Sun Flightcraft

Sun Flightcraft, formally known as Pro-Design & Sun Flightcraft, is an Austrian aviation business based in Innsbruck. It was founded by Herbert Hofbauer in the early 2000s as a division of Hofbauer GmbH and initially focused on the design and manufacture of powered parachutes. Its principal aircraft was the Sun Flightcraft Air-Chopper, a ready-to-fly powered-parachute aircraft developed for the European Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category. The Air-Chopper distinguished itself through its use of the Coax-P propeller concept, a contra-rotating coaxial propeller arrangement intended to reduce or eliminate the torque effects normally associated with a single propeller. This feature gave the aircraft a distinctive technical identity within the light-aircraft and powered-parachute market. The company’s work was directed toward complete aircraft rather than only component supply, positioning Sun Flightcraft as a specialist manufacturer in the recreational and ultralight aviation sector. Production of the Air-Chopper ended at approximately 2008. The end of aircraft production does not appear to have represented a complete disappearance of the business: Sun Flightcraft continued to supply parts for the Air-Chopper design and expanded or maintained its role as an aircraft importer and dealer. Its distribution activities include Airborne Windsports ultralight trikes from Australia and a range of European light-aircraft designs, including the Aeropro Eurofox, B&F FK9, B&F FK14 Polaris, Evektor Eurostar, TL Ultralight TL-2000 Sting, and Flight Design CT series. It also deals in Rotax aircraft engines. Accordingly, Sun Flightcraft is best understood as a specialist aviation brand with two distinct phases. The first was an early-2000s manufacturing phase centered on powered parachutes and the Air-Chopper. The later phase has focused on aftermarket support, aircraft importing, sales, and distribution for ultralight aircraft and related propulsion products. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about its corporate structure, workforce, financial performance, sales volumes, and current scale of operations. No reliable information is supplied here for a precise founding year, current executive team beyond the founder, or a detailed account of production after the Air-Chopper period.

Sun Flightcraft emerged in Austria in the early 2000s as a division of Hofbauer GmbH. Founded by Herbert Hofbauer and based in Innsbruck, the business entered the light-aircraft sector with a focus on powered parachutes. Its main product was the Sun Flightcraft Air-Chopper, a ready-to-fly aircraft intended for the European Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category. The Air-Chopper represented the company’s principal engineering contribution. It used the Coax-P propeller system, a contra-rotating coaxial arrangement designed to counteract the torque effects produced by a conventional single propeller. In a powered-parachute aircraft, this approach offered a distinctive solution to propeller torque management and formed a central part of the model’s technical identity. The aircraft placed Sun Flightcraft within a specialized segment of recreational and ultralight aviation rather than the mainstream general-aviation manufacturing industry. By about 2008, Sun Flightcraft had ceased production of the Air-Chopper. Available reference material does not specify a formal liquidation, bankruptcy, or corporate dissolution. Instead, the company continued to provide parts for the aircraft, preserving an aftermarket connection with existing Air-Chopper operators. This suggests a transition from original-equipment manufacturing toward support and distribution activities. In its later operating role, Sun Flightcraft acted as an importer for Airborne Windsports ultralight trikes produced in Australia. It also served as a dealer for several European and international light-aircraft designs, including the Aeropro Eurofox, B&F FK9, B&F FK14 Polaris, Evektor Eurostar, TL Ultralight TL-2000 Sting, and the Flight Design CT series. The company additionally handled Rotax aircraft engines, broadening its offering from complete aircraft to propulsion and related aviation products. The available public record is concise and does not establish an exact founding year, detailed production volumes, employee numbers, ownership changes, or a comprehensive current product catalogue. The evidence supports describing Sun Flightcraft as an active or continuing specialist aviation supplier with a former aircraft-manufacturing operation, rather than as a currently documented mass-production aircraft company.

• 2008

  Air-Chopper production ends

  [1]Sun Flightcraften.wikipedia.org

  Production of the Air-Chopper ended at approximately this time, while Sun Flightcraft continued to supply parts for the design.

