The Ace Aircraft Manufacturing Company was established in Wichita, Kansas in 1929 by Orland Corben to market the world's first homebuilt aircraft, a machine of his own design called the Baby Ace. The enterprise did not last long before US regulations changed to restrict homebuilt aircraft, and Corben was forced to stop marketing his design.
He next commenced operations in Madison, Wisconsin in 1931 under the name Corben Sport Plane and Supply Company and produced a prototype sports plane known as the Super Ace. This endeavor soon languished, and the company remained dormant until Paul Poberezny purchased its assets for $US 200 in 1952. This included plans to three aircraft designs and a variety of components.
Poberezny was one of the founders of the Experimental Aircraft Association in 1953 and was approached by Mechanix Illustratedthe following year to write a series of articles on building an aircraft at home. Their publication caused considerable demand for plans, but Poberezny felt compelled to divest itself of marketing them in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest with his position within the EAA.
Ace Aviation's skilled workforce of 18 is directed by John Penry-Evans and his wife Noelene.
Ace Aviation has trained employees that generate designs in CAD programms.
The technical fabrics, sail cloth and hardware used in Ace Aviation's sail loft and fabric workshop are imported mainly from European and the USA for their finished export products.