Aero celebrates 90 years

25/02/2009 | Today, Aero Vodochody, the largest Czech aerospace manufacturer, celebrates 90 years since its foundation – on February 25, 1919, Aero was registered in the commercial register.

“90 years on the aerospace market ranks us among the oldest aerospace manufacturers worldwide. Today, we belong to well-established suppliers, reflecting modern trends in the aerospace industry and providing our customers with first-class services,” Igor Hulak, president of Aero Vodochody, comments the company’s anniversary.

Since its foundation, Aero has focused on aircraft production, aerostructures and also aircraft repairs. As early as in 1919, the year of the foundation, Aero developed and carried out the first flight of its first in-house designed type – the Aero A-1 aircraft. Orders followed from the ministry of defence for the serial production of this military type and Aero soon became the main supplier to the ministry of defence and the ministry of public works (responsible for commercial aviation). Aero also equipped the national Czech Airlines with highly reliable aircraft.

Aero has produced more than 11.000 aircraft since its foundation. Military as well as commercial types, subsonic as well as supersonic, in-house designed as well as license-produced aircraft and helicopters, delivered worldwide. Today, Aero utilizes the experience from development, production and support of military and commercial aircraft in international aerostructures projects, cooperating with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (S-76C helicopter), Alenia Aeronautica (C-27J Spartan center wing box), Latecoere (Embraer 170/190 subassemblies), Saab (JAS-39 Gripen pylons), Spirit Aerosystems (B767 fixed leading edge kits), EADS (A320/340 subassemblies), etc. Such projects represent today, besides the traditional military program, committed to long-term support of the Czech Air Force, the main priority of Aero.

“Today, Aero is a strong, stable and self-confident company, fully focusing on its strategic aim: to build a new international aerospace holding in the CEE region. Currently, we are in the second phase of negotiations on the privatization of the Polish helicopter manufacturer PZL Swidnik. Together with this company we will become stronger and more competitive especially on the market of aerostructures,” adds President Hulak.

Find more on the history of Aero on http://www.aero.cz/en/history.html