Alexander Schleicher

What Alexander Schleicher does

Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. is a German sailplane and motor glider manufacturer headquartered in Poppenhausen, Germany. The company designs and builds high-performance single-seat competition gliders (AS 35 Mi, AS 33 Me/Es, AS 34 Me, ASW 27/28, ASW 20, Ka 6) and two-seat training and motor gliders (ASK 21, ASK 21 Mi, ASG 32 Mi, ASG 32 El) using glass-fiber and carbon-fiber composite construction. Founded in 1927 (with current production operations dating to 1951), the company is privately held under a GmbH & Co. partnership structure, family-owned, and led by Seniorchef Edgar Kremer, who marked 75 years of service in June 2026. The firm employs 51-100 staff, including an active apprenticeship program training 16 light-aircraft builders, vehicle painters, and metal construction specialists.

The company sells direct to end customers — competition pilots, gliding clubs, and flight schools — through its headquarters and a Shopify storefront, with no dealer or distributor network. Revenue is generated through one-time aircraft sales, replacement parts, technical documentation, and service bulletins covering aircraft produced since 1951. Aircraft are custom-built, high-value units sold by quote rather than at published prices. The firm maintains a global footprint with customers and competition wins documented across 25+ countries in Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Africa, and Asia, supported by bilingual German/English communications and a YouTube media library.

Customer engagement is anchored in a formal AS Hall of Fame (launched February 2025) recognizing world and European champions flying AS aircraft, and the brand is reinforced by documented competition victories at FAI World and European Gliding Championships from 2010 through 2026 across 15m, 18m, 20m, Club, and two-seater classes. The product portfolio spans 15m to 21m wingspan configurations with self-launching rotary and electric propulsion variants, and the recently launched AS 35 Mi flagship signals active generational product renewal.

Name

Alexander Schleicher

Legal name

Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co.

Website

https://www.alexander-schleicher.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. is a family-owned German manufacturer of high-performance sailplanes and motor gliders, selling custom-built composite aircraft direct to competition pilots, gliding clubs, and flight schools worldwide. Founded in 1927 and based in Poppenhausen, the firm employs 51-100 staff and operates across 25+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailplane and Glider Aircraft Manufacturing

NAICS

Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Aircraft (3721), Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Glider & Sailplane Manufacturing (IMABAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Training & Light Sport Fixed-Wing Aircraft Manufacturing (IMABAAAE)

Keywords

• Sailplane manufacturing
• Glider aircraft production
• Motor glider design
• Composite aircraft building
• Competition soaring aircraft

Headquarters

HQ city

Poppenhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Glider Aircraft Sales: Sale of high-performance glider aircraft including single-seat competition models (AS 35 Mi, AS 33 Me, AS 33 Es, ASG 29) and two-seat training/combat aircraft (ASG 32 Mi, ASK 21). Premium German-manufactured sailplanes sold directly to customers.
2. Parts and Service: Replacement parts, technical publications (TM/LTA), and repair services for existing aircraft fleet. Includes service information bulletins and technical documentation for all aircraft types.
3. Technical Documentation: Publication of technical manuals and service bulletins for aircraft types produced since 1951.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Alexander Schleicher designs and manufactures sailplanes (segelflugzeuge) and motor gliders at its Poppenhausen, Germany facility. The portfolio spans single-seat high-performance competition gliders (AS 35 Mi, AS 34 Me, AS 33 Me/Es, ASW 28, ASW 27, ASW 20, Ka 6) and two-seat training and motor gliders (ASK 21, ASK 21 Mi, ASG 32 Mi, ASG 32 El). The company also supplies replacement parts, technical publications, and service bulletins for aircraft types produced since 1951.

