UP International
| File:UP International Logo.png | |
| Company type | Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | Pete Brock |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Paragliders |
| Owner | Christian Rönning |
| Website | www |
UP International GmbH is a German-based aircraft manufacturer located in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The company focuses on the design and production of ready-to-fly paraglider aircraft. Originally, the business began as a hang glider producer operating out of the United States.[1][2]
Currently, the firm is structured as a Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, which is a German limited liability company. Its official corporate name is Ultralite Products – UP International GmbH.[3]
The enterprise was originally established under the name Ultralight Products, later rebranded as Ultralite Products, and has also been known as UP Europe before adopting its current title, UP International.[1][2][4]
History
Founded in Pasadena, California, United States, by American industrial designer Pete Brock after completing his studies, the company initially concentrated on racing car design, including work on the Shelby Daytona. Brock’s passion later shifted to hang gliding, where his first creation was the Brock Redtail.[2]
Together with Roy Haggard, Brock developed the UP Dragonfly, notable for being the first hang glider not employing a Rogallo wing configuration. The UP Condor achieved a world record for flight duration, remaining airborne for 16 hours and 4 minutes in 1979. In 1980, Japanese investor Yuseke Yamazaki provided financial backing, enabling expansion into Asian markets.[2]
In 1980, Haggard designed the influential UP Comet, a hang glider that set numerous records, achieved significant sales volume, and inspired many imitators.[2]
By the mid-1980s, Brock and Haggard exited the business, with Yamazaki assuming full ownership and renaming it UP International. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of Isomura, Inc. The company diversified its product range to include windsurfing gear, ultralight aircraft, and apparel. Operations spanned various locations, including the UP Soaring Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the UP TRX hang glider was created.[2]
Entering the paraglider market in 1990, the company hired South Korean designer Gin Seok Song to produce its first model, the UP Flash. This initial paraglider was commercially successful; however, Song moved on to work for Edel Paragliders and later founded his own brand, Gin Gliders.[2]
In 1992, Ernst Schneider founded UP Europe in Sindelsdorf, Germany, shifting paraglider development there. Rasso von Schlichtegroll led design efforts for new models such as the UP Katana, UP Vision, and tandem two-seater UP Pickup. Von Schlichtegroll eventually established his own company, FreeX. Company Chief Test Pilot Ernst Strobl secured victory at the 1992 European Paragliding Championships flying a Katana. UP pilot Uli Wiesmeier won the inaugural Paragliding World Cup series on a Katana as well and designed UP's Skywear clothing line. French pilot Richard Gallon claimed the 1994 Paragliding World Cup title while flying for UP. In 1995, World Champion Stephan Stiegler along with other elite pilots joined UP’s competitive team.[2]
Building on this momentum, Schneider launched an UP Europe hang glider design division managed by Bernd Weber. This led to the development of the UP Speed hang glider in 1995 and its successor model Speed TL in 1997.[2]
In 1997 Schneider sold UP Europe to Japanese corporation Daiichi Kosho, which invested in expanding European operations to about 20 employees and relocated headquarters to Kochel am See. During this period, the company produced the popular UP Escape paraglider despite a contracting market.[2]
Daiichi Kosho divested from the firm in 1999. The hang gliding segment was discontinued while the paragliding division was acquired by Christian Rönning, an early Swedish paraglider pioneer. Rönning restructured operations under UP International, consolidating activities with designers Torsten Siegel, Georg Maier and former World Champion Stephan Stiegler leading development. This team introduced models such as the UP Pulse, UP Makalu, UP Summit, UP Gambit, and tandem UP Sherpa Bi, along with the competition-oriented UP Targa and expedition-focused UP Trango. Siegel later joined Swing Flugsportgeräte, while Stiegler departed to found his own enterprise, Air Design.[2]
Since 2010, UP’s design group has included Czech designers Frantisek "Franta" Pavlousek, Michal "Snajby" Sneiberg and Jirik "Jirka" Dlask; German aerospace engineer Matthias Hartmann; and Stefan "Boxi" Bocks.[2]
Aircraft
An overview of aircraft produced by UP International GmbH and its predecessor entities includes the following models:
- UP Ascent
- UP Blues
- UP Boogie
- UP Cab
- UP Comet
- UP Condor
- UP Dragonfly
- UP Edge
- UP Escape
- UP Flash
- UP Gambit
- UP Gamit
- UP Groove
- UP Jazz
- UP K2
- UP Kantana
- UP Kantega
- UP Katana
- UP Kendo
- UP Kuna
- UP Makalu
- UP Pickup
- UP Pico
- UP Pulse
- UP Rock
- UP Sherpa
- UP Soul
- UP Speed
- UP Stellar
- UP Summit
- UP Targa
- UP Trango
- UP TRX
- UP Vision
- UP Xpress
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 34. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. Template:ISSN
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 UP International (2013). "History". Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ↑ UP International (2013). "Contact". Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ↑ UP International (2013). "About UP". Retrieved 23 November 2016.
External links
