Smooth Transition to 'Sun Lake Aircraft'

The venerable Lake Amphibian operation has been sold. Armand Rivard, long-time chief of the operation, told ANN "I have decided to retire, and have handed the tiller to Wadi Rahim, effective last week." The company's new name is Sun Lake Aircraft.

The Sanford (ME) facility -- perhaps the oldest factory building that produces certified aircraft -- will remain as it has been, producing the Renegade and the Turbo 270, as well as parts for the older Lake Amphibians and Bucaneers.

Mr Rivard told us, "Wadi comes from an engineering and business background, and he has the kind of talent that will move the company forward, faster than I have, lately."

Mr Rahim, a long-time US citizen, has known the Rivards several years. "I've enjoy working with him for a long time, and we've been talking about doing this for quite some time," Armand said.

Armand's long-learnt knowledge of the Lake, and of the hundreds of customers, won't be lost to some goofy 'retirement scheme.' He's staying on, though independently, to help, especially, the international side of the business. "I'll stay on and handle the international activities; he'll start with the manufacturing end of things," Rivard told us. "I'll continue to handle the international activities -- but not as an owner." Mr Rivard does, however, own the remaining stock of the wing ADs, for which there may be some future demand.

Been here, done that...

Mr. Rahim (pictured right), who moved from Bangladesh (then known as East Pakistan) to the USA to go to engineering school in 1967, and became a US citizen in 1976, worked for Lockheed and Martin-Marietta, in the UAV-avionics areas, including cruise missiles. He later started a robotics system company to make the Army's ground-UAVs. He has held a Secret, and Top Secret, clearance, for certain projects in his military-contractor days. "But," he says, "...I don't think I ever saw a 'top secret' document." He married a lady from Virginia, and they have two daughters, both seniors (one in high school, one in college).

In the Spring of 1998, he decided to learn to fly. By October, 1998, he was a pilot, and bought a Piper Archer. He was instrument-rated in six months more, and then bought a Mooney, so he could have the range and speed he wanted. Now, he's a half-owner of AVDYNE Aero Services, an FBO at Maryland's Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), along with Jerome Hodge, a Signature alumnus. He plans on getting a seaplane rating "as soon as I can." The Mooney is still serving him well, as he continues to fly among Orlando, Maryland, and now, Maine, bases.

Why amphibians?

A little over two years ago, the family went to the Bahamas in the Mooney, and started thinking seriously about amphibiams. "There's only one real amphibian, and that's the Lake," he noted, and started making inquiries, and soon realized that, if the right deal could be made, it would be possible to buy the company. He did it, after many trips from his home in Maryland, to his new base in Orlando.

Plans...

Rahim wants to re-ignite the sales of the line. "In a year, maybe a little more, we should be producing about one airplane a month; probably more Turbos than Renegades. We're going to hold prices for the foreseeable future; however, we're going to provide a better-turned-out airplane -- fewer options, more things standard -- and with an upgraded panel."

The new regime is really three new companies, all owned by the group which Rahim heads: Sun Lake Aircraft, in Kissimmee; the old factory (Aerofab) is actually owned and operated by ManAero (a new company that bought the assets of AeroFab); and "Global Amphibian, a new company I formed, maintains ownership of the TC and the STCs -- all the intellectual property -- I'm the principal in that company," Mr Rahim told us.

How about that AD?

Armand Rivard said, "With the Patent Office having another look at the patent [for the famous spar-doubler AD], it could be some time before we know just how that's going to turn out." Enpat, the lawyer-group in Melbourne (FL), retains ownership of the patent itself, and is pursuing its enforcement. Rivard still owns the kits the FAA mandated that Lake produce, and will sell them to those who are in need.

New-build aircraft will incorporate the AD, straight from the factory. Rahim explained, "We have an unrestricted license to use the Enpat patent for all future aircraft we build. We are not involved with the old stuff, and will not be selling any of the kits. Armand, independently, will be selling the kits."

Things won't change much, on the outside, in Florida. Rivard likes the winters there. He said, "The Kissimmee office stays open, and I'll be in it." He is helping with the transition, and will handle some ongoing sales activity, and provide any of the AD kits, from his own inventory.

FMI: www.amphib.com