Epic Aircraft will certify its factory-model turboprops and jets in Canada, even though a deal to build a “certification center” specializing in composite aircraft in Calgary has fallen through. Calgary is the center of Canada’s oil boom and that’s increased construction prices dramatically so the center, proposed for Springbank Airport, was shelved. But that doesn’t mean the company is giving up on Canada. “The Canadian deal is not dead, in fact, it’s not even wounded,” said Epic CEO Rick Schrameck. He would not say where in Canada the certification work will be done.
Epic also confirmed that the Elite very light jet will likely be build by TAM in Georgia, something the company says has been in the works for several years. “The Elite was announced in 2004 as a joint venture with TAM, and we are now executing the established business plan,” Epic spokeswoman Alice Meyers told AVweb. TAM will more than likely move forward with the Russian certification process in order to sell and deliver aircraft in their region.