• Company founded as a Hofbauer GmbH division

  [1]Sun Flightcraften.wikipedia.org

  Sun Flightcraft was established in the early 2000s as a division of Hofbauer GmbH under the leadership of founder Herbert Hofbauer.

• Air-Chopper developed and marketed

  [1]Sun Flightcraften.wikipedia.org

  The company designed and manufactured the Sun Flightcraft Air-Chopper, a ready-to-fly powered-parachute aircraft for the European microlight category.

• Expansion into aircraft importing and dealership

  [1]Sun Flightcraften.wikipedia.org

  After its manufacturing phase, Sun Flightcraft continued as an importer of Airborne Windsports ultralight trikes and a dealer for multiple light-aircraft designs and Rotax engines.

A specialist Austrian ultralight-aviation business combining proprietary powered-parachute development with aircraft importing, distribution, parts support, and engine sales.

• Powered parachute aircraft

  Sun Flightcraft Air-Chopper

  The Air-Chopper was Sun Flightcraft’s principal proprietary aircraft. It was produced as a ready-to-fly powered parachute for the European Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category. Its most notable technical feature was the Coax-P contra-rotating coaxial propeller system, which was designed to reduce torque effects. Production ended at approximately 2008, but the company continued to supply parts for the design.

• Ultralight aircraft

  Airborne Windsports ultralight trikes

  Sun Flightcraft continued beyond its manufacturing phase as an importer for Airborne Windsports ultralight trikes from Australia. The available reference material identifies the importing relationship but does not provide model-level specifications, sales figures, or a complete account of the current distribution arrangement.

• Light aircraft

  Aeropro Eurofox

  The Aeropro Eurofox was listed among the aircraft designs for which Sun Flightcraft acted as a dealer. Public reference material identifies the dealership role but does not provide additional product specifications or sales information.

• Ultralight aircraft

  B&F FK9

  The B&F FK9 was included in Sun Flightcraft’s dealer portfolio of light-aircraft designs. The available source does not specify the precise period of dealership or the geographic scope of sales.

• Ultralight aircraft

  B&F FK14 Polaris

  The B&F FK14 Polaris was another aircraft design associated with Sun Flightcraft’s dealership activities. No reliable source material is provided for its local pricing, delivery volume, or current availability through the company.

• Light aircraft

  Evektor Eurostar

  Sun Flightcraft listed the Evektor Eurostar among the aircraft it handled as a dealer. The available material establishes the commercial relationship but does not document detailed configuration, market share, or sales performance.

• Ultralight aircraft

  TL Ultralight TL-2000 Sting

  The TL Ultralight TL-2000 Sting formed part of Sun Flightcraft’s dealer range. It represents the company’s role in distributing third-party ultralight aircraft after the end of its own Air-Chopper production.

• Light aircraft

  Flight Design CT series

  Sun Flightcraft was identified as a dealer for the Flight Design CT series. The reference material does not specify individual CT variants, dealership dates, or the territories in which the aircraft were sold.

• Aircraft engines

  Rotax aircraft engines

  In addition to complete aircraft, Sun Flightcraft dealt in Rotax aircraft engines. This extended its aviation offering into propulsion equipment and supported its broader position as a supplier to the ultralight and recreational-aircraft market.

• 2008

  End of Air-Chopper manufacturingStrategy

  Background

  Sun Flightcraft had operated as a manufacturer of the Air-Chopper powered parachute, but production ended at approximately 2008.

  Action taken

  The company stopped producing the Air-Chopper while continuing to supply parts and maintaining aviation distribution activities.

  Aftermath

  Sun Flightcraft’s documented role shifted from proprietary aircraft production toward parts support, importing ultralight trikes, aircraft dealership, and Rotax engine distribution.

  Source

1. 1Sun Flightcraften.wikipedia.org
2. 2Sun Flightcraft official websitesunflightcraft.com