Wipaire celebrates 50 years of Wipline Floats

Wipaire, Inc. is celebrating 50 years of Wipline float design and manufacturing by giving away a commemorative set of Wipline 2100 floats this week at the AOPA Aviation Summit.

Bernard “Ben” Wiplinger started design and certification on the Wipline 3700 float for the Cessna 185 in 1960. His son, Bob “Wip,” and his grandchildren, Nancy and Chuck, have kept the Wipline float tradition going strong. Over the last 50 years, 16 different models of Wipline floats have been certified on aircraft ranging from Piper Cubs to the de Havilland Twin Otter. Nine of these float models are still in production today.

Wipaire’s strength has always been and continues to be in engineering innovations, according to company officials. Ben, Wip and Chuck have led teams of engineers that have accumulated more than 120 different supplemental type certificates. Their most recent accomplishments are the certification of the Wipline 7000 on the Quest Kodiak, an executive interior for the deHavilland Twin Otter, and a single point refueling system that is compatible with the G1000 system.

Wipaire is sharing their celebration with the aviation community by giving away a commemorative set of Wipline 2100 floats, valued at $28,000–$31,000, depending on aircraft rigging required. Wipaire has been collecting entries throughout 2010 and will draw the winner at 3 p.m. Nov. 13 in Booth 1130 at the AOPA Aviation Summit in Long Beach, Calif.

For more information: Wipaire.com