Tue, Apr 21, 2009
Much Troubled Amphib Certification Program Tries, Again, To
Make A Comeback
With more bad luck in their history than any ten aviation
companies we know, the folks of Seawind are again making claims of
a comeback. This is not the first time we've heard this... as a
matter of fact, we've heard it so many times that we're not sure
how many times they've been at bat. Still; you have to give them
credit for not throwing in the towel...
A recent missive from Seawind's Dick Silva (pictured below)
states that, "...a group of investors has joined with a number of
customer investors to provide the funding needed to resume the
project."
A year and a half 'after the test pilot crashed the flight test
aircraft' and the company had to shut down operations, Seawind
President Dick Silva tells ANN that his company has reorganized and
acquired the funding necessary to complete certification of the
sleek, high performance amphibian.
The program had reached a late stage of flight testing when the
flight test vehicle went down, killing the pilot. Aero-News
reported that the aircraft in a heavily wooded area near the town
of Stead, Manitoba on August 15th of 2007. Silva claims that 'a
thorough investigation revealed that there was no in-flight or
other failure of the aircraft,' and that as a result, the company
set out on a 'difficult quest to find investors during very
troubled economic times.'
"It has finally paid off," says Silva. "It will take us about
three months to complete the second flight test aircraft, which was
about two-thirds finished when we ceased operations." Silva credits
the supposed comeback to 'a loyal following' and added that , "We
have a group of dedicated order holders. Almost 60 percent of our
order holders stuck with us for a year and a half. In addition, a
number of them stepped up to the plate and invested in the company.
We also have some very dedicated staff who are coming back to work
and a large following of loyal supporters. I don't mind telling you
of the devastating disappointment we felt when we had to shut
down... Then we started to receive encouraging calls and letters
from literally hundreds of people from around the world who
inspired us to keep going."
The odds are not in Silva/Seawind's favor, as other amphib
production aircraft have fallen by the wayside and a significant
portion of the industry considers the project "damaged goods."
Further; Silva has a history of claims and projections that have
not been met... though that is hardly a unique concept among
aircraft certification programs. So... stay tuned -- ANN will
endeavor to cover what results.
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