New company Found Aircraft Canada plans to restart production of a light-utility aircraft certificated and produced in the mid-1960s. The Toronto based company says, that re-instating the Canadian and US type certificates for the Found FBA-2C, will save "several million dollars" compared to a full certification programme.
Canadian deliveries of the aircraft, redesignated the Model 2E Bush Hawk, are planned to begin by July 1997. The original FBA-2C was designed by Found Brothers Aviation and certificated under CAR 3 regulations in 1964-5. Found manufactured 27 aircraft, of which nine are still registered.
Found claims strong operator interest in an improved aircraft as a replacement for the widely used Cessna 180/185. The company says that Transport Canada has agreed to re-instate the type certificate under Federal Aviation Regulation 23, provided that any design changes meet the latest regulations.
An existing airframe will be modified to certificate the improvements, while Found looks for backing to proceed with production. The aircraft is expected to cost C$165,000-190,000 ($120,000-140,000). Found predicts demand for at least 50 aircraft a year.
Source: Flight International
