The Air & Space 18A is one of the last three gyroplanes issued a Standard Airworthiness Certificate (September 1961) by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Gilbert Devore commenced the design of Umbaugh's tandem two-seat jump-takeoff gyroplane in 1958, basing the rotor system on that of the Sznycer Omega BS-12 helicopter.

The company closed shortly after Farrington suffered a heart attack in April 2000 (while flying a gyroplane at an air show) and died a few days after the resulting crash.

Potter tried to re-establish the 18A program and transported an inventory of parts and some 18As to LaBelle, Florida, where he and partner Gene Ferrel established Heliplane Aircraft International Corp. Robert Kelsall of Euroa, Australia, was engaged to design a four-place version of the 18A termed 28A.

Gene Ferrel owns the FAA Type II certificate for this aircraft, along with three trailers full of parts, fuselages and airframes.

[citation needed] Farrington suffered a heart attack in April 2000 (while flying an Air and Space 18A at an airshow) and died a few days after the subsequent crash.

[citation needed] Heliplane Aircraft Corporation International purchased the type certificate (TC) and assets and expressed an intent to start manufacturing the 18A by 2015.

[citation needed] Type Certificate 1H17, Rev 6 was transferred from Heliplane Aircraft Corporation International to TWMCC Leasing, LLC as of December 12, 2012 per FAA TCDS database search on March 26, 2021.

A 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360-A1D horizontally opposed carbureted engine is fitted behind the cockpit driving a two or three-bladed Hartzell pusher propeller.

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67[10] and Report UER 18-600 FAA Approved Gyroplane Flight Manual, Revised Apr.