There’s certainly no shortage of personal aircraft manufacturers around the globe. Many have fallen on irreparable hard times and have had to close up shop, but others are able to stay above the fold due to their innovation and commercial appeal. SOCATA is an aircraft manufacturer with a hundred years under its belt – so it’s seen the best of times and the worst of times.

It’s hard to picture aircrafts back in 1911, but that’s when the company we know of as DAHER-SOCATA today got its start. Leon and Robert Morane, along with Raymond Saulnier, opened a small aircraft company in France and began production of the Model A.

The company, named Aeroplanes Morane-Saulnier, had a bit of immediate success due to their cutting-edge wing warping technology that allowed for high-speed maneuverability. However, their first commercially successful plane didn’t come until the Morane-Saulnier G, the first release of a long series of aircraft.

The firm found itself working to build military aircraft to fight in the war. They tried to break away and get back in to aircraft for commercial use, but World War II erupted and the company was once again producing planes for the armed forces.

Success was never the same after the war, having built planes for Germany. Morane-Saulnier was purchased in 1962 and became known as SEEMS. Four short years later, the civilian-model craft produced by SEEMS were sold as their own line by a subsidiary, SOCATA (Societe de Construction d’Avions de Tourisme et d’Affaires).

SOCATA had 30 years of somewhat steady business, producing a few innovative models of aircraft before they would be sold again in 2000 to EADS – the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V.

EADS was a merger of three formidable aircraft companies. By 2001, the conglomerate had moved into second place behind only Boeing as the largest aerospace company in the world. EADS was also the second largest manufacturer of European arms, only behind BAE Systems.

The types of aircraft produced by EADS are a far cry from the days of single-seat wing-warping planes. EADS is responsible for the large jetliner, Airbus A380, as well as jets like the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Eurocopter Tiger.

Although EADS was very successful, the controlling interest in the company was sold to DAHER in 2008. DAHER purchased 70% of SOCATA and is now one of the world’s largest industrial conglomerates, dealing in defense, nuclear technology, automotives and aerospace.

The small, commercial versions of SOCATA airplanes are still available in certain locations. However, they’re no longer being produced by SOCATA-DAHER. The only way to find one of these famous planes is to purchase it second-hand from an established owner.

SOCATA’s contributions to aerospace technology are on full display in many aspects of flight, be it in fighter jets, jetliners, commercial planes or even legitimate spaceships. The company has been all over the place and has certainly evolved with the times.