Dick Silva, president of Seawind Aircraft, said on Sept. 13 that the company has suspended operations after losing one backer, but is seeking replacement funds. So far, about 70% of what is needed to resume operations has been committed, he told General Aviation News.
Operations were suspended after the mysterious crash of the Seawind 300C certification test aircraft on Aug. 16, killing test pilot Glenn Holmes, Silva said. At that time the company announced that “a temporary interruption of business…will be in effect until we can determine the cause of this event and develop a plan to complete the project.”
Silva commented that he had anticipated resumption of operations after results of the Canadian Transportation Safety Board investigation were known, but then a key financial backer withdrew support.
Silva said in the Sept. 13 conversation that he expected to receive the Safety Board’s initial report “in about a week,” but until then did not think it appropriate to make public comments about the crash investigation, some details of which have been baffling.
Reports that the Seawind amphibian project has been terminated are premature, at best, he commented.
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