Aircraft Industries
| Company type | Joint-stock company (a.s.) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Predecessor | Let |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Founder | Škoda Works (original establishment) |
| Headquarters | Kunovice , Czech Republic |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Civil aircraft, gliders, airport management, private secondary education |
| Owner | Omnipol Group (since 2022) |
| Website | www |
Aircraft Industries, a.s., commonly known as Let, is a civil aircraft manufacturer based in the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia prior to December 1992). The company’s most renowned product is the L-410 Turbolet, with production exceeding 1300 units.[1] The company’s headquarters are situated in Kunovice, within the Zlín Region.[2] From 2008 until 2022, ownership was held by the Russian entity UGMK, after which it was acquired by the Czech-based Omnipol group.[3]
In addition to aircraft manufacturing, the company manages the sixth largest airport in the Czech Republic and operates a private secondary educational institution.
History
The establishment of an aircraft production facility in Kunovice commenced in 1936 as part of the industrial conglomerate Škoda Works.[4] During World War II, the incomplete plant functioned solely as a repair workshop. Post-war nationalization led to construction of a new factory between 1950 and 1953. The enterprise was named SPP (Strojírny první pětiletky – "Works of the First Five-year Plan") from 1957 to 1967, after which it reverted to LET. Licensed production included Soviet Yakovlev Yak-11 trainers (designated C-11) and utility aircraft such as the Aero Ae 45 and Aero Ae 145.
Development of the light utility aircraft L-200 Morava began in 1957, followed by the introduction of the agricultural Z-37 Cmelak in 1961; both models achieved commercial success.
LET has also been involved in glider production, including models such as the Zlín 22, Z-124 Galánka, LF-109 Pionýr, and Z-425 Šohaj. The company's most widely recognized gliders are the Blaník series: L-13 Blaník, L-23 Super Blaník, and L-33 Solo.
In the 1960s, LET engineers developed the turboprop commuter aircraft L-410 Turbolet, designed to seat nineteen passengers; over 1200 units have been manufactured.[5] This model has undergone numerous enhancements and modernizations, with recent variants—such as the L 410 UVP-E20 and L 420—holding EASA and FAA certifications respectively.[6]
The largest transport aircraft developed in the Czech Republic, the Let L-610, was prototyped in 1988 and showcased at the Paris Airshow; however, production was halted due to financial constraints. A total of eight prototypes were constructed at the facility.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
The all-metal Blaník sailplane holds the distinction of being produced in greater numbers than any other sailplane model globally, with over three thousand units built since its initial production run began in 1958. As of 2005, production continued with the updated L23 Super Blaník version.
During the 1990s, LET considered forming a joint venture with Fairchild Aircraft but ultimately abandoned these plans.[7] Subsequently, it was acquired by Ayres Corporation in 1998.[8] In 2001, LET merged with Moravan Aeroplanes.[9] After facing bankruptcy, it was acquired by Aircraft Industries in 2005.[10]
In 2008, UGMK purchased a majority stake (51%) in LET; meanwhile, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) had also expressed interest in acquiring control.[11] UGMK acquired full ownership by purchasing remaining shares in 2013.[3]
In April of 2022, Aircraft Industries transitioned to ownership by Prague-based company Omnipol Group.[3]
Powered aircraft
| Model name | Maiden flight | Quantity produced | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Let Ae-45S | 228 | Twin-engine utility aircraft; Aero Ae-45S manufactured under license | ||
| Let Ae-145 | 162 | Twin-engine utility aircraft; Aero Ae-145 produced under license | ||
| Let C-11 | 707 | Single-engine trainer; Yakovlev Yak-11 built under license | ||
| Let E-33 | Modified L-200 serving as a test platform for tail and boundary layer control systems | |||
| Let L-18 | Light transport aircraft with twin-boom design from 1955; project stage | |||
| Let L-36 | Low-wing agricultural plane concept; project discontinued in favor of Zlin Z-37 | |||
| Let L-110 | Four-seat, all-metal low-wing light/touring monoplane project initiated in 1995 | |||
| Let L-145 | Initial designation for the Ae-45S model | |||
| Let L-200 Morava | 1957 | 361 | Twin-engine utility aircraft | |
| Let L-200 Morava#Let L-210 (L-210) | 1966 | 1 | Six-seat variant of the L-200 equipped with M338 engines | |
| Let L-300 | Enlarged air taxi concept based on the L-200 accommodating 9 to 11 passengers; remained a project (1958) | |||
| Let L-400 | Turboprop feederliner concept from the 1960s resembling a smaller An-24; project stage | |||
| Let L-410 Turbolet | 1969 | 1,200+ | Twin-engine regional airliner | |
