Anchorage Daily News

A pair of Southcentral Alaska businesses with ties to small aircraft are coming together to manufacture airplanes for use in rural parts of the state.

Northern Airframes LLC plans to manufacture a Federal Aviation Administration-certified aircraft it will call the Super 18. Production is expected to begin later this year. The Super 18 is based on the Piper Super Cub.

The company was created when Anchorage-based Northern Piper Aircraft Inc. purchased Airframes Inc. of Big Lake. The combined business will be located in Birchwood Airport in Chugiak.

"The combination of these two businesses -- one that refinishes and rebuilds with another that has 10 years experience manufacturing aftermarket parts for the Piper PA-18 Super Cub -- is a no-brainer," said Richard Roberts, general manager and one of the owners.

Roberts bought Airframes Inc. from Lee Budde for an undisclosed amount. Airframes' four employees and its equipment will move from the Big Lake area.

The purchase and expansion was made possible by a silent investor. Roberts had previously looked for investors after meeting with the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Alaska InvestNET and the Anchorage Economic Development Corp.

"I credit all of these entities with helping me prepare a solid business plan that helped attract the right investor," Roberts said.

Once the company gets organized, owners plan to put together a production schedule, Roberts said. The company hopes to produce as many as six aircraft the first year.

Roberts said he expects the FAA to certify the Super 18 in May. The aircraft's base price will be about $155,000.

The Super 18 is a high-wing, two-place, high-performance bush plane. Northern Airframes has an agreement with Dakota Cub Aircraft Inc. of Brandon, S.D., which owns the rights to the Super 18 and has flown the aircraft prototype for FAA certification testing for the past four years.

Budde essentially designed the Super 18, which incorporates his FAA special type certificated parts that include a fuselage 4 inches wider than typical.

Other features Budde designed include certifications for longer baggage compartments and beefed-up attachment points for landing gear and wings.

The craft will be certified at a higher gross weight than similar models.

Northern Piper, in business as an aircraft refinisher for three years, is the Alaska distributor for Dakota Cub wings, which allow pilots to fly slower.

Budde will continue to manufacture aircraft baffles under the name of Airforms, a company that specializes in aircraft engine cowling baffles.

"This was a win, win, win, deal," Budde said. "This is great for the employees, great for Dick, and good for me. It gets me out of the Super Cub parts business, which was about 56 percent of our line, and allows me to develop other products."

Birchwood Airport is 23 miles north of downtown Anchorage.

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