150 (2004) | Two seat biplane amateur-built | Two seat version of Fisher FP-404 |
| Fisher Celebrity | 1989 | 30 (2004) | Two seat biplane amateur-built | |
| Fisher Horizon 1 | 1990 | 50 (2004) | Two seat high wing amateur-built | Bellanca Citabria |
| Fisher Horizon 2 | 1991 | 30 (2004) | Two seat high wing amateur-built | O-1 Bird Dog |
| Fisher Dakota Hawk | 1993 | 25 (2004) | High wing two seat amateur-built | |
| Fisher Avenger | 1994 | 50 (2004) | Low wing, single seat ultralight | |
| Fisher R-80 Tiger Moth | 1994 | 6 (2004) | Two seat biplane amateur-built | de Havilland Tiger Moth |
| Fisher Youngster | 1994 | 10 (2004) | Single seat biplane amateur-built | Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister |
References
edit- ^ a b "Fisher FP-202 Super Koala". Flight Global Archive. 1984. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ a b c Experimental Aircraft Association (May 2007). "End Of An Era For Fisher Flying Products". Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f Fisher Flying Products (2022). "History of Fisher Flying". Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ a b Downey, Julia: Kit Aircraft Directory 2005, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 57. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
- ^ a b Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, pages 158-162. BAI Communications. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
- ^ a b Kitplanes Staff: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 47. Primedia Publications. IPM 0462012
- ^ a b Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-22 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
- ^ AvWeb Staff (July 2000). "Fisher Tiger Moth Replicas To Let You See Africa Low And Slow". Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ Taylor, John WR: Janes All the Worlds Aircraft 1986-87 Page 662, Janes Publishing Company, 1986. ISBN 0-7106-0835-7
- ^ Kitplanes Magazine (January 2009). "Fisher Flying Reintroduces Two Aircraft". Archived from the original on 12 January 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ Taylor, John WR: Janes All the Worlds Aircraft 1982-83 page 642, Janes Publishing Company, 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0748-2
- ^ Riedlinger, Paul (15 January 2014). "Changes At FFP - We Are Going Plans Only". Fisher Flying Products. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
External links
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