Epic Aircraft is a general aviation aircraft manufacturer that is located in Bend, Oregon. The company was initially founded in 2004 with the intent to manufacture and sell kit aircraft. However, in recent years, the company has introduced the E1000, a turboprop-powered general aviation aircraft.
Rick Schrameck, an experienced aviation composites engineer, founded Epic Aircraft in 2004. The company was established in Bend, Oregon, due to public incentives, including state loans and grants, that totalled approximately $1.3 million.
Shortly after the company was established, Epic Aircraft released the Epic LT, a homebuilt kit aircraft. The FAA certified the aircraft as an amateur-built aircraft in early 2006, and deliveries began shortly after.
However, in the late 2000s, Epic Aircraft was hit with financial struggles due to the global economic downturn. In 2009, the company dramatically reduced its workforce and scaled back operations. In late 2009, Epic Aircraft was entered into Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Schrameck was removed as CEO of the company. Schrameck would later face fraud charges in 2015, due to misrepresenting how the customers’ funds were being used within the company.
Shortly after the bankruptcy filing, Epic Aircraft was placed on sale. In April 2010, a group of Epic aircraft owners with uncompleted aircraft, known as LT Builders Group, and China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company reached a deal to purchase the company. LT Builders Group took control of the company and retained the right to market the Epic LT, which was not yet certified, to North America. Meanwhile, China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company received the rights to market the Epic LT to the rest of the world. Doug King became the CEO of Epic Aircraft at this time.
However, in 2012, Vladislav Filev, the owner of S7 Airlines, placed a bid to purchase Epic Aircraft. His company, Engineering LLC, purchased the company in March 2012 for $200 million with the intent to certify the Epic LT design. Later that year, Epic Aircraft purchased the former Columbia Aircraft plan from Cessna in Bend, Oregon, to expand its production.
Eventually, Epic Aircraft began marketing its Epic LT design as the E1000. This aircraft conducted its maiden flight in December 2015. Certification of this aircraft was eventually achieved in November 2019, and the company began delivering E1000s to customers in May 2020.
Epic Aircraft achieved its production certificate for the E1000 in July 2020, allowing the company to begin full scale production. However, the following year, Epic Aircraft released an upgraded variant, which featured a more advanced avionics system.
By 2024, Epic Aircraft had delivered nearly 100 E1000s to customers. Tanya Eves purchased a majority share in Epic Aircraft the same year. The following year, Epic Aircraft released the E1000 AX, the most advanced aircraft in the E1000 family yet. Deliveries of these aircraft began in July 2025.
Currently, Epic Aircraft operates as a single-production original equipment manufacturer (OEM), meaning it is solely focused on producing a single aircraft. The aircraft that Epic Aircraft currently produces is the Epic E1000 AX, which was certified by the FAA in 2025.
| Aircraft Model | Entry into Service | Aircraft Class | Engines | Capacity | Range |
| Epic E1000 AX | 2025 | Single-engine turboprop | Pratt & Whitney PT6A | 6 passengers | 1,560 nautical miles |
Since the Epic E1000 AX was recently certified in 2025, Epic has not revealed any new models or variants in this series. However, the company is working to certify several new upgrades on the E1000 AX, including the Garmin Autoland system and other additional system upgrades.
Epic Aircraft was founded in the early 2000s with the intent to manufacture and sell a kit aircraft called the Epic LT. This aircraft was initially built from 2005 to 2009, then after a brief break, was produced from 2010 to 2018.
In the 2010s, Epic began focusing on the development of a true general aviation aircraft called the E1000, which has a later variant that is still produced today. The original E1000 was certified in 2019 and produced until 2021. At this time, Epic Aircraft released the E1000 GX, which was produced from 2021 to 2025, when Epic Aircraft introduced the Epic E1000 AX.
Epic Aircraft operates as a privately held company that is majority-owned by Tanya Eves as of 2024.
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Bend, OR |
| Manufacturing Locations | Bend, OR |
| Company Type | Privately held |
| Stock Symbols | N/A |
| Approximate Employees | 475 employees (2024) |
| 2024 Revenue | Not publicly disclosed |
| 2024 Net Income | Not publicly disclosed |
Due to the versatility of the Epic E1000 series, the aircraft is utilized heavily by fractional and charter operators around the world. Avantto is a popular Latin American operator that flies the Epic E1000 GX in its fleet.
Additionally, FlyEpic recently launched a fractional ownership program centered on the Epic E1000 aircraft. FlyEpic was launched in 2025 in San Carlos, California, although it did not begin offering fractional sales until early 2026. This business focuses on offering fractional ownership shares to travelers on Epic E1000 aircraft.
