Slavia Capital Sells Czech Sport Aircraft to Piper

American-based Piper Aircraft recently announced plans to enter the market for light sport aircraft after reaching a deal with Slavia Capital to purchase Czech Sport Aircraft. The deal allows Piper it to produce the popular SportCruiser model for distribution worldwide. Though neither party has officially commented on the deal, estimates place the purchase price near USD 30 million.

Czech Sport Aircraft (www.czechsportaircraft.com)
Located in the capital city of Prague, Czech Sport Aircraft is a manufacturer of light aircraft catering to the sport flight enthusiast in Europe. Its signature model, the SportCruiser, is one of the more popular light aircraft in Europe with its own website maintained by fans of the plane.

Piper Aircraft (www.piper.com)
Launched in 1920 by William T. Piper, Piper Aircraft is one of the oldest players in the American light aircraft market. The company's Piper Cub model is one of the most well-known planes in the industry with a solid reputation among recreational and hard-core pilots alike.

Piper's former owner, American Capital, sold the company to Singapore-based Imprimis in 2009, and since then Piper has regained lost ground in the struggling aviation industry.

The company employs nearly 1,000 people and is based in Vero Beach, FL.

Slavia Capital (www.slaviacapital.com)
Slavia Capital was founded in 1995 and is based in Bratislava in the Slovak Republic. The firm offers investment banking, property management, real estate, and commercial financial services to clients in Central & Eastern Europe. Slavia Capital also provides investment management focusing on mergers and acquisitions, re-structuring, distressed assets, and assistance to foreign investors.