CGS Aviation

{{Short description|American aircraft manufacturer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = CGS Aviation, Inc. | logo = | caption = | type = [[Privately held company]] | traded_as = | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | founded = early 1970s | founder = Chuck Slusarczyk | defunct =  | hq_location = | hq_location_city = [[Grand Bay, Alabama]] | hq_location_country = [[United States]] | area_served = | key_people = CEO: Danny Dezauche | industry = [[Aerospace]] | products = [[Ultralight aircraft]] | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsidiaries = | website = | footnotes = | intl = }} [[File:CGS Hawk - prototype.JPG|thumb|right|The original [[CGS Hawk]] prototype at [[Sun 'n Fun]] in 2006. The plane was brought to the show and flown for the first time in 24 years, after which it was donated to the [[Florida Air Museum]].]] [[File:Hawk Arrow II (N582HK).jpg|thumb|right|A [[CGS Hawk Arrow II]] at [[Sun 'n Fun]].]] [[File:CGS Hawk Classic 02.JPG|thumb|right|A [[CGS Hawk Ultra]], a legal US [[FAR Part 103 ultralight vehicle]], at [[Sun 'n Fun]], 2006]] '''CGS Aviation, Inc.''' is an American [[aircraft manufacturer]] based in [[Grand Bay, Alabama]]. The company was founded by Chuck Slusarczyk in the early 1970s in [[Broadview Heights, Ohio]] as ''Chuck's Glider Supplies''. Today it is run by Danny Dezauche and specializes in the design and manufacture of [[ultralight aircraft]] in the form of kits for [[Homebuilt aircraft|amateur construction]] and ready-to-fly aircraft in the US [[FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles]] rules category.<ref name="Aerocrafter">Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 132-133. BAI Communications. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2007">Downey, Julia: ''2008 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 45-46. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec1998">Kitplanes Staff: ''1999 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 42-43. Primedia Publications. IPM 0462012</ref><ref name="Cliche">Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page B-28 & B-82 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}</ref><ref name="History">{{cite web|url = http://www.cgsaviation.com/history.htm|title = CGS Hawk History|accessdate = 17 March 2015|last = CGS Aviation|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150402092645/http://www.cgsaviation.com/history.htm|archive-date = 2 April 2015|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2011">Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 45. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="WDLA11">Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 34. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X</ref>

==History== The company started in the early 1970s as a [[hang glider]] manufacturer and [[aircraft part]]s supplier under the name ''Chucks' Glider Supplies''. Founder Chuck Slusarczyk later carried out experiments with [[powered hang glider]]s and developed a [[reduction drive]] system to turn larger propellers more slowly to reduce noise and improve efficiency. He was granted a US patent for his system.<ref name="Aerocrafter"/><ref name="KitplanesDec2007"/><ref name="KitplanesDec1998"/><ref name="Cliche"/><ref name="History"/><ref name="KitplanesDec2011"/><ref name="WDLA11"/>

In October 1979 the company was renamed ''CGS Aviation, Inc.''<ref name="History"/>

In 1980 development of the [[CGS Hawk]] aircraft series was begun, starting with a survey of pilot expectations and desires for a new ultralight aircraft design.<ref name="History"/>

==Products== The Hawk line of ultralight aircraft was introduced at [[Sun 'n Fun]], [[Lakeland, Florida]], in March, 1982. The Hawk was the first fully enclosed ultralight, the first with fully [[strut-braced]] wings, three-axis controls, a steerable nose or tail wheel and [[wing flap]]s. The original 1982 [[CGS Hawk Classic]] remains in production in 2015.<ref name="Aerocrafter"/><ref name="KitplanesDec2007"/><ref name="KitplanesDec1998"/><ref name="Cliche"/><ref name="History"/><ref name="KitplanesDec2011"/><ref name="WDLA11"/>

The Hawk series includes the single seat [[Hawk Arrow]], [[Hawk Plus]], [[Hawk Sport]], [[Hawk Ultra]] and [[AG-Hawk]]. Two seat models include the [[Hawk Classic II]] and the [[Hawk Arrow II]]. More than 1700 Hawks series aircraft have been flown.<ref name="Aerocrafter"/><ref name="KitplanesDec2007"/><ref name="KitplanesDec1998"/><ref name="Cliche"/><ref name="History"/><ref name="KitplanesDec2011"/><ref name="WDLA11"/>

The Hawk prototype was named ''Best New Design for 1982'' at Sun 'n Fun in March 1982. At the [[AirVenture|EAA Convention]] in [[Oshkosh, Wisconsin]] that same year the Hawk was named ''Outstanding New Design'' and also ''Reserve Grand Champion''. At Oshkosh 1983, the Hawk won the ''Dupont Kevlar Air Recreational Vehicle Design Competition'' against more than 126 other aircraft designs in the competition.<ref name="History" />

== Aircraft ==

{| class="wikitable" align=center style="font-size:90%;" |- |+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"| Summary of aircraft built by CGS Aviation |- style="background:#efefef;" ! Model name ! First flight ! Number built ! Type

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|CGS Aviation}} *{{Official website|http://www.cgsaviation.com/}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20220103042959/https://cgsaviation.com/ Company website archives] on [[Archive.org]] {{CGS Aviation aircraft}}

[[Category:Aircraft manufacturers of the United States]] [[Category:Ultralight aircraft]] [[Category:Homebuilt aircraft]]