Local welder finds niche in aeronautics industry: manufacturer of ultralight planes captures international Innovation Award. (Sudbury: Special Report).

J.P. Krucker is carving a successful business out of his love of flying by manufacturing ultralight planes and aircraft floats.

One of his designs, the Krucker Amphib, received the 2002 Innovation Award in the ultralight category during the Experimental Aircraft Association's 50th annual AirVenture Convention and Air Show in Osbkosh, Wis. this summer.

Krucker's company, Krucker Manufacturing in Garson in the City of Greater Sudbury, makes trikes, a type of ultralight aircraft with one delta wing, as opposed to a fixed wing and tall.

The Krucker Amphib is the only trike that allows the installation of floats for water landings or skis for snow, in addition to the standard wheels, Krucker says.

His wheel retraction system is unique, and much easier to operate than the traditional design for amphibious trikes, which have both wheels and floats, he says.

"Other systems don't lift the machine up off its floats - everybody else has big levers. I'm the only one that uses an electric motor - it works on a battery, which is being recharged by the aircraft's motor as you fly."

The floats he sells are also his own, original patented design.

At an air show in Florida last April, "there were lots of float trikes and ultralights; we took off in half the time they did because of the design of the floats."

He became interested in designing ultralight aircraft two years ago.

"I took a flight on one of these trikes and I fell in love with it."

He wanted to buy one, but when shopping around he realized he "could build something better."

Krucker, 37, has a background in metalwork.

"I started working at age 17 in welding and fabrication shops," he says, and in 1997 he founded Weldteck, a company that did wrought iron work.

He changed the company name to Krucker Manufacturing when he began building ultralights, and now makes his living designing and constructing aircraft and floats.

He says his Krucker floats are becoming widely known.

"They're used all over the world - in Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Australia, all over the States and Canada."

Although Krucker Manufacturing has a Web site, he does not sell much via the Web. Sales come "mostly from the shows (he attended two large U.S. air shows this year) and from my (U.S.) general manager."

Until recently, Krucker sold directly to consumers, but now manufacturers have started to buy. An Australian company has purchased several sets of floats and the company is "in 21 different countries, so this is big for me. They're very popular; I expect a lot of sales to come from them."

Right now, he is able to run his business from a shop at his home, with only himself, his wife, and one full-time employee, and subcontracting some of the work to three Sudbury-area companies. Krucker attributes the success of his business to his design ability and iron determination.

"I'm the kind of guy who believes everything is doeable, I've just got to figure out a way to do it. I won't stop 'til it's done, if I get an idea in my head."

4kru.com