OSHKOSH, Wis., July 26, 2010 – In the first six months since announcing the PiperSport, PiperSport Distribution, Inc. is making great strides in assembling a global distributor network for the company’s light sport aircraft, the newest member in the company’s remarkable aircraft family.
“We have really hit the ground running,” said PiperSport Product Manager Russ Greenberg at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010 where the PiperSport is on display.
“PiperSport Distribution already covers nearly half of the United States, including highly populated regions, much of the European Union and large parts of the Australian Continent,” he said. “Coupled with our heavy marketing penetration in the Asia/Pacific region, we have begun to blanket the world.”
Distributor Agreements
PiperSport Distribution has reached agreements with a number of domestic and international distributors, Greenberg said. These include:
| U.S. Sport Aircraft – Ft. Pierce, Fl Florida, Texas Don Ayers – (410) 375-8959 Donato Martino – (772) 349-4633 ussport@comcast.net |
Vector Sport Aviation – Fresno, Calif. California David & Jean-Marie Bonnar – (559) 801-3273 vsa@vectorsportaviation.com |
| Sport Flying USA – Long Island, N.Y. New Jersey, Connecticut, Eastern Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine John Rathmell – (717) 371-8677 funtofly@comcast.net |
Fox Aerosport – Erie, Colo. Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, New Mexico Eric Gray – (303) 828-1066 foxdelta@comcast.net |
| Corbi Air – Salem, Ohio Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky Ron Corbi – (877) 267-2424 ron@corbiair.com |
Charles City Aeronautics – Charles City, Iowa Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, N. Dakota, S. Dakota Bill Kyle – (641) 228-3075 ccaero@netcox.net |
| Sport Aircraft Flight Center – Wilmington, N.C. North Carolina, South Carolina Walt Conologue – (910) 392-1111 wconologue@ec.rr.com |
Piper Germany Germany, Austria, Switzerland, U.K. +49 (0) 5674 704 -52 sales@piper-germany.de |
| JB Investments Poland (22) 736-99-19 piper@jbi.com.pl |
Aerosport Aviation New Zealand, Australia Anton Meier - +64 7 8295940 www.aerosport.co.nz |
Greenberg said that other distributor agreements are in process and expected later this year. For those areas without a PiperSport distributor yet, customers can order on-line at click here or http://www.piper.com/pages/PiperSport.cfm.
Social Media Assist
In addition to traditional advertising methods, Piper Aircraft has used new social media to assist the distributor network in launching the PiperSport. The Piper LSA has been featured thousands of times on Facebook, You Tube and Twitter, and, of course, it is available for order on-line.
600-mile Range on Auto Fuel
The PiperSport features a rate of climb of 1,200 feet per minute and is capable of reaching a maximum cruise speed of 120 knots and an altitude of 10,000 feet. The aircraft has a gross weight of 1,320 pounds and 469 pounds of useful load. With the ability to run on automotive fuel, the PiperSport’s 30-gallon fuel capacity gives the aircraft a range of 600 nautical miles and the ability to refuel virtually anywhere in the world that offers either 100LL or premium, unleaded automotive fuel.
There are three variants of the aircraft: The PiperSport, which sells for $119,900; the PiperSport LT (primarily a training model), which sells for $129,900; and the PiperSport LTD (professional model), which sells for $139,900. Each model features the latest in luxury – from leather seats to cutting-edge design – and is equipped with a 100-hp Rotax 912 engine and a BRS complete aircraft parachute recovery system. Each model also features the same gross weight, speed, fuel capacity, and range.
About Piper Aircraft, Inc.
Piper Aircraft Inc. is headquartered in Vero Beach, Fla. Piper’s rich aviation legacy is born of 72 years of unparalleled history, with almost 150,000 aircraft brought to market and more than 160 certified models. Approximately 90,000 of those aircraft are flying today and being serviced and supported on every continent by Piper’s 65 service centers, 27 dealers and 2,500 field personnel. Piper is the only general aviation manufacturer to build and offer aircraft for every general aviation mission, from trainers and high-performance aircraft for personal and business use to turbine-powered business aircraft and the PiperJet. For more information about Piper Aircraft and its authorized service centers, visit piper.com.
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For further information, contact:
Jackie Carlon
Phone: (772) 299-2900
Fax: (772) 978-6585
mail to: Jackie.Carlon@piper.com
www.piper.com