Seaplane contract in Nicaragua

[1000 HP]

Awesome avatar FlyGy, i was going to watch tv but i was glued to AvCanada, mesmerized.....

[Lost Lake]

A little Birdie told me that Steve was fed up with this set up and is now flying in the Maldives.

[Panama Jack]

It certainly looks like the project has gone pear-shaped, which is too bad but given the business model, perhaps not all that surprising.

I understand that the company's Twin Otter was reimported to its previous owner in Canada and appears to have been registered as C-GKPV on the 22nd of March.

No idea about the Turbo Otter, however nobody who I talk to in Nicaragua (including the owners of the resort onto whose dock both aircraft have been tied up to for months) know absolutely anything about the company or have contacts to the owners. That or they are being mum.

[MUSICMAAN]

http://www.campbellrivermirror.com/news/146888135.html

[Vykarious Lee]

Unfortunately, the project did fail. Steve and the others who came to assist in the development of the AOC were totally professional and we did in fact achieve operational status with an AOC and two aircraft on site. There's plenty of business for seaplanes there - based on the response we received the estimate was that there was enough to keep 4 or 5 machines busy year-round.

However, the one variable that can never be accounted for is that of internal government politics, and promises made but not kept. We - the Canadians - did our job and provided them what we promised to provide them. A domestic AOC, airworthy and insured aircraft operated and supported by some of the best Canadian talent anyone could ask for - but they did not do what they promised, and in fact in some cases worked directly against their own interests in the project. The financial hit was devastating, and there are still outstanding obligations to the pilots who came down there and put their shoulder into the harness. Efforts are being made to address those obligations, and we sincerely appreciate the patience and understanding.

It will be a few years yet before the business culture in that country will allow for the type of confidence required to make multi-million dollar aviation investments there. The sense of entitlement there is breathtaking in its scope, and at the end of the day I must take responsibility for underestimating that.

Thanks for following the project, and best of luck to all.
JM.

[NWONT]

What an impressive post. You have my respect, sir.

[Lost Lake]

+1!

I would definitely be interested if if it ever starts up. Unfortunately, I have seen this mentality by governments and owners alike in other countries. So sad. The opportunities for the twin otter around the world are endless. Unfortunately the things that make it it desirable are also the detractors, i.e., remote locations, under developed natons, corrupt governments/owners, etc.

[1000 HP]

It's sad. In Indonesia the contract process has been developed to fight corruption. It unfortunately has the effect of killing many projects before they even get off the ground. It takes over a year to get a contract in place, and everything has to be done by contract. Then, the contract is only awarded for one year usually. As soon as you get a contract, you have to start negotiating the next contract. Brutal...
Of all the countries that could be well-served by a seaplane operation running Caravans on Amphibs, or Otters, or even Twin Otters, Indonesia is probably a one of the best. With 300,000,000 people, 18,000 islands, and a fairly large oil and gas industry, both onshore and off, as well as a large coal mining industry, this would be the place to do it.

[Lost Lake]

The same could said for many central african countries.