Aircraft Sales and Parts

Aircraft Sales and Parts (ASAP) is an American kit aircraft and parts manufacturer, founded in Vernon, British Columbia and moved to Sealy, Texas in 2013 and renamed the Aeroplane Manufactory.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Aircraft Sales and Parts
IndustryAerospace
PredecessorBirdman Enterprises, Spectrum Aircraft 
Founded1988
FounderBrent Holomis
Headquarters
Sealy, Texas
,
United States
ProductsHomebuilt aircraft, Ultralight aircraft, aircraft parts
OwnerJohn and Kim Couch
Subsidiaries · Summit Powered Parachutes
 · Steel Breeze Powered Parachutes
 · ppccanopies.com
 · ulparts.com
Websitewww.ultralight.ca
ASAP Chinook Plus 2
ASAP Beaver RX-550
ASAP Beaver SS at the Canadian Aviation Expo
Summit II powered parachute

ASAP produces a line of single and two place ultralight kit aircraft, powered parachutes and parts though the parent company and also through its divisions Summit Powered Parachutes, Steel Breeze Powered Parachutes, ppccanopies.com and ulparts.com.[7]

History

The company was founded by Brent Holomis in 1988. Holomis owned a Birdman Chinook WT2S two-seat ultralight and when Birdman Enterprises went out of business in late 1987 it left Chinook owners without a source of parts.[2][8]

Initially the company was started to provide Chinook parts, but Holomis proceeded to redesign the Chinook with assistance from Dr David Marsden at the University of Alberta, who had been involved in the first Chinook design. In 1989 ASAP unveiled the improved ASAP Chinook Plus 2. With the acquisition of Canadian Ultralight Manufacturing in St Paul, Alberta who had manufactured the earlier Chinook WT11 and WT2S, the Chinook Plus 2 was placed into production.[2][8][9]

In 1992 Spectrum Aircraft of Surrey, British Columbia, the manufacturer of the Spectrum Beaver aircraft line, went out of business and the following year ASAP began making parts for the existing RX-28, RX-35 and RX-550 Beaver fleet. In 1996, after a similar development program to the Chinook Plus 2, ASAP introduced an improved two-seat Beaver, designated the RX-550 Plus. In 2000 ASAP introduced the Beaver SS (single seat) to replace the RX-28 and RX-35 single seat Beavers that had gone out of production with Spectrum's 1992 demise.[1][2][8]

ASAP at one time owned GSC Propellers who made a line of wooden blade, aluminum hub, ground adjustable propellers for the ultralight aircraft market. Founded in 1984 GSC Propellers initially operated from the ASAP Vernon facility. The company was sold in 2000 and, while still located in Vernon, changed its name to GSC Systems in 2004.[10][11]

In the late 1990s ASAP decided to develop a line of aluminum-framed powered parachutes. These were developed and manufactured in-house at ASAP, but marketed by a separate division, Summit Powered Parachutes International. The models presently consist of the two place Summit 2 and the single-seat Summit SS. The company is now called Summit Aerosports Inc and is located in Yale, Michigan.[12][13][14]

ASAP also designed two welded steel tube-frame powered parachute models especially for the US market. These are manufactured by ASAP and marketed by another corporate division, Steel Breeze Powered Parachutes. This division offers two models, the Summit Steel Breeze two-place and the United States ultralight category FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles compliant Summit 103 Mini Steel Breeze. As of 2012 Steel Breeze was a line marketed by Summit Aerosports Inc of Yale, Michigan.[8][15][16][17][18]

The corporate division, www.ppccanopies.com (now called ASAP Canopies based in Yale, Michigan) sells powered parachute and powered paraglider canopies, while www.ulparts.com provides engines and ultralight parts. ASAP itself provides parts for the legacy Birdman Chinook and Spectrum Beaver aircraft fleets.[7][8][19][20]

In 2013 the company was sold to John and Kim Couch, moved to Sealy, Texas and renamed the Aeroplane Manufactory LLC. Initially producing just parts, by May 2016 the company had commenced Chinook Plus 2 kit production.[6][21]

Aircraft
Summary of aircraft built by ASAP
Model name First flight Number built Type
Chinook Plus 2 1989 Two-place fixed wing ultralight[1][3][4]
Beaver RX-550 Plus 1996 Two-place fixed wing ultralight[1][3][4]
Beaver SS 2000 10 (2007) Single-place fixed wing ultralight[1][3]
Summit 2 2000 Two-place powered parachute[1]
Summit SS Single-place powered parachute[12]
Steel Breeze Two Place Two-place powered parachute[16]
103 Mini Steel Breeze Single-place powered parachute[17]
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References
  1. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, pages B-9, B-70 & B-72. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  2. ASAP (2002). "ASAP History". Archived from the original on 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  3. Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 37. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  4. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 105. BAI Communications. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  5. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 89. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  6. "Aeroplane Manufactory Maker of B". Aeroplane Manufactory. January 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  7. ASAP (2002). "Corporate Divisions". Archived from the original on 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  8. Johnson, Dan (January 2008). "Lightplane Offerings From Canada". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
  9. Transport Canada (May 2009). "Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA)". Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  10. GSC Systems (n.d.). "The Evolution of GSC Systems". Archived from the original on 2009-04-09. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  11. Canadian Owners and Pilots Association: The COPA Guide to Ultralights - 11th Edition – October 2008 .
  12. Summit Powered Parachutes International (n.d.). "Summit Specifications". Archived from the original on 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  13. Summit Powered Parachutes International (n.d.). "Some Summit History". Archived from the original on 2009-04-13. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  14. Summit Aerosports (2012). "Contact Us". Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  15. Steel Breeze (2005). "Steel Breeze...Who Are We?". Archived from the original on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  16. Steel Breeze (2005). "Steel Breeze Features". Archived from the original on 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  17. Steel Breeze (2005). "103 Mini Steel Breeze". Archived from the original on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  18. Summit Aerosports (2012). "Contact Us". Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  19. ASAP (2002). "Frequently Asked Questions". Archived from the original on 2009-05-26. Retrieved 2009-08-10.
  20. Summit Aerosports (2010). "Welcome to ASAP Canopies". Archived from the original on 24 December 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  21. The Aeroplane Manufactory. "Chinook Plus 2". aeroplanemanufactory.com. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
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