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Interview with Ivo Boscarol; the Pipistrel company director (first part)

November 12, 2008

Ivo Boscarol is the director of the only company in the world that produces ultralight side-by-side powered glider airplanes. Pipistrel Company from Ajdovščina (Slovenija) was established in October 1987.

Innovative Slovenian Company has already won several reputable awards for their achievements in construction of ultralight airplanes. Their VIRUS ultralight two-seat cruising aircraft won the NASA Centennial Challenge PAV title in 2007 and Centennial Challenge GAT title in 2008.

Read the INTERVIEW (first part), published in Slovenian “DELO FT”– weekly issue of economy and financial news (November 3, 2008).


What kind of philosophy has led you to construct ultralight powered glider airplanes, including Taurus, world's first side-by-side two seater self-launching glider?

Since 1987, when I established company for the production of motor gliders, safety has been our leading philosophy, especially at that moment, when the engine failed to work properly. All other airplanes at that time were constructed in the way that loss of engine power mostly caused tragic results. Our concept was different: plane must be able to glide without the additional engine power, what means that the engine consumes less fuel and it causes less noise. At that time, this was our big advantage, but now it is even more evidential. Thus, our philosophy bases on energetic efficiency, environment care and flying with minimal engine support. There was a problem how to construct sufficiently long and slim wings to enable gliding characteristics of motor powered plane. In 1995, we succeed with our ultralight two-seat Sinus airplane that was able to glide with its motor turned off; on the other hand, it was capable to reach 200km/h with the engine turned on. When we presented our new concept in Germany at that time, we immediately got more than 30 orders with payment in advance, so we had no problem with financing the development of the airplane. At that time, new era began for us: even now, our products are different than others, so we do not need extended marketing or sales activities and various fairs invite us as best references… In December previous year we presented Taurus, first two-seat electric powered glider, we also collaborate with University in Stuttgart in developement of hydrogen powered glider airplane. Our projects for the future are development of hybrid airplane and six-seat two-engine business airplane. Above all, our attention is turned towards development processes rather than production expansion.

What role thus has production of airplanes in your company?

We keep the production, but only its vital phases. These phases are airplane designing and constructing, manufacturing and testing of prototypes, manufacturing of implements for serial production, test flights, own sales network and trademark. Our cooperators produce almost all parts for our planes, which means about 5000 individual parts for each plane, which we finally put together. One-third of our 50 employees, work in development sector. We are extremely well organized; we have advanced information system and system of continuous improvements. Every clever idea from our employees is rewarded. On average basis, we produce one airplane every four days. Current world economy crisis and recession do not influence our business activities, we even feel some positive effects when oil price has fallen down steeply in last weeks. We are well known as producer of airplanes with the lowest consumption, that is why the demand for our airplanes is rising. We also opened a few new markets in India, China and South America.

How does your sales network work?

Most of our airplanes we sell online. One third of our buyers pay in advance, without seeing the plane before. There is always a percentage of buyers with special requirements. We create for such customers to make their wishes come true. We do not need extended sales network; in most countries, we only have our agents, which are responsible for collecting orders. On the other hand, we are committed to our customers for the whole lifetime of the plane and our service is available for them at any time.

Where do you find knowledge for your projects?

Baseline for all work is vision of development. In these days, crucial point for future success of the company is the ability to predict what kind of products you will be able to sell after a few years. There is enough quality knowledge around us; you just need to choose the right profiles for your projects. Visionariness is groundwork that helps you in taking right decisions. Most of our knowledge sources come from Slovenija and within our company; we collaborate with University in Nova Gorica and with Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Ljubljana. We have also begun to cooperate with students from foreign countries...

Ivo Boscarol and Virus

Pipistrel Company director Ivo Boscarol standing by VIRUS ultralight two-seat motorglider airplane; 2007 and 2008 winner of NASA "best airplane" challenge; Photo: Katja Željan (DELO FT – weekly issue of economy and financial news; November 3, 2008)