Kandeaska Avionics S.A.

Kandeaska Avionics S.A. (Heltic: Kândeaska Avjonjcă S.A.), or simply Kandeaska Avionics, is a manufacturer of civilian.

Founded in 1987 by Kodruț Romanesku, Kandeaska Avionics is one of the Modrovia's premier civil aviation corporations. Best known for its cheap, rugged utility aircraft, the company has seen rapid growth and now employs 3,582 people (as of 2018). Kandeaska Avionics offers a wide range of aircraft, from bush planes to short-haul freight aircraft to private jets. It is headquartered in the city of Karlovi, Modrovia with aircraft production centered in Orlobem.

1980 to early 2000s
Kodruț Romanesku was an aerospace engineer at Yunkar Aeronautjka S.A., another aircraft manufacturer in Modrovia. Having long built aircraft from kits in his garage, Kodrut wanted to have a simple, cheap, bare-bones aircraft that'd be easy for students to fly. With the aid of his son, Danjel Romanesku, the two set out, refining design after design and eventually founded Kândeaska Avjonjcă S.A. in 1988, looking to make a living off their hobby.

After producing several unsuccessful lines of kit planes, in 1990, Kandeaska Avionics was able to get off the ground. They submitted falsified documents to "", appearing as a large and experienced company, and won a crop dusting aircraft contract with the KDA-21. Their first production aircraft, it was able to win the contract by being the only purpose-built submission, with the rest being converted trainer aircraft with worn-down air frames. With the arrival of the contract for 27 KDA-21s, the family scrambled and took out a loan, managing to hire a team of 50 to produce the aircraft. This contract provided the recognition Kandeaska Avionics needed to legitimatize themselves in the world of aviation.

Their second production aircraft, the KDA-1, sold well enough to allow the the company to explore further ventures. The Romanesku family was able to acquire a 2,401 ft2 (223 m2) facility in Karlovi. With a significant investment from Adrjan Fjeraru, one of Kodrut Romanesku's former colleagues, Kandeaska Avionics was able to hire a team of engineers and mechanics to help design and build new aircraft.

Kandeaska Avionics was soon able to develop a wide range of models following this injection of talent and funding and explore different new concepts. With Daniel Romanesku taking over as CEO following his father's sudden death in 1994, he set the company on a new course.

Following the release of the KDA-3 and -5, all popular but somewhat lackluster aircraft, Daniel launched the 99XNG program to modernize the company. This program promised to deliver innovative and exciting new designs: aircraft developed under the 99XNG program would feature glass cockpits, usage of lightweight new materials, and include a lineup of newly developed, powerful engines. All new Kandeaska aircraft have been developed under the 99XNG program, bringing innovation, speed, and style to a company once known for plainness and simplicity.

The early 2000s saw a rapid growth in the company after the sales of the KDA-9 and KDA-11 began to pick up, and with the introduction of the updated KDA-1, the KDA-1 Super along with the KDAZ-15 'Orjzont' business jet. Thus enabled the company to purchase a large factory in Orlobem and was able to rapidly increase output to match sales.

KDA-1 Super
The KDA-1, released in 1991, is an extremely rugged aircraft. Tracing its roots back to the KDA-21, it is a two-seater with excellent low speed handling, short field performance, and good stall characteristics - the perfect bush plane or student trainer. Originally powered by a weak but reliable 171 in3 (2.8 L) 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed air cooled engine (67 hp/49.96 kW), it was able to take off in 115.6 m (379 ft). While only 53 of the original KDA-1s were sold, today they are extremely popular for these very characteristics. The truss fuselage is a welded steel construction covered in fabric.

The modernized KDA-1 Super (a.k.a. KDA-1F), reintroduced in 2003, features the same simplistic design. With a far more powerful 201 in3 (3.29 L) 4 cylinder engine developing 100 hp (74.57 kW), lengthened fuselage, redesigned wing with slots and flaps, and new tail section, it is tremendously more powerful. It can be fitted with conventional landing gear, skis, or floats. With these new features, the KDA-1 Super can take off in in 97 m (318 ft) while having capacity for two and plenty of luggage.

KDA-7
The KDA-7, released in 1994, is a light twin-engine aircraft with a sleek design. The first aircraft to be designed under the 99XNG program, it features a glass cockpit, seating for four to nine, and two 583 in3 (9.55 L), 315 hp (235 kW) direct drive flat-six engines. The versatile KDA-7 has seen widespread use as private aircraft, utility aircraft, and small commuter airliner, taking advantage of a generous 1,325 nmi (2,454 km/1,525 mi) range and a useful load of 2,085 lb (946 kg).