Parry Sound bush plane has Found its way: redesigned Bush Hawk-XP fills gap left by Cessna, De Havilland, all the while posting record sales for manufacturer.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: TOP Five EXPORTERS - Found Aircraft

The sky's the limit for a Parry Sound bush plane manufacturer as it sets to ramp up production this year while exploring new markets overseas. Orders are expected to keep rolling in at Found Aircraft, makers of the Bush Hawk-XP, a light utility aircraft that has captured the attention of bush flying aviation enthusiasts around the world.

The innovative company, which is the only Canadian-owned piston aircraft manufacturer, considers itself a market leader in every category of bush plane design.

Sales and marketing director Andrew Hamblin says Found has progressed past the stage of being an aircraft development company in the late 1990s to expanding into full production today.

Hamblin spent part of May in Alaska meeting with clients and attending a trade show, as the company pursues sales in an area considered fertile territory.

Since establishing the company in 1996, Found has sold nine aircraft to customers in Alaska, including four to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department, its biggest customer, with future government orders anticipated.

"When their new annual budget comes in, we're expecting more sales."

Hamblin, whose father Tony is company president, says having the department as a major customer has been the best advertising they could hope for.

The extreme conditions under which the aircraft operates, Hamblin says, is validation to the vision company founder Nathan 'Bud' Found had years ago when he re-designed and returned to production his short-lived but well-regarded Bush Hawk FBA-2C1 model from the 1960s.

"It's impressive when the U.S. government is buying your aircraft for flying off of glaciers at 8,000 feet and landing on remote airstrips."

Hamblin says people in the industry have taken notice.

The Bush Hawk has been celebrated in the North American aviation press for its rugged and durable design. That design fills a much-needed market gap left open by the demise of bush plane production from De Havilland and Cessna.

This past spring, the 65-employee company, located at the Parry Sound Area Municipal Airport, took home an Ontario government Regional Global Traders award for quadrupling their export sales.

Though the privately held company is reluctant to disclose sales and export figures, Found expects to increase production this year from 10 to 15 aircraft, rolling out roughly two per month.

Found, which occupies two hangars at the airport, is adding more manufacturing space by leasing an adjacent empty building from the...