Aircraft
Loadmaster in limbo as Ayres fades away
Ayres Corp.

Ayres Corp. is no more and the prospects for the Loadmaster LM200 are now bleaker than ever. On August 7, GATX Capital, which had been operating Albany, Ga.-based Ayres Corp. using “debtor in possession” financing since Ayres entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November last year, foreclosed on the debt-ridden company. As legally required under such a transaction, the name of the company was changed; hence, Ayres Corp. is now Quality Aerospace.

Former Ayres CEO Russ Heil, who had been appointed by GATX Capital after Ayres declared bankruptcy, resigned the day before the foreclosure and all but six employees were laid off, with former plant manager Milt Humphreys left in charge.