Wipaire

Wipaire is an American manufacturing and repair facility. It was founded shortly after World War II by Ben Wiplinger, a veteran of the United States Army Air Forces. He returned to his native Minnesota and set up shop at South St. Paul Airport to convert surplus military aircraft (usually transport types; sometimes bombers) into civilian executive aircraft.[1]

Wiplinger was an avid floatplane pilot, and he was familiar with the dominant line of light-aircraft floats of the era, EDO. He sought an EDO dealership, but was turned down. At that, he determined to fabricate his own line of aircraft floats, and that activity soon became the company's main focus. By 2013 the company had delivered over 2000 sets of floats, ranging in capacity from Cubs[2] to Twin Otters. However, along with the manufacture and installation of floats, the company gradually returned to its original role of aircraft servicing, maintenance, modifications, painting and interior completions.

Until 2013 the company was based entirely in Minnesota. In late January 2013, it opened a floatplane service and repair facility at Leesburg International Airport in Lake County, Florida.

Aerial firefighting modifications

A current example of the company's blended line of offerings is the Fire Boss, an Air Tractor AT-802F that is equipped to provide initial response to industrial or forest fires. Its amphibious floats can scoop 820 gallons of water as the plane flies low over a small lake, then the plane can dump the water on a fire. By January 2013, 50 such units were in service worldwide.[3]

Aircraft modifications for float installations

In March 2015 Wipaire announced its new modification/re-engining program for existing Cessna 182 landplanes.[4] The company developed a series of engine and propeller replacements, and obtained increases in maximum allowable weights, for the aircraft type. It will either upgrade a customer's existing airplane, or will procure used aircraft on the market and upgrade them for sale on the market.

Airplane floats

As of 2015 the company's aircraft floats are made of aluminum.

References

  1. ↑ 3M established its executive transport division in 1963 with a Wipaire aircraft. 3M COMPANY: An Inventory of Its Corporate Records at the Minnesota Historical Society (accessed 12 February 2013)
  2. ↑ The Cub float is the smallest unit available as of January 2013, but in an interview the President stated that his staff were developing units for light sport aircraft.
  3. ↑ William Garvey, Making Waves - Afloat with flourish, and expanding Aviation Week & Space Technology, 4 February 2013 issue, p. 16
  4. ↑ Plane & Pilot, "Adding Oomph to a Modest Airplane" (24 March 2015)

External links

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