Aircraft Industries

File:CIAF 2015 Aero 145 3.jpg

File:LetXL-610MKunovice.JPG in Kunovice museum]]

Building of an aircraft factory in Kunovice started in 1936, as a part of the Škoda Works industrial concern.{{cite news |title=Big structural parts machined faster|url=https://www.aerospacemanufacturinganddesign.com/news/handtmann-aerocell-czech-aircraft-industries-122116/|access-date=25 March 2024|work=Aerospace Manufacturing and Design |date=21 December 2016}} Before and during World War II the unfinished plant served only as a repair works. After the end of the war the factory was nationalized and in 1950–53 a new plant was built. In 1957–1967 it was named SPP (Strojírny první pětiletky – "Works of the First Five-year Plan"), and in 1967 it returned to the name LET. The works produced under licence were the Soviet trainers Yakovlev Yak-11 (under a designation C-11) and the Aero Ae 45 and Aero Ae 145 utility aircraft.

In 1957 the company began to develop the L-200 Morava light utility aircraft and four years later the Z-37 Cmelak agricultural aircraft, which were both a commercial success.

Over the years Let developed and produced gliders: Zlín 22, Z-124 Galánka, LF-109 Pionýr, and Z-425 Šohaj. However the most popular gliders produced by LET are the Blaníks: L-13 Blaník, L-23 Super Blaník and L-33 Solo.

During the 1960s Let's engineers developed a 19-seat commuter turboprop, the L-410 Turbolet, of which more than 1200 were produced.{{Cite news |url=https://www.aerotelegraph.com/en/the-l-610-shall-rise-from-the-dead |title=The L-610 shall rise from the dead |first=Felix |last=Stoffels |access-date=25 March 2024 |date=11 September 2019}} This popular aircraft went through a number of improvements and modernisations and the latest types, the L 410 UVP-E20 and L 420 are EASA and FAA certified respectively.{{cite news |last1=Valiska |first1=Josef |title=Zmizi znacka Czech Made z oblohy? |url=http://technik.ihned.cz/1-10015230-14724870-800000_detail-2f |access-date=23 February 2021 |work=Technik |date=9 August 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060503090113/http://technik.ihned.cz/1-10015230-14724870-800000_detail-2f |archive-date=3 May 2006 |language=Czech}}

The largest Czech transport aircraft, the Let L-610, was produced in 1988 in prototype form and displayed at the Paris Airshow. Production was cancelled due to lack of funding. There were eight prototypes made in the factory.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

The all-metal Blaník sailplane was produced in the largest quantities of any sailplane, with over 3,000 manufactured since the first rolled off the production line in 1958. In 2005 it was still in production as the L23 Super Blaník variant.

The company explored the possibility of a joint venture with Fairchild Aircraft in the 1990s, but eventually decided against it.{{cite news |title=Fairchild and Let drop joint venture plans |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/fairchild-and-let-drop-joint-venture-plans/16568.article |access-date=22 February 2021 |work=Flight Global |date=25 April 1995}} However, it was later purchased by Ayres Corporation in 1998.{{cite news |last1=Thurston |first1=Scott |title=Ayres Soars into Europe on Czech Purchase |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/403182760/ |accessdate=23 February 2021 |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=18 August 1998 |page=D2 |language=en}} In 2001, it merged with Morovan Aeroplanes.{{cite web |title=[Untitled] |url=http://home.nwi.net/~blanikam/ba/lz-1.htm |website=Blanik America |access-date=23 February 2021 |date=23 August 2001 |archive-date=12 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912011815/http://home.nwi.net/~blanikam/ba/lz-1.htm |url-status=dead }} Following bankruptcy, it was purchased by Aircraft Industries in 2005.{{cite news |last1=Horáková |first1=Pavla |title=Aircraft Industries to buy bankrupt Letecke zavody Kunovice |url=http://english.radio.cz/aircraft-industries-buy-bankrupt-letecke-zavody-kunovice-8508073 |access-date=23 February 2021 |work=Radio Prague International |date=27 June 2005}}

The Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UGMK) purchased 51% of the company's shares was in 2008; UAC had shown interest in acquiring the control of the company as well.{{cite web |url=http://invest-iq.net/2009/09/let-kunovice-sold-to-ugmk/ |title=Russia's OAK Poised to Acquire LET Kunovice |work=InvestIQ |date=1 September 2009 |accessdate=22 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005232546/http://invest-iq.net/2009/09/let-kunovice-sold-to-ugmk/ |archivedate=5 October 2013 }} UGMK purchased the remaining shares in 2013.

In April 2022, Aircraft Industries was acquired by the Prague-based company, Omnipol Group.{{Cite web |last=Kaminski-Morrow |first=David |title=Czech firm acquires L-410 manufacturer Aircraft Industries from Russian owners |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/czech-firm-acquires-l-410-manufacturer-aircraft-industries-from-russian-owners/148445.article |access-date=28 April 2022 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}

File:LET L-410NG OK-NGA ILA Berlin 2016 09.jpg

• Aero Vodochody
• Avia
• Beneš-Mráz
• Letov Kbely
• Zlin Aircraft

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• {{cite web |title=Central Intelligence Agency Information Report: Let Aircraft Plants at Kunovice |url=https://archive.org/details/CIA-RDP82-00046R000400070006-4 |access-date=22 February 2021 |date=5 January 1955 }}
• {{cite web |title=Company Profile |url=http://www.let.cz/documents/companyprofile.pdf |website=Let Aircraft Industries |access-date=22 February 2021 |date=November 2017 |archive-date=12 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191212100029/http://www.let.cz/documents/companyprofile.pdf |url-status=dead }}

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{{Commons category|Aircraft Industries}}

• [http://www.let.cz/en/ Company website]
• [http://www.let.cz/index.php Company website] {{in lang|cs}}

{{Let Kunovice aircraft}}

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Category:Aircraft manufacturers of the Czech Republic and Czechoslovakia

Category:Czech brands

Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1936

Category:Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company

Category:1936 establishments in Czechoslovakia