The Koppen-Bollinger Aircraft Corporation was founded by Otto Koppen and Lynn Bollinger in Massachusetts in 1948 to develop a light STOL utility aircraft. Initially located at Boston Metropolitan Airport in Canton, Massachusetts,[1] it was renamed the Helio Aircraft Corporation by the time manufacture of the Helio Courier commenced in the early 1950s at a plant in Pittsburg, Kansas.[2] The plant, located at the Atkinson Municipal Airport was acquired by Helio from Mid-States Manufacturing Company in July 1956 and was almost destroyed by a wildfire in March 1966.[3][4] In 1959, the company announced it was moving its factory to Tucson, Arizona.[5]
The business was bought by the General Aircraft Corporation in 1969, was renamed Helio Aircraft Company and continued production until 1974, when General Aircraft commenced legal proceedings against the CIA, alleging that the agency had planned to ruin the business through organizing unlicensed production of the Courier.[6][failed verification]
The production rights were sold by General Aircraft to Helio Aircraft Ltd in 1977.[7] Despite an abortive attempt to restart production, the company remained essentially inactive until 1980.[8][9] The Courier was returned to production, but only 18 aircraft were built.[citation needed] In 1984, the company was forced to lay off 100 workers and the following February it was evicted from its factory.[10][11]
The rights to the Courier and Stallion were bought and sold a number of times more before being purchased by Helio Aircraft LLC of Prescott, Arizona, which announced plans in 2004 to return both types to production.[citation needed]
^Riley, Arthur A. (10 September 1968). "New 'Short Takeoff' Plane Traces Origins to Bay State". Boston Globe. p. 26. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
^"Helioplane Really Safe". Terre Haute Tribune-Star. 10 July 1949. p. 51. Retrieved 25 January 2021. They call their plane a helioplane because it combines the advantages of both the present small plane and the helicopter.
^"Helio Purchases Pittsburgh Plant". Parsons Sun. 27 July 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
^"SEK News". Parsons Sun. 4 March 1966. p. 10. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
^Stirling, Bob (25 March 1959). "'Go Ahead' Signal Flashed by Helio". Tucson Daily Citizen. p. 1. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
^"Aircraft Company CIA Spy Cover?". Indianapolis Star. UPI. 29 November 1976. p. 8. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
^Townsend, Lew (28 March 1983). "Helio Makes Comeback". Wichita Eagle-Beacon. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"Helio Aircraft Ready to Start Up Again". Kansas City Star. AP. 16 October 1976. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^Townsend, Lew (31 May 1980). "Design Veteran Builds Payload Increase Into Helio's Courier". Wichita Eagle and Beacon. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"Helio Aircraft to Lay Off 100 of Its Workers". Wichita Eagle-Beacon. 16 May 1984. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
^"Pittsburgh Company Receives Eviction Notice". Parsons Sun. 13 February 1985. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
Bibliographyedit
Gunston, Bill (1993). World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.
Hazeltine, Bill; Mirer, Frank (December 1971). . Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on January 23, 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helio Aircraft Company.
Helio Aircraft LLC website
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helio, aircraft, company, american, aircraft, manufacturer, founded, 1948, industryaerospacefounded1948, 1948, founderslynn, bollingerotto, koppendefunct1985, 1985, headquartersunited, statesparentgeneral, aircraft, corporation, 1969, 1976, contents, history, . The Helio Aircraft Company was an American aircraft manufacturer founded in 1948 Helio Aircraft CompanyIndustryAerospaceFounded1948 1948 FoundersLynn BollingerOtto C KoppenDefunct1985 1985 HeadquartersUnited StatesParentGeneral Aircraft Corporation 1969 1976 Contents 1 History 2 Aircraft 3 References 3 1 Notes 3 2 Bibliography 4 External linksHistory editThe Koppen Bollinger Aircraft Corporation was founded by Otto Koppen and Lynn Bollinger in Massachusetts in 1948 to develop a light STOL utility aircraft Initially located at Boston Metropolitan Airport in Canton Massachusetts 1 it was renamed the Helio Aircraft Corporation by the time manufacture of the Helio Courier commenced in the early 1950s at a plant in Pittsburg Kansas 2 The plant located at the Atkinson Municipal Airport was acquired by Helio from Mid States Manufacturing Company in July 1956 and was almost destroyed by a wildfire in March 1966 3 4 In 1959 the company announced it was moving its factory to Tucson Arizona 5 The business was bought by the General Aircraft Corporation in 1969 was renamed Helio Aircraft Company and continued production until 1974 when General Aircraft commenced legal proceedings against the CIA alleging that the agency had planned to ruin the business through organizing unlicensed production of the Courier 6 failed verification The production rights were sold by General Aircraft to Helio Aircraft Ltd in 1977 7 Despite an abortive attempt to restart production the company remained essentially inactive until 1980 8 9 The Courier was returned to production but only 18 aircraft were built citation needed In 1984 the company was forced to lay off 100 workers and the following February it was evicted from its factory 10 11 The rights to the Courier and Stallion were bought and sold a number of times more before being purchased by Helio Aircraft LLC of Prescott Arizona which announced plans in 2004 to return both types to production citation needed Aircraft edit nbsp A Helio Courier at Edmonton circa 1959Model name First flight Number built TypeHelio Courier 500 Single engine utility airplaneHelio H 500 Twin Courier 1960 7 Twin engine utility airplaneHelio HST 550 Stallion 1964 20 Single engine utility airplaneHelio Rat ler 1 Single engine agricultural airplaneReferences editNotes edit Riley Arthur A 10 September 1968 New Short Takeoff Plane Traces Origins to Bay State Boston Globe p 26 Retrieved 25 December 2020 Helioplane Really Safe Terre Haute Tribune Star 10 July 1949 p 51 Retrieved 25 January 2021 They call their plane a helioplane because it combines the advantages of both the present small plane and the helicopter Helio Purchases Pittsburgh Plant Parsons Sun 27 July 1956 p 2 Retrieved 25 November 2019 SEK News Parsons Sun 4 March 1966 p 10 Retrieved 25 November 2019 Stirling Bob 25 March 1959 Go Ahead Signal Flashed by Helio Tucson Daily Citizen p 1 Retrieved 26 December 2020 Aircraft Company CIA Spy Cover Indianapolis Star UPI 29 November 1976 p 8 Retrieved 25 December 2020 Townsend Lew 28 March 1983 Helio Makes Comeback Wichita Eagle Beacon Retrieved 22 February 2021 Helio Aircraft Ready to Start Up Again Kansas City Star AP 16 October 1976 Retrieved 22 February 2021 Townsend Lew 31 May 1980 Design Veteran Builds Payload Increase Into Helio s Courier Wichita Eagle and Beacon Retrieved 22 February 2021 Helio Aircraft to Lay Off 100 of Its Workers Wichita Eagle Beacon 16 May 1984 Retrieved 22 February 2021 Pittsburgh Company Receives Eviction Notice Parsons Sun 13 February 1985 Retrieved 22 February 2021 Bibliography edit Gunston Bill 1993 World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers Annapolis Naval Institute Press Hazeltine Bill Mirer Frank December 1971 The CIA and the Professors Central Intelligence Agency Archived from the original on January 23 2017 Retrieved 26 December 2020 Simpson R W 1995 Airlife s General Aviation Shrewsbury Airlife Publishing External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helio Aircraft Company Helio Aircraft LLC website nbsp This United States manufacturing company related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helio Aircraft Company amp oldid 1123369313, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
