Pipistrel

Pipistrel d.o.o Ajdovščina is a Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer established in 1987 by Ivo Boscarol and based in Ajdovščina. Due to legal restrictions imposed by the Yugoslavian government during the 1980s, flying alternative and ultra-light aircraft was illegal. This led to the first aircraft being flown secretly in the evening, between dusk and dark. The flying times and shape of the hang-glider style wings earned the aircraft the nickname "bats" which was adopted by the company naming themselves after the Latin word for bat, pipistrellus.

Its facilities are located in Ajdovščina and near the town of Gorizia, Italy. The company was first private aircraft company in Yugoslavia. Up to the 1990s more than 500 hang gliders were produced and up to year 2012 more than 1000 aircraft were produced, the year company employed 85 people.

History

On 12 October 2015 Pipistrel won an international tender, issued by the Indian Ministry of Defence, to supply 194 light trainers to the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and National Cadet Corps. The two-seat Pipistrel Virus SW 80 aircraft, known as the Garud after a bird in Hindu mythology, will be used for training of Flight Safety and Air Wing Cadets and the entire quantity of 194 aircraft must be delivered 30 months from the day of the first delivery. The contract includes an option for an additional 100 aircraft within the third year. Pipistrel will also supply spare engines, ground support equipment and tools, special multi-year spare parts packs, extended 10-year product support, as well as train a large number of aircrew, instructors and technical staff. The Indian personnel will be trained by a Pipistrel's partner company from Slovenia, the Pipistrel Academy, which trains pilots and new instructors.