AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 71

" Most people say I don't do anything, " he laughs
when asked what he does. But it's clear that this toy airplane company is more than fun and games. Guillow's
gliders and model aircraft kits are sold around the
world, finding sources for the all-important balsa wood
is increasingly difficult, and the COVID-19 pandemic
has seen a bump in sales that the company wasn't quite
prepared for. Like puzzles, books, and other hobbies,
building model aircraft has become a way to fill in the
hours while quarantined at home.
" Our kits-we call them authentic scale models-
have a couple of hundred parts and might make you
busy for 40 hours or so building one, " said Barker.
" They also fly with rubber band power, which means
you wind up the propeller and throw them. "
Barker is not a pilot, nor is long-time designer Mark
Tennant (although he is a radio-controlled airplane
enthusiast and flies often with friends who are pilots),
but both men have deep appreciation for aviation and
respect for the aviation industry and the history their
models carry. You'll find detailed information on every
model Guillow's makes, as well as attention to details in
the markings and paint. Some of the models look almost
art-like, especially before the tissue wrapping, dope,
and decals are applied. Tennant displays these " naked "
balsa wood structures throughout his design studio, the
fine bones and details of a 1:20 scale 1903 Wright Flyer a
marvelous testimony to the legacy of fine model building Paul Guillow started more than 90 years ago.
The employees are long-term too. Many are in their
70s and 80s. With the pandemic, Barker closed for a
couple months but then offered employees the opportunity to come back if they felt comfortable. Most did.
" I love working with our people; most are long term
and are like family, " he said. Guillow's employs nearly
50 people at peak production times.
" Paul Guillow's dream still lives on in the company
today as we continue to strive to keep young and old
happily building and flying toy and hobby airplane
models. For the past 90 years nearly every American
boy, girl, and young at heart have enjoyed the inexpensive balsa wood gliders of the Paul K. Guillow Company.
Sunny afternoons flying Guillow gliders have created
fond memories and helped imaginations soar, " states
the company website.
AOPA

TOM BARKER

is president of
Paul K. Guillow
Inc. He started
working at the company when he was in high
school. Models without tissue
and dope are displayed around the headquarters building.

guillow.com
EMAIL julie.walker@aopa.org

aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 71



http://www.guillow.com http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021

Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 11
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 21
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 30
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 37
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 43
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 50
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 58
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 63
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 65
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 67
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 73
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 79
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 81
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2021 - Cover4
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