Englewood, Colo.-based Adam Aircraft admittedly has delivered only seven copies of its A500 inline piston twin since receiving type certification in May 2005. While it gained a production certificate in October, deliveries still have been slower than planned. To remedy the situation Adam aircraft has shifted its resources to production, but it also is engaged in “knowledge sharing” with Cirrus Aircraft, according to Adam Aircraft CEO Rick Adam. Under this arrangement, Adam Aircraft is sharing its composite lay-up know-how for pressurizedvessels, which Cirrus will need to manufacture its jet single. In return, Cirrus is sharing its expertise in volume production of aircraft with Adam Aircraft. The relationship makes sense since the two companies’ products don’t overlap and their respective airplanes are constructed entirely of carbon composites.
Adam Aircraft expects to deliver A500 S/N 11 soon, and is improving production tooling this year to achieve high-rate production next year. Asked if the knowledge sharing exercise between Cirrus and Adam and the lack of overlapping products could eventually result in a merger of the two companies, Rick Adam told AVweb that the two companies arequite happy the way they are. “When a Cirrus customer approaches themfor a piston twin, Cirrus quite often refers them to us to buy an A500,” he said. “We have a great relationship with Cirrus.”
