Interstate Aircraft Co

Interstate Aircraft Co.

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Dear Arctic Tern Enthusiasts,

This fall I purchased the assets of Bart Miller’s company, Interstate Aircraft Company. As you are probably aware, Bart was killed October 23, 2006 in a tragic non-flying related accident. After Bart’s death a group of family and friends, and the employees of Interstate Aircraft worked closely with the FAA and the amended type certificate for the S1B-2 was issued this summer. My purchase of Interstate Aircraft’s assets occurred late this fall, and to this point I have barely scratched the surface of becoming familiar with Arctic Tern and all of the fantastic upgrades that Bart and his team certificated. I have seen enough to be convinced of how superior the Tern appears to be to my latest model Husky A1B. It is not the point of this letter to get into marketing, but I am 6’3” and about 190# and the roominess of the Tern, the ease of ingress and egress, the cargo capacity, and many other aspects are far superior to what I’ve been dealing with over the last 7 to 8 years with my Huskys. The point of this being that I am truly enthusiastic about the “new” Arctic Tern.

I was aware of Bart Miller’s efforts with the Arctic Tern, as I fly into Lebanon with some regularity. I deeply regret that I never met him. I know I missed an opportunity to meet a great friend, father, and husband, who was also a truly gifted engineer and aviation enthusiast. Bart and I are both graduates of Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College and have many friends in common.

A brief word about my aviation background: I grew up flying with my father who was a pilot in World War II. I soloed at Lebanon Airport where Interstate Aircraft was based. Since that time I have accumulated over 3500 hours of flying time, primarily in a Beech T34A, a Machen modified Aerostar 601P, various models of Citations, in which I am type certified, and lastly but most importantly several hundred hours in a Husky A1 and the latest model of the A1B, with a 180 hp motor, composite prop, and Tundra tires, which I currently own. My primary business is oil and gas exploration, and I have secondary businesses that include auto racing and Broadacres Ranch, a fly fishing guest ranch in Colorado.

By virtue of my commitments to these other companies and endeavors, it is going to be some time before I decide how to proceed with the Arctic Tern. Nothing will be done precipitously. I have a great deal of respect for Bart and his staff, and the work and dedication that they put into bringing this airplane to its current state. It is my goal to be sure that whatever goes forward with this airplane will honor that commitment.

At the present time, I am looking forward to having time to study the engineering work that was done on the airplane, to speak in depth with people who were involved, and to get flying time in the newly constructed airplane. Unfortunately, I cannot estimate how long this process will take.

Once again, thank you for your interest in the Arctic Tern. When there is news we will update this website.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Nearburg

Interested parties may direct serious inquiries to Debbie Cozby at DCozby@Nearburg.com.

If you would like more information on the Arctic Tern, please feel free to contact us.