Stemme, the German motorglider manufacturer that got a boost with new ownership and investment a couple of years ago, is continuing its work to develop a robust network of dealers and service centers around the world, spokesman Lorenzo Costella told AVweb at Sun ‘n Fun. Stemme USA is now based at Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina, with two demo aircraft available on site, and the company plans to have up to four service centers in the U.S., he said. The company also will be debuting some new modifications to its smaller glider, the S6, next week at Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany. “It will have a longer wingspan, going from 59 to 65 feet, and a better glide ratio,” Costella said. At Sun ‘n Fun, the company is showing its two-seat S10 motorglider, which has a 75-foot wingspan and a glide ratio of about 1:50.
Costella said the technology for the S10 is “stable,” but the new shareholders now are investing in research and development. “We’ll have no news about that until it’s ready for the market,” he said. Stemme also introduced at the show the new president of its U.S. subsidiary, Mark Stevenson, who previously worked at Embraer and Cessna. My main aim for 2014 is to demonstrate the uniqueness and excellence of Stemme premium sports aircraft as a result of German engineering,” he said. The company will return to EAA AirVenture in July with both the S10 and S6 on display. The S10 will also fly at the show, piloted by world champion aerobatic pilot Luca Bertossio, from Italy.
