Offpiste Aviation
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Founder | Colin Lark |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Fate | Ceased operations following founder's death |
| Headquarters | Dursley , United Kingdom |
| Products | Ready-to-fly hang gliders (Discovery series) |
Overview
Offpiste Aviation Limited—an acronym for Off The Beaten Track—was a UK-based aircraft manufacturer located in Dursley, Gloucestershire. Established by hang gliding competition pilot Colin Lark, the firm concentrated on designing and producing ready-to-fly hang gliders.[1][2]
Founded in 1995, the enterprise ceased operations following the passing of its founder, Colin Lark, who succumbed to cancer on 8 September 2003.[2][3]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The company's primary product line was the Discovery series of hang gliders, originally designed by Bill Pain. Marketed as Sky Floaters, these gliders emphasized slow, local flight characteristics, prioritizing lightweight construction and user-friendly handling rather than high-speed performance or long-distance cross-country capabilities. By the mid-2000s, the Discovery range had become the most popular hang glider design within the United Kingdom.[1][3]
Aircraft
| Model designation | Maiden flight | Quantity produced | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offpiste Discovery | hang glider |