LACHUTE, Quebec, Canada — Just a year and a half after the first flight of the prototype SAM aircraft, President Thierry Zibi has put the company up for sale.
Why, after so much work – design, fixturing, successful flight test, certification, and orders – would that be a good time to sell the company? Zibi says, “I came to the realization that I love designing airplanes, but I am not so keen on running a production company.”
The stage is well-set for the new owner, he notes.
The SAM has flown a full test regimen, which has shown it to be spin-proof at both full-forward and full-aft CG; its Canadian certification has been awarded (and LSA is completely documented, awaiting only another production example). Tooling and fixtures are done, production has already started , and orders are in the books.
Zibi has reached that point when he is ready to hand off his “child” to a team that wants to build the population.
“The entire project is laid out to be manufacturable, for both factory and kit-builder,” Zibi, a designer by trade and training, emphasizes. “We have made ease of building second only to the flying qualities, comfort, and safety of the SAM.”
The SAM is certified in Canada as an Advanced Ultralight, and is fully compliant with the LSA rule in the USA. It is an all-metal, two-place tandem machine. Its classic looks (the Ryan STA was the inspiration for its eye-appeal) set it apart on the ramp, Zibi noted.
Some people are destined to design, some to build, some to fly. This designer is looking for the other two kinds of people to realize their dreams.
For more information: SAM-Aircraft.com
This is among a very short list of LSA’s which I’d be interested in purchasing and I’ve been awaiting word on its FAA approval. That the concern is going up for sale before having earned that approval is not encouraging. Watch and see I suppose.
Lack of “demand” possibly?
Nifty aircraft! Fit it with a skinny little 3 cylinder 1 liter Ford and you have a very competent little trainer.