CubCrafters, a leading manufacturer of FAA-certified, ASTM-certified, and experimental category utility and recreational aircraft, achieved a major milestone in its company history by delivering its 1000th new aircraft on December 19, 2023, to Tim Sheehy, CEO of Bridger Aerospace, in Bozeman, Montana.
The milestone aircraft, a CubCrafters CC19-215 XCub, was delivered in Bridger Aerospace firefighting livery, the paint scheme itself a tribute to the company’s fleet of Canadair CL-415 “Super Scooper” water-bomber aircraft.
Mr. Sheehy comments that “Bridger Aerospace and CubCrafters have a relationship going back to 2016 when we worked together on a project for the US Military. We frequently base near their factory in Yakima, Washington during fire season, and I have always admired the passion the entire CubCrafters team has for aviation. I’m honoured to welcome the 1000th aircraft to our fleet.” He continues, “The utility of this type of aircraft, especially for remote areas with limited aviation infrastructure like Montana is fantastic, and this is CubCrafters’ top-of-the-line flagship model. We will put it to good use in support of our mission of protecting the American West from the threat of wildfires.”
Sheehy founded Bridger Aerospace in 2014 and has since done everything from sweeping floors to leading the company as CEO. From 2008 until 2014, Mr. Sheehy served as a Navy SEAL officer and team leader. An active pilot with Bridger’s Air Attack and Super Scooper fleets, Mr. Sheehy is also a rancher and father to four young pilots in training.
“We are particularly excited that CubCrafters 1000th new production aircraft is going to someone who has served the citizens of this nation the way Mr. Sheehy has,” notes CubCrafters President and CEO, Patrick Horgan. “As an American company, we appreciate both our customers who are veterans and those who are business leaders, Mr. Sheehy is both. The fact that he will soon be flying this new XCub is something we’re all very gratified by. It confirms CubCrafters’ position as General Aviation’s best-in-class backcountry aircraft manufacturer, meeting the expectations of customers like Tim for both performance and safety.”
The CC19-215 XCub is CubCrafters’ flagship aircraft. With the largest engine, a 215 HP Lycoming IO-390 with dual electronic ignition, and the best avionics, a modern lightweight Garmin glass panel with autopilot, the XCub boasts the most useful load, best range, and highest speed of the entire CubCrafters fleet. A fully FAA-certified aircraft, it is sold for personal recreational use, commercial utility purposes, flight training, and Government use.
“Jim Richmond, our founder, would have been extremely proud of this moment,” added Brad Damm, Vice President of CubCrafters. “Although we lost Jim in 2021, this was exactly his vision, a strong American company continuing to design and manufacture fun and safe backcountry aircraft with amazing performance.”
In addition to 1000 new CubCrafters production aircraft manufactured, the Company has delivered hundreds of backcountry aircraft kits and innumerable major rebuilds and upgrades to the classic Piper Super Cub during its 43-year history.
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