Industry Aerospace Owner Jilin Hanxing Group Founded 2001 | Founder Tom Hamilton Website glasairaviation.com | |
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Products Homebuilt aircraft kits Headquarters Arlington, Washington, United States Parent organization Zhuhai Hanxing General Aviation Co. Ltd. | ||
Glasair Aviation USA, LLC is a Chinese-owned aircraft manufacturer based in Arlington, Washington that produces the Glasair and Sportsman 2+2 line of homebuilt aircraft.
History
Tom Hamilton began flight testing the Glasair TD and founded Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft in 1979. Glasair Aviation was formed in 2001 when Thomas W. Wathen purchased the Glasair assets from bankrupt Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft, Inc. and signed an agreement with Arlington Aircraft Development, Inc. (AADI) to buy all rights to and assets of the GlaStar model. The new companies New Glasair, LLC and New GlaStar, LLC are marketed under the Glasair Aviation name. More than 3000 Glasair kits have been delivered worldwide.
In July 2012 the company was sold to the Jilin Hanxing Group of China, who formed a new company Glasair Aircraft USA, LLC. Jilin Hanxing Group indicated that they intend to certify the Glastar design and otherwise retain production in Arlington, Washington. TieJi Fang, chairman of the Jilin Hanxing Group, said that he envisions the company producing trainers for flight schools and eventually personal aircraft for the Chinese market. He stated that purchasing Glasair was "the first step in a very long journey".