| Aircraft Industries L 410 NG | 2015 | Modernized variant of the L-410UVP-E20 model | ||
| Let L-420 (I) | Commuterliner concept from the 1960s; precursor to the L-410 series | |||
| Let L-410 Turbolet#Let L-420 (II) | Cargo freighter variant proposed in the 1980s based on the L-410 platform | |||
| Let L-410 Turbolet#Let L-420 | Westernized upgrade of the L-410, specifically an enhanced version of the L-410UVP-E model | |||
| Let L-410 Turbolet#Let L-430 | Proposed stretched development of the L-410 from the 1990s era | |||
| Let L-450 | align=left Proposed replacement for the L-410 during the 1990s; later redesignated as the L-510 model | |||
|
align = left | Let L-500 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Light aircraft studies conducted in 1962 |
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align = left | Let L-510 (I) |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Low-wing two-seat trainer concept from 1965 |
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align = left | Let L-510 (II) |
align = center | 1966 |
align = center | 1 |
align = left | Twin turboprop commuterliner project launched in 1992; intended as an L-410 successor |
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align = left | Let L-520 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Four-seat low-wing tourer concept from the 1960s; enhanced performance version of the L-510 |
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align = left | Let L-539 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Based on Aero L-39, this was a single-engine business jet proposal |
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align = left | Let L-540 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Four-seat low-wing tourer project from 1965 |
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align = left | Let L-542 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left |
Twin-engine light aircraft concept from the 1960s
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align = left | Let L-550 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Economy four-seat low-wing tourer introduced in 1965 as a budget alternative to the L-540 |
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align = left | Let L-600 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Twinjet feederliner concept from 1964 intended to replace Li-2 |
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align = left | Let L-610 |
align = center | 1988 |
align = center | 6 |
align = left | Prototype twin-engine transport aircraft |
|
align = left | Let L-614 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Proposed four-engine variant of the L-610 from 1982 |
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align = left | Let L-710 |
align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left |
"Boxplane" cargo aircraft design based on components from the L-610G, conceived in 1993
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align = left |
Let L-1000
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align = center | |
align = center | |
align = left | Smaragd (Emerald) jetliner concept developed in 1963 |
Gliders
| Model designation | Maiden flight | Quantity produced | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let L-13 Blaník | 1956 | Over 3,000 | Two-seat, high-wing, all-metal glider |
| Let L-21 Spartak | 1958 | Single-seat sailplane with high-wing design | |
| Let L-23 Super Blaník | 1988 | Variant of L-13 featuring a two-part canopy and T-tail configuration | |
| Let L-33 Solo | 1992 | 94 | Single-seat sailplane model |
| Let L-113 | Simplified L-13 version proposed in 1957 | ||
| Let L-213 | Extended wingspan derivative of the L-13 planned in 1957 | ||
| Let LF-106 | 1940s single-seat training glider concept; later redesignated LF-109 | ||
| Let LF-109 Pionýr | 1950 | Approximately 470 | Training glider with single-seat configuration |
| Let LF-110 | Two-seat, high-wing sailplane project from the 1950s with mixed construction; counterpart to L-13 | ||
| Let LF-113 | Proposed two-seat high-wing sailplane design | ||
| Let LF-114 Standard | 1956 | Single-seat training glider model | |
| Let LF-209 | Two-seat high-wing sailplane concept from 1952 | ||
| Let LF-309 | High-wing two-seat sailplane similar to LF-209 but with increased wingspan | ||
| Let LF-409 | Training glider with two seats; combines LF-109 fuselage and a new wing design | ||
| Let LF-509 | Two-seat high-wing sailplane resembling LF-209 but equipped with trapezoidal wings | ||
| Let LP-110 | All-metal two-seat high-wing glider project from 1953; counterpart to L-13 | ||
| LET TG-10 | 2002 | 21 | US military designation encompassing the L-13, L-23, and L-33 gliders |
External links
- Official company website
- Official website (in Czech)
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ "Contacts." Let Kunovice. Retrieved on 19 May 2011. "Aircraft Industries, a.s. Na Záhonech 1177 686 04 Kunovice Czech Republic" – Address in Czech: "Aircraft Industries, a.s. Na Záhonech 1177 686 04 Kunovice Česká republika"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).