Robin Aircraft, perhaps the last manufacturer of wood and fabric certified airplanes, was ordered liquidated by a French court last week. According to Flyer Magazine, the company had been in receivership since September after bonding issues with the spars in its DR400, its most popular model, resulted in an AD from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Recognizable by its upturned wingtips, the four-place DR400 was in production for almost 50 years. Over the years Robin made a variety of models, including the all-metal HR200 and the CAP 10.
After the faulty spars were discovered, Robin sales dropped and it was placed in bankruptcy protection last February. That was followed by receivership in September. Three companies presented proposals to the court to take over Robin but all were rejected. Centre Est Avions Pierre Robin (CEAPR), the company that held the type certificates when the court stepped in, said it will continue to supply parts and support for the fleet and isn’t ruling out resuming production. “And when tomorrow the community of DR400 and CAP 10 enthusiasts requests it and when market conditions allow it, we shall be ready.”
Another small piece of GA is gone.
Too bad, looked like a nice little plane, Kind of like a Grumman Tiger/Cheetah.
Fab, v stable plane with unrivalled visibility from that canopy – brilliant for touring / sightseeing flights. I’m sure it will be back.
Had the fortune to fly the quirky R2160. Though a metal Robin, definitely a French plane!
Very sad – I remember flying the “Remorqueur” in Germany quite a bit, out of Germany’s second shortest runway, namely “Jesenwang (EDMJ).”
It was a cute, comfortable, fun-to-fly four-seat aircraft, I’d rent from the “Flugschule Walch.” Flown w/ a stick, the plane was responsive and had a GREAT view, so even pilotage was fun.
That‘s a pity. I earned my first paid hours on a Robin towing gliders and while it wasn‘t too fast with the climb-optimized 4-bladed prop it was nice and responsive to fly and had excellent all-around visibility to look out for other gliders. Robin had the usual European history of lots of designs built in small numbers. While they started out with a wooden 2-seater there were numerous slow and fast cruisers with and without the signature „crooked“ wing.