Manufacturer

Rearwin

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Rearwin Airplanes was founded by Raymond Andrew (“Rae”) Rearwin in 1928, at Salina, KS.

Following Charles Lindbergh’s historic transatlantic flight in 1927, the world’s fascination with aviation grew significantly. Moreover, the Air Commerce Act of 1926 established the government certification program of pilots and aircraft that gave the fledgling industry safety and legitimacy.

Rearwin produced Junior two-seat light monoplane in 1931, followed by Speedster with American Cirrus engine.

Employing his two sons, Royce and Ken, the small company designed and built over 400 airplanes, including instrument trainers and gliders, despite the effects of the Great Depression.

Taken over in 1935 by partnership called Rearwin Airplanes. In 1937 bought assets of Le Blond Aircraft Corporation renamed as Ken-Royce motors. 1939: Renamed Rearwin Aircraft & Engines Inc.

Rae Rearwin sold the company to the Empire Ordinance Company in 1942. The company built about 275 more Skyrangers under the Commonwealth name before they closed their doors in 1946.

Raytheon

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Raytheon Aircraft Company

In 1993 British Aerospace sold its corporate jets business (builders of the BAe 125-800 and -1000) to Raytheon.

Founded in 1994 as a division of Raytheon International Inc, bringing together the activities of the Beech Aircraft Corporation and Raytheon Corporate Jets, the latter having been British Aerospace Corporate Jets, producing Hawker bizjets, before the August 1993 acquisition.

Continued to market a range of Beech lightplanes (including Bonanza A36 and B36TC, Baron 58, King Air C90, and Super King Air B200 and 350), Beechjet 400A business aircraft and the 1900 Airliner (current 1900D Airliner version first flown March 1990)

Also continued to market the Hawker 800XP corporate jet (Hawker 1000 production ended in 1998), while its latest bizjetto fly is the Premier I (December 1998), and the Hawker Horizon will follow in 1999.

Also manufactures a variant of the Swiss Pilatus PC-9 as the Beech PC-9 Mk II, which is being produced for the USAF and U.S. Navy as the T-6A Texan II primary undergraduate flight trainer and undergraduate navigator trainer. Other activities include the production of missile targets.

2007

Raven Industries

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1982: Raven Industries, Box 1007 Sioux Fails, South Dakota 57101, USA.

Hang glider builder

One of the world’s largest balloon manufacturers, Raven offered four models with envelopes ranging from 56,000 to 140,000 cubic feet. Twelve standard colors are offered, or custom designs can be created from Raven’s colour selections. Balloon packages range in price from $8,795 to $15,745 in 1982.