GAMA Announces New Member and Associate Member Companies

Washington, DC – The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today announced that at its recent summer strategic planning meeting, the GAMA Executive Committee approved membership of three companies to the global manufacturing and MRO association: Unitech Aerospace, Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. and Piasecki Aircraft.

“We are excited to have Unitech Aerospace as a new member and welcome back CEO Wayne Exton, a former GAMA board member,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. “We’re also excited to welcome two new hybrid and electric technology companies to our associate membership, a category we created in 2015 to represent this rapidly growing sector of general aviation, which will benefit tremendously from the implementation of small airplane design rewrites that took effect last month in the U.S. and Europe.”

Unitech Aerospace provides the aerospace, marine, medical, defense, nuclear and rail industries with composite and metallic structures and components that meet demanding and complex requirements. The company’s growing global footprint is comprised of strategically located sites providing local and immediate support to customers. Capabilities include composite manufacturing, metal fabrication, tooling design and production and design engineering. Integrated solutions range from early stage design, rate production, to full-term sustainment making Unitech Aerospace the industry’s trusted lifecycle partner.

Since 2003, Empirical Systems Aerospace, Inc. (ESAero), an aerospace engineering design and manufacturing company, has served the needs of the engineering industry through its work on military and commercial conceptual air vehicle designs, electric and hybrid propulsion system development, aircraft modifications, sub-scale technology demonstrators, rapid system prototyping, design for manufacturing, low-rate initial production, manufacturing, and niche engineering support. An “Advanced Design Group to Advanced Design Groups,” ESAero is the Prime Contractor and Integrator of the NASA X-57 “Maxwell” all-electric airplane. ESAero customers include multiple NASA Centers, AFRL, AMRDEC, Lockheed Martin, General Atomics, Electricore and AeroVironment. With a 32,000-square foot design and manufacturing facility located in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and an 8,000-square foot integration and test location at the Oceano County Airport (L52), ESAero has expanded operations and takes full advantage of available airport space for system testing and product development. ESAero will continue to provide the aviation and aerospace industries with cutting-edge systems solutions and optimized manufacturing practices.

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation (PiAC) is a leading aerospace research and development company founded in 1955 by rotorcraft pioneer Frank Piasecki. PiAC specializes in rapid prototyping and flight demonstration of advanced rotorcraft and unmanned platforms and technologies for both the U.S. military and civil markets. Efforts include design, fabrication, qualification and flight research in advanced compound helicopters, adaptive and autonomous flight control, modular and reconfigurable VTOL UAS, air launched and expendable UAS, and electric, also known as eVTOL, platform technologies. Recognition of Piasecki’s contributions to aviation’s advancement include the National Medal of Technology (1986), Smithsonian Air & Space Achievement Award (2005), and DoD’s Tibbett’s Award for Small Business Innovation (2010). PiAC maintains AS9100 RevD certification.

For additional information, please contact Sarah McCann, GAMA Director of Communications, at +1 (202) 637-1375 or smccann@gama.aero.

GAMA is a global trade association representing over 100 of the world’s leading manufacturers of general aviation airplanes and rotorcraft, engines, avionics, components and related services. GAMA’s members also operate repair stations, fixed based operations, pilot and maintenance training facilities and manage fleets of aircraft. For more information, visit GAMA’s website at www.GAMA.aero.