Stoddard Hamilton GlaStar

Arlington Aircraft Development Inc (AADI) had originally developed the GlaStar and licensed production to Stoddard Hamilton. Designed with aluminium wings, stabiliser and rudder, but a fibreglass fuselage and fin, with a pipe cage around the two-seat cockpit to which the wings and engine are directly mounted. The design allows a conversion from tricycle to taildragger configuration in a couple of hours. The standard design also allows the wings to fold (a five-minute operation) for easy hangarage, and removal of the tail stabaliser for transporting. Options purchased for this aircraft include the auxiliary wingtip tanks, giving a total of 195 litres useable, and 600 x 6 tyres.

First flying on 29 November 1994, the new GlaStar was announced at the 1994 Sun n’ Fun airshow in Lakeland, Florida, and first displayed as an almost-finished prototype at Oshkosh. Featuring a foldable high wing, convertible landing gear options and a baggage compartment. More than 100 builders placed deposits on the new kit in advance of the prototype’s November first flight.

Behind its original 125 h.p. Continental IO-240 engine, the GlaStar prototype exceeded its design goals on every parameter in 1995. By the fall of 1995, complete GlaStar kits were being shipped, and the first customer-built GlaStar took flight after less than three-months of construction. 1995 saw major enhancements to all models of the Glasair.

In 1996, the GlaStar prototype, having logged some 400 trouble-free hours in its first eighteen months, was equipped with a new 160 h.p. Lycoming O-320 engine installation. With a constant-speed propeller, this powerplant gave better cruise speed, climb performance and short-field wizardry. In 1997 the GlaStar was tested on floats - both Aerocet 2200 straight floats and Wipline 2100 amphibs. Designed from the outset as a floatplane, the GlaStar exceeded all expectations. In addition, the 180 h.p. Lycoming O-360 engine was installed in the GlaStar.

Included in the FAA 51% list, GlaStar builders got a tremendous boost in 1998 with the introduction of new "Jump-Start" accelerated-assembly options. Taken together, the Jump-Start Wing and Fuselage options shaved up to 50% off the typical build-time.

Original manufacturer of the Glasair and Glastar, Stoddard Hamilton closed its doors in 2000 after more than 20 years in business. Both aircraft types were split from the Stoddard Hamilton camp when the closure occurred.

Thomas W. Wathen, former Chairman and CEO of Pinkerton's, Inc., purchased the assets of Stoddard-Hamilton and AADI and formed Glasair Aviation, LLC in 2001 for the continued manufacturing and sale of both the Glasair and Glastar product lines.

New owner Thomas Walthem was committed to getting all three kits back into production. He initially purchased the Glasair side of the business but after finding the overheads of the line were not self supporting approached Arlington Air-craft Development Inc (AADI) to purchase the GlaStar line. As a single entity, the Glasair and Glastar kit aircraft under the banner of New Glasair/GlaStar.

Mr. Wathen, who sits on the President’s Counsel of the EAA and owns historic Flabob Airport in Riverside, California, selected Mikael Via to be President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the new companies. According to Mr. Wathen, Via is to be responsible for daily operations of Glasair Aviation and will help Wathen determine the long-term direction and growth of the company. Via, is a private pilot and builder/owner of a Glasair Super II RG.

In 2009 still produced kits to construct the GlaStar two-seat high-wing cabin monoplane (first flown 1994 and many hundreds sold).

Engine: Lycoming IO-320-D, 160 hp
HP range: 100-180
Height: 7 ft
Length: 22 ft
Wing span: 35 ft
Wing area: 128 sq.ft
Fuel cap: 34 USG
Weight empty: 1100 lbs
Gross: 1900 lbs
Speed max: 170 mph
Cruise: 167 mph
Range: 750 sm
Stall: 45 mph
ROC: 2000 fpm
Take-off dist: 230 ft
Landing dist: 300 ft
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose or tail wheel