French light aircraft manufacturer Robin Aircraft, which dates back to 1957, has been ordered into liquidation by a commercial court.
Robin Aircraft says the decision was taken by the court in Dijon after rejecting three proposed takeover bids, citing “insufficiency or incompatibility”.
The Darois-based company produced single-engined models including the DR400, DR401 and CAP10, using traditional hand-crafting methods.
But some 25 of its DR400s were the subject of an emergency grounding by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency at the end of last year, after checks on the main wing spar indicated a bonding problem which could result in structural failure.
EASA subsequently issued an airworthiness directive in March which, the manufacturer said, authorised a return to flight, with restrictions on particular manoeuvres including aerobatics and high bank angles.
By this point, however, Robin Aircraft had disclosed that it was placing itself under a safeguard procedure – a process similar to US Chapter 11 protection – after experiencing customer delivery delays.
It said at the time that it was encountering “temporary administrative hazards” and the safeguard measure was intended to give it time to recover.
But the effort appears to have failed, and Robin Aircraft chief executive Casimir Pellissier says that a “cold shower falls on the shoulders” of those involved with the company.
Pellissier says the Centre Est Avions Pierre Robin spares and support entity is “standing fast” and continuing to serve owners of the manufacturer’s aircraft.
