Buhl designed and manufactured the Buhl-Verville CA-3 Airster, the first aircraft to receive a US civil aviation type Certificate in March 1927.

[2] Etienne Dormoy replaced him, and was responsible for developing the Airsedan sesquiplane family, as well as the CA-1 Airster and Bull Pup monoplanes.

Sales would be hindered by the deepening Great Depression although over 100 of the tiny single-seat Bull Pup monoplanes were manufactured between 1930 and 1932.

[3] Dormoy also designed the Buhl A-1 autogyro in 1930, optimized for aerial photography, with a pusher engine located behind the pilot and room for a camera operator up front.

In March 1931, Buhl Aircraft licensed from the Autogiro Company of America, Juan de la Cierva's and Harold Pitcairn's rotary-wing patents.