Much Of The Company's Work And Inventory Damaged Or Destroyed

A fire tore through the manufacturing facility of Belite Aircraft late Friday, resulting in extensive damage to the company's inventory and work in progress.

Company CEO James Weibe recounted the event on his Facebook page.

"Last night, about 11:45pm, we received a call from emergency services that our building had been in a fire. Arriving a few minutes later, the scene was filled with fire trucks and emergency vehicles and swarms of firemen and water hoses," wrote on the morning of June 8th.

"It appears that the fire started at our CNC router dust collection system. Intense smoke filled the building, and my office and much of our building contents was destroyed. The back area of the building (in the production area), everything higher than 6' off the ground was melting or burned. Much of our raw inventory and all of our older collections of parts for older aircraft designs (for instance, procub and ultracub) was upstairs.

"It appears that almost all raw inventory and most if not all Work In Process for aircraft kits was destroyed. The team had just shipped 4 airframe kits and was getting ready to ship another batch this month, along with many back ordered parts for customers. I have been working hard on an air force contract and my IP along with my sole working sample were found in the debris of my office.

"We had been working very hard this year. I had just checked our sales for the year earlier in the day, and they were at a record company level. We were showing a nice year to date income level.

"Sadly, tragically, our office cats, Lucky and Daphne, did not survive.

"We do not know what is next."

Weibe posted this update Sunday:

"The Chipper 2 airplane was unharmed, out at the airport. It has already taxied and had brake problems. Parts were received on Thursday and installed on Friday.

"The Chipper SS prototype was disassembled and receiving a new paint job; the control surfaces were intown at our facility getting resurfaced and painted in anticipation of another 'reveal' before Oshkosh. I have seen them and am not sure if they can be salvaged or will require new feathers to be built."

(Images from Facebook)

FMI: www.facebook.com/BeliteAircraft