Ladd Klinglesmith standing with his Carbon Cub UL Demo
Yakima, Washington — March 10, 2026 — CubCrafters, the world’s leading manufacturer of Light Sport, Experimental, and Part 23 Certified backcountry aircraft, today announced the appointment of Ladd Klinglesmith of Four Corners Cubs as its Certified Sales Center (CSC) in the Southwest region, following the retirement of longtime CubCrafters dealer Rick Bosshardt after 12 years of dedicated service.
CubCrafters extends its sincere gratitude to Bosshardt for his years of commitment to customers and the backcountry aviation community across the region. His contributions helped establish a strong foundation of support for CubCrafters owners and pilots throughout the Southwest.
Klinglesmith will oversee new, pre-owned, and kit aircraft sales across the Four Corners states, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, operating from his home base at a private airstrip in Grand Junction, Colorado. Ladd currently has a Carbon Cub UL available for demonstrations and plans to add either a Carbon Cub FX-3 or an XCub to his demo fleet.
“As a natural addition to our dealer team, we’re pleased to welcome Ladd Klinglesmith — his experience and deep roots with CubCrafters and in backcountry aviation make him an ideal fit to serve both new and existing customers in the Southwest,” said Brad Damm, Vice President of CubCrafters.
Ladd Klinglesmith of Four Corners Cubs
Meet Ladd Klinglesmith
Klinglesmith brings more than four decades of aviation experience and a deep connection to backcountry flying in the Rocky Mountains and the American West. A Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII) and A&P mechanic, he has built a career spanning a wide range of operations, including agricultural aviation, corporate flying, air ambulance service, and jet operations, holding four jet type ratings.
His relationship with CubCrafters runs deep. Klinglesmith has owned and operated every CubCrafters model produced, beginning with the Top Cub, and has extensive hands-on knowledge of the Carbon Cub line through ownership, maintenance, and flight operations. He has built a Carbon Cub EX-3 and brings comprehensive expertise across sales, training, and aircraft maintenance, including Rotax-certified maintenance support.
Klinglesmith was featured in 10 Years of the Carbon Cub, Part 1 and Part 2, highlighting his long-standing connection to the CubCrafters community.
Based in Grand Junction, Klinglesmith manages Mack Mesa Airport, positioning him to provide responsive, localized support to CubCrafters customers throughout the Southwest. His lifelong ties to the Rocky Mountains and the greater Western backcountry aviation community make him uniquely suited to serve pilots in the region.
“I’m honored to continue supporting CubCrafters owners and pilots throughout the Southwest,” said Klinglesmith. “This region offers some of the most rewarding backcountry flying in the country, and I look forward to building on the strong foundation established by Rick Bosshardt. My goal is to ensure customers receive the same trusted support sales and ownership support across the Four Corners region.”
For more information or to schedule a demo flight, contact Ladd Klinglesmith directly by email at ladd@lkflying.com, phone at 970.260.0707 or https://fourcornerscubs.com.
About CubCrafters
Founded in 1980 by Jim Richmond, CubCrafters has its roots in classic grassroots aviation history while delivering modern, innovative aircraft. We design and manufacture Experimental, LSA, and Certified planes known for exceptional backcountry performance. Our Carbon Cub family redefines the flying experience with advanced materials, powerful engines, and modern design. The flagship XCub expands backcountry capability with greater speed, range, and payload than others in its class. We modernize classic aircraft designs with cutting-edge engineering, lighter composites, upgraded avionics, and improved safety—combining tradition with top-tier performance. Our newest UL-class aircraft brings next-gen engine and airframe tech to the field, minimizing environmental impact without sacrificing capability. The key to our success is delivering unmatched value in personal adventure aviation.
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