Just a year and a half after first flight of the prototype SAM aircraft, President Thierry Zibi has put the company up for sale.<\/p>\n
Why, after so much work \u2013 design, fixturing, successful flight test, certification, and orders \u2013 would that be a good time to sell the company? Zibi says, \u201cI came to the realization that I love designing airplanes, but I am not so keen on running a production company.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, the stage is well-set for the new owner. The SAM has flown a full test regimen, which has shown it to be spin-proof at both full-forward and full-aft CG; its Canadian certification has been awarded (and LSA is completely documented, awaiting only another production example). Tooling and fixtures are done, production has already started , and orders are in the books.
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\nOver the past year, the SAM has generated a lot of publicity, having been flown by most of the major publications, and appearing on several covers.<\/p>\n
Zibi has reached that point when he is ready to hand off his \u201cchild\u201d to a team that wants to build the population.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe entire project is laid out to be manufacturable, for both factory and kit-builder,\u201d Zibi, a designer by trade and training, emphasizes. \u201cWe have made ease of building second only to the flying qualities, comfort, and safety of the SAM.\u201d<\/p>\n
The SAM is certified in Canada as an Advanced Ultralight, and is fully compliant with the LSA Rule in the USA. It is an all-metal, two-place tandem machine, with remarkable room and flying manners. Its classic looks (the Ryan STA was the inspiration for its eye-appeal) set it apart on the ramp.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome to Lachute and see the SAM, the factory, and everything that is part of the SAM Aircraft legacy,\u201d said Thierry. \u201cSee what convinced our customers to put down their deposits, and you\u2019ll have a ready-to-go operation, for dimes on the development dollar, or a tested, ready-to-deliver design to add to their existing line.\u201d<\/p>\n