JUSTIN WASTNAGE / NEUBRANDENBURG
German general aviation manufacturer Ostmecklenburgische Flug-zeugbau (OMF Aircraft) is to open a production facility in Canada as a lengthy legal dispute is settled. The company is to start construction this month of the first of five 2,500m2 (26,900ft2) production hangars in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, to meet North American demand for its OMF-160 Symphony two-seat trainer.
OMF Aircraft has now accepted "an amicable settlement" to its legal dispute with New Glasair & New GlaStar over the value of the design rights of the GlaStar kitplane, on which the certificated Symphony is based (Flight International, 18-25 June 2002). OMF managing director Derek Stinnes says that while the court case did not specifically rule out North American sales, venture capital firm Société Générale de Financement du Québec had been "uneasy" about its C$25 million ($16.8 million) investment in the Trois-Rivières facility before the case was resolved.
OMF aims to build the first OMF-160 in Canada by the end of the year and expects to assemble 300 of the metal and glass-reinforced plastic aircraft a year by 2008 when all five units are operational. Czech-made aluminium flying surfaces and German composite half shells will be transported for final assembly from OMF's facilities at Neubrandenburg-Trollenhagen Airport, 200km (125 miles) north of Berlin.
The new Canadian facility will also provide essential spare parts and maintenance support for the aircraft. OMF has 36 aircraft delivered and 34 firm orders.
Source: Flight International
