CubCrafters has sold its Type Certificate for the CC18 Top Cub to the Liaoning Cub Aircraft Corporation of China, the company announced Monday at their headquarters in Yakima, Washington. Under the terms of the deal, which was four years in the making, CubCrafters will retain a license to continue manufacturing and marketing the aircraft for non‐Chinese markets, and also will provide worldwide fleet support. The sale of the TC, plus the support contracts, will provide funding for CubCrafters to develop “an ambitious lineup of new‐generation aircraft projects,” the company said. The Chinese plan to use the airplane in a variety of roles, including flight training, aerial photography and mapping, agriculture, and personal flying.
“This new agreement helps position CubCrafters for the future,” said Jim Richmond, CubCrafters founder and CEO. “Though CubCrafters and LCA remain separate and independent entities, opportunities to cooperate in the Chinese market together look promising.” The two-place Top Cub can carry a useful load of more than 1,000 pounds. Liaoning Cub Aircraft was formed in 2011 by CEO Zhijun Qian with a goal to bring general aviation to the Chinese market. The Top Cub is CubCrafter’s only Part 23 type-certified aircraft.
