Epic Expansion Proceeds

Epic Aircraft has completed the deal to buy a former Cessna manufacturing plant at Bend, Ore. In an email to AVweb, Epic CEO Doug King said the deal, which we reported last week, went through earlier this week and will give the company the room it needs to meet demand both for its kit-built LT turboprop singles and the forthcoming certified E1000. "Our backlog is building both for kit planes and new certified aircraft," King said.

King led the effort by a group of kit owners with unfinished aircraft to buy the company out of bankruptcy and finish their planes. The company has been revived as a going concern and was bought by a Russian company earlier this year with an eye to certifying the big turboprop. "Five new Epic LT kit planes received Airworthiness Certificates this week," King said. "Epic continues to grow as our focus on the LT produces results and certification [of] the E1000 proceeds."