Product overview

Alexander Schleicher (Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co.) is a German aircraft manufacturer specializing exclusively in glider (sailplane) aircraft production. The company operates as a single-product-category manufacturer offering a portfolio of high-performance gliders spanning single-seat competition aircraft (AS 35 Mi, AS 34 Me, AS 33 Me, AS 33 Es, ASW 28, ASW 27, ASW 20, Ka 6) and two-seat training/motor gliders (ASK 21, ASK 21 Mi, ASG 32 Mi, ASG 32 El). The flagship AS 35 Mi represents their latest development in single-seat high-performance glider technology. The product line is distinguished by wingspan variants (15m, 18m, 20m, 21m) and motorization options (self-launching electric and rotary engine versions), serving both competitive soaring athletes and club-level soaring operations. The company maintains technical publications and service support for models dating back to 1951.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AS 35 Mi New flagship single-seat high-performance glider aircraft featuring advanced aerodynamics and modern composite design for competitive and recreational soaring; represents the company's latest development transitioning to a new generation of gliders.
• AS 33 Me High-performance single-seat competition glider aircraft designed for elite soaring with advanced composite construction.
• AS 33 Es Single-seat competition glider aircraft with 18-meter wingspan engineered for elite soaring performance.
• ASG 32 Mi Two-seat motor glider combining training capability with self-launching power for flexible soaring operations; widely used in two-seater competition classes.
• ASG 32 El Two-seat glider aircraft variant with electric propulsion system for sustainable self-launching capability.
• ASW 28 Single-seat high-performance glider with 15-meter or 18-meter wingspan variants designed for club and competition use.
• ASK 21 Two-seat training glider aircraft widely used for ab-initio flight instruction and club soaring operations.
• ASK 21 Mi Motorized two-seat training glider version enabling self-launch capability for training operations.
• AS 34 Me High-performance single-seat glider aircraft developed for advanced competition and cross-country soaring.
• ASW 20 Classic single-seat competition glider with strong thermal and cross-country performance characteristics.
• ASW 27 High-performance single-seat glider designed for competition and advanced soaring with sophisticated wing design.
• ASK 13 Two-seat training glider aircraft for ab-initio flight training and basic soaring instruction.
• Parts and Technical Publications (TM/LTA) Replacement parts, service information bulletins, and technical documentation (TM/LTA) for aircraft types produced since 1951, supporting the full lifecycle of the installed fleet.

Quantifiable outcome

• World Champion titles across multiple classes and years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau: German sailplane manufacturer and Alexander Schleicher's primary direct competitor, producing high-performance competition gliders (Discus, Ventus, Arcus) in overlapping wingspan classes. Closely comparable on product, customer base (elite competition teams), and German engineering heritage.
• DG Flugzeugbau: German manufacturer of the LS (Libelle/Laser) series of high-performance sailplanes, competing head-to-head with Schleicher in the 15m and 18m competition classes. Comparable product category, customer base, and direct-to-pilot distribution approach.
• Jonker Sailplanes: South African manufacturer of composite self-launching sailplanes (JS series), a more recent entrant targeting the same elite competition segment globally. Comparable in composite construction technology and competition-class focus.
• Stemme: German manufacturer of motorized sailplanes (S10/Tanarg, S6) with self-launch capability, overlapping with Schleicher's motor glider products (ASG 32 Mi, ASK 21 Mi, ASG 32 El). Comparable in motor glider category, premium positioning, and small-batch German manufacturing.
• Lange Aviation: German manufacturer of high-performance two-seat sailplanes (Antares series) with electric and sustainer propulsion. Comparable in two-seat motor glider category and adoption of electric propulsion technology.
• Rolladen-Schneider Flugzeugbau: Historic German sailplane manufacturer (LS series predecessors) that ceased production but whose legacy models still operate in competition fleets. Comparable as a sailplane heritage brand and persistent competitor reputation, though no longer an active producer.

Broad incumbents

• Grob Aircraft: German aircraft manufacturer historically producing the G 102/103/104 sailplane series and now focused on broader training and special mission aircraft. Comparable German aerospace heritage but a broader, multi-category portfolio rather than sailplane specialization.
• Pipistrel: Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer (now part of Textron) offering motor gliders and light sport aircraft with overlapping customer interest in self-launching and electric propulsion. Comparable in motor glider/electric powertrain adjacency though broader in scope.
• Diamond Aircraft: Austrian manufacturer of composite general aviation and training aircraft with all-electric variants (eDA40). Comparable in composite construction expertise and electric aviation roadmap, though primarily focused on powered trainer/market aircraft.

Regional players

• Extra Aircraft: German manufacturer of high-performance aerobatic aircraft competing for the same premium, hand-built niche engineering audience though in a different aircraft category. Comparable in craftsmanship and premium positioning for elite pilots.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/segelflugzeuge
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alexander-schleicher-segelflugzeugbau

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alexander Schleicher