Manufacturer

Stratus Inc / Stratus 2000

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1998:
7750 Twelfth Avenue N.W.
Seattle
Washington 98117
USA

Since 1992, Stratus, Inc. has converted Subaru EA-81 engines for use in Avid Flyers and similar light, home-built aircraft. The company installed a 100-hp engine in a Cessna 150F with good results.

Originally founded as Stratus, Inc. in 1992 by Reiner and Petra Hoffmann, the company was sold in 1999 to Mykal Templeman and renamed Stratus 2000, Inc.

Based in Camano Island, Washington and later in Corvallis, Oregon. Stratus 2000, Inc specialized in the design and manufacture of engines based on Subaru automotive engines for homebuilt aircraft. Zenith Aircraft Company offers a firewall-forward package for the EA-81 Subaru engine conversion (from Stratus Inc.) for the ZODIAC CH 601 series.

The company built two Subaru-derived designs, the Stratus EA 81 based on the Subaru EA 81 automotive engine and the Stratus EJ 22 based upon the Subaru EJ 22 automotive engine. The company also designed its own 2.2:1 ratio propeller speed reduction unit.

Some existing airframe designs, like the Zenith CH 601, have been adapted for the Stratus engines, while other aircraft have been designed around the engines from the start, such as the Airdale Backcountry. Stratus powerplants have also been used as retrofits in production aircraft, such as the Cessna 150.

The company seems to have gone out of business about 2008 and engine production ended.

Stout Metal Airplane Co

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In 1919 W. B. Stout (former aeronautical writer and engineer) formed Stout Engineering Laboratories Inc. at Detroit, Michigan. Built Batwing cantilever monoplane, hoping for U.S. Navy and civil orders. In 1920/1922 built and flew large twin-engined coast-defense torpedo-carrier monoplane for Navy.

1922: Stout Metal Airplane Co, Dearborn MI. USA

Stout, facing bankruptcy, solicited financial support, which came from a group of Detroit area businessmen, among them auto manufacturers Roy Chapin (Hudson), Walter Chrysler, Barney Everitt (Rickenbacker), Fred Fisher (Fisher Body), Henry Ford (via Edsel Ford), Charles F Kettering (GMC), Alvin McCauley (Packard), and Ransom E Olds (Reo).

In 1922 established Stout Metal Airplane Company with himself as chief designer and Edsel Ford as a director. Specialized in metal construction. Seven-passenger Stout Air Pullman of 1924 had corrugated metal skin.

In August 1925 the company was bought by Henry Ford and joint publicity was gained when Stout Mail Plane marked “Ford” operated on Detroit-Cleveland route.

AT- 4 of 1926 established famous Tri-Motor line, associated with name Ford. In 1931 Stout Engineering Laboratories exhibited Sky Car two-seat monoplane at Detroit.

In August 1925 Henry Ford bought the Stout Metal Airplane Company from founder William Bushnell Stout. The new division of the Ford Motor Company produced three versions of the Tri-Motor monoplane.

1941: Stout Skycraft Corp, Dearborn MI.

1946: Stout Research Division of Convair.

1948: Stout Research Laboratories (ornithopters).

1925: Stout Metal Airplane Div, Ford Motor Co.