Kolb Aircraft Company

Kolb Aircraft Company is an American aircraft manufacturer that produces kitplanes for amateur construction.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Kolb Aircraft Company
TypePrivate company
IndustryAerospace
Founded1980
FounderHomer Kolb
Headquarters
London, Kentucky
,
United States
Key people
Owner/CEO: Bryan Melborn (since March 2010)
ProductsKit aircraft
Websitekolbaircraft.com

History

Homer Kolb first flew his initial commercial design, the Kolb Flyer, in 1970. The aircraft was ahead of its time and so Kolb waited until the ultralight aircraft boom of 1980 to incorporate his company, The Kolb Aircraft Company. Initially located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania the company marketed a wide range of kit aircraft and achieved considerable commercial success, delivering over 3000 aircraft.[1][2][7]

In 1999 the company was sold to a group of investors, moved to London, Kentucky and renamed The New Kolb Aircraft Company.[1][3][7] The new company introduced a powered parachute model for a short time, the Kolb Flyer Powered Parachute.[8]

In 2003 New Kolb Aircraft introduced the Canadian-designed Ultravia Pelican Sport 600 into the US market in partnership with Ultravia Aero from Canada and Brazil's Flyer Indústria Aeronáutica. When Ultravia went out of business in 2006 Kolb purchased Ultravia's assets, including the Pelican design. The company then improved and developed the Pelican into the Kolb Flyer Super Sport.[7][9]

In March 2012 the company was sold to Bryan Melborn and renamed Kolb Aircraft Company, LLC.[10]

Aircraft
Kolb Firestar
Model name First flight Number built Type
Flyer 1970 Single seat ultralight aircraft
Ultrastar 1982 Single seat ultralight aircraft
Firefly Single seat ultralight aircraft
Firestar Single seat ultralight aircraft
Mark III Two seat ultralight aircraft
Mark III Xtra Two seat ultralight aircraft
Slingshot Two seat ultralight aircraft
Kolbra 2000 Two seat ultralight aircraft
King Kolbra 2000 Two seat ultralight aircraft
Flyer Powered Parachute 2001 Single seat powered parachute
Kolb Pelican 2003 over 700 Two seat light sport aircraft
Kolb Flyer Super Sport 2006 Two seat light sport aircraft

References
  1. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-20, 21. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  2. Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 53. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  3. Downey, Julia: 2001 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 12, December 2000, page 58. KitPlanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
  4. Downey, Julia: 2002 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 18, Number 12, December 2001, page 50. KitPlanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
  5. Newby-Gonzalez, Tori: Kit Aircraft Directory 2004, Kitplanes, Volume 20, Number 12, December 2003, page 70. Aviation Publishing Group. ISSN 0891-1851
  6. Bethea, Jim (May 2001). "Personalities in Ultralight Aviation - Ray Brown: Kolb's Master Builder". Archived from the original on May 21, 2009. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
  7. The New Kolb Aircraft (2010). "30 Years of Distinguished Service!". Retrieved May 19, 2010.
  8. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 83. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
  9. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 84. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  10. Kolb Aircraft (n.d.). "About Us". Retrieved June 30, 2012.
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