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.

FMI: www.seawind.net