Thrush Aircraft
{{short description|American manufacturer of agricultural aircraft}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Thrush Aircraft, LLC
| logo = Thrush aircraft logo.png
| logo_caption =
| logo_alt =
| type = Private Company
| industry = Aerospace
| fate =
| predecessor = Ayres Corporation
| successor =
| founded = {{Start date|2003}}
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Larry Bays|Payne Hughes}}
| defunct =
| hq_location_city = Albany, Georgia
| hq_location_country = United States
| area_served = United States/Internationally
| key_people = Mark McDonald
{{small|(President)}}
| products =
| owner =
| num_employees =
| num_employees_year =
| parent =
| website = {{URL|thrushaircraft.com}}
}}
Thrush Aircraft, LLC is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Albany, Georgia. It manufactures the Thrush series of agricultural, firefighting and special mission aircraft.
History
Rockwell International originally built the facility in 1965 and operated it until it was purchased by Ayres Corporation on 23 November 1977. In July 2001, Ayres filed for bankruptcy and the rights to the S-2 aircraft were passed to Quality Aerospace.{{cite magazine|magazine=Flight International|date=12–18 November 2002|page=46|title=Directory: world airliners}} In 2003, the factory was purchased by Larry Bays and Payne Hughes, and one month later Quality Aerospace transferred the type certificates of the S-2 to Thrush Aircraft.{{cite news |title=Thrush Aircraft has good jobs soaring again |url=http://www.walb.com/story/1467149/thrush-aircraft-has-good-jobs-soaring-again |accessdate=15 November 2020 |work=WALB News 10 |date=2 October 2003}}{{cite web |title=Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A3SW |url=http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/725de24984276a7f86257dac0057917c/$FILE/A3SW_Rev_19.pdf |website=Federal Aviation Administration |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation |accessdate=27 October 2020 |date=11 December 2014}} In 2005, the company had 150 employees.{{cite news |title=South Georgia company proud of its crop-dusting planes |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/424412288 |accessdate=15 November 2020 |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |agency=Associated Press |date=8 May 2005 |page=F3}} By 2013, this had increased to 185.{{cite news |last1=Nay |first1=Don |title=Exporting is Good for GA. Businesses |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/423325021 |accessdate=15 November 2020 |work=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=28 August 2013 |page=16A}}
The 510 was introduced in 2009.{{cite news |last1=Fletcher |first1=Carlton |title=Thrush introduces next generation of ag aircraft |url=http://www.albanyherald.com/news/thrush-introduces-next-generation-of-ag-aircraft/article_75251aba-218b-5c12-ae5e-9f6dd8ce3207.html |accessdate=15 November 2020 |work=AlbanyHerald.com |date=20 November 2009}} The first two examples of the 510G Switchback, a variant designed for firefighting were delivered to the Georgia Forestry Commission in 2017.{{cite news |last1=Lews |first1=Terry |title=Georgia's Forestry Service Gets Newest Firefighting Aircraft |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/684395983 |accessdate=15 November 2020 |work=The Telegraph |date=18 December 2017 |page=3A}}
The company entered bankruptcy protection in September 2019, intending to restructure and emerge in a better financial position. The company laid-off 113 employees as part of the process.{{cite web |last1=Niles |first1=Russ |title=Thrush Aircraft in Bankruptcy |url=https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/business-aviation-news/thrush-aircraft-in-bankruptcy |website=AVweb |accessdate=27 October 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930133359/https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/business-aviation-news/thrush-aircraft-in-bankruptcy |archivedate=30 September 2019 |date=29 September 2019}} As a result of the restructuring, Mark McDonald was named CEO.{{cite magazine |title=Thrush Aircraft Re-Emerges |date=June 2020 |pages=A10–A13 |url=http://issuu.com/aau_proofs/docs/aau_ab_44f8883d03bddd |magazine=AgAir Update |publisher=Marsayl Media |accessdate=15 November 2020}}
Aircraft
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Model name
! First flight ! Number built ! Type |
|---|
| align=left| Thrush 510P2
|align=center| |align=center| |align=left| Single engine agricultural monoplane |
| align=left| Thrush 510P2+
|align=center| |align=center| |align=left| Single engine agricultural monoplane |
| align=left| Thrush 710P
|align=center| |align=center| |align=left| Single engine agricultural monoplane |
| Thrush 710P Fire Bird
| | |Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.thrushaircraft.com/}}