23 May, 2025
Wills Wing, one of the world’s oldest and largest hang gliding manufacturers, today announced the completion of a major capital raising led by Italian based investor, Mr Alistair Jeffery. Mr Jeffery joins Chris Wills and brothers Rudy and Jose Gotés as shareholders, taking a leading role in the new ownership structure. He has been appointed Chairman of Wills Wing, and Rudy will remain Chief Executive Officer.
Mr Jeffery invested in the newly created parent company, Wills Wing Holding, Inc, which is based in Houston, Texas. The business owns a manufacturing subsidiary in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, and expects to broaden design and distribution operations internationally in the medium term.
Mr Jeffery is a hang glider pilot and an engineer by training, completing a Bachelor of Engineering in Auckland, New Zealand, and a PhD at Imperial College in London. After a brief career in investment banking, he established financial services business Bluestone in Australia in 2000, before expanding to the UK in 2009. He continues to oversee Bluestone’s UK operations from his home in Italy. The Wills Wing investment is his first foray into the adventure sports industry.
Commenting on the transaction, Mr Jeffery said “I am honoured to support a brand with such a rich heritage, and I’m looking forward to working with Rudy and his team to expand our operations globally. Flying a hang glider is one of life’s truly magical experiences, and I want to assist many more people to fulfill their dreams on Wills Wing gliders.
Mr Gotés said “It has been a pleasure to get to know Al over the past 12 months, and I’m very pleased we have been able to agree terms on the investment and raise further expansion capital. We plan to use the capital to expand our current manufacturing footprint, invest in R&D and work with our distribution partners to develop new and existing markets.
Wills Wing was founded in 1973 in Southern California by Chris Wills and his brother Bob, and rapidly grew to become the world’s leading manufacturer of hang gliders. Over five decades, the company has produced more than 30,000 gliders, supporting the dreams and adventures of pilots around the globe. Wills Wing’s designs are renowned for their innovation, reliability, and performance, and the company has played a pivotal role in shaping modern recreational and competitive hang gliding.
Today, Wills Wing continues the legacy from its manufacturing base in Valle de Bravo, Mexico—one of the world’s premier flying sites. With models like the Alpha, Falcon 4, Sport 3 and T3 and a strong global dealer network, Wills Wing remains a cornerstone of the hang gliding community.