Lake Aircraft

Lake Aircraft was an American aircraft manufacturer focused on amphibious aircraft. Its factory was located in Sanford, Maine, while its sales offices operated from locations in Laconia and Gilford, New Hampshire, and Kissimmee, Florida. The company is associated with the LA-4 aircraft family and maintained the tooling, type certificate, designs, and parts-support capability for those aircraft. The business was comparatively active during the general-aviation manufacturing expansion of the 1980s, when it reportedly employed about 200 people. Its later history was marked by a sharp contraction in production and staffing. The company produced only one aircraft in 2007 and no aircraft in 2008, although it continued making parts for aircraft already in service. By 2009, its workforce had fallen to six employees. Owner Armand Rivard stated in January 2009 that he intended to sell Lake Aircraft and retire. The company had previously been offered for sale in 2001 and 2002, and had also been offered through an auction in 2005 and again in 2007. In August 2018, the business was again put up for sale, this time with the LA-4 tooling, type certificate, and designs included among the offered assets. The assets were held by Revo Inc., a company owned by Rivard. Rivard died on December 23, 2018. Lake Aircraft's significance lies less in continuing high-volume production than in its role as the manufacturer and custodian of a distinctive amphibious-aircraft design. The available reference material does not establish a subsequent purchaser, a revived production program, or a current operating company. Accordingly, the brand is treated here as defunct, with its assets and intellectual property having been offered for sale after production had effectively ceased.

Lake Aircraft was a United States aircraft manufacturer based in Sanford, Maine. The company specialized in amphibious aircraft, a niche category of general aviation aircraft designed to operate from both land and water. Its commercial organization included sales offices in Laconia and Gilford, New Hampshire, and Kissimmee, Florida. The company became associated with the LA-4 aircraft family. Beyond manufacturing complete aircraft, Lake Aircraft supported aircraft already in service by producing replacement parts. Its factory and manufacturing operation were substantially larger during the 1980s, when the company reportedly employed approximately 200 people. The available historical account does not provide a confirmed founding year or identify the original founder. By the 2000s, Lake Aircraft was experiencing a prolonged reduction in activity. The company had been offered for sale in 2001 and 2002, and was subsequently offered through an auction in 2005 and again in 2007. Production had become minimal: one aircraft was produced in 2007 and none in 2008. Parts production for the existing fleet continued, but the workforce had declined to six employees by 2009, compared with the much larger workforce reported for the 1980s. In January 2009, owner Armand Rivard said that he planned to sell the company and retire. The business's assets were held by Revo Inc., which was owned by Rivard. The sale process did not result in a documented successor in the available reference material. In August 2018, Lake Aircraft was once again put up for sale. The offering included the LA-4 tooling, the type certificate, and the relevant designs, indicating that the principal value of the business at that stage lay in its technical assets, certification, tooling, and continuing-support potential rather than in active series production. Rivard died on December 23, 2018. The available account does not document a later acquisition, a return to aircraft production, or a current Lake Aircraft operating organization. Lake Aircraft is therefore best understood as a defunct specialist aircraft brand whose legacy is tied to amphibious aviation, the LA-4 family, and the preservation of support and production assets for those designs.

• 2018

  Assets offered for sale

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The company was again offered for sale, including LA-4 tooling, the type certificate, and aircraft designs.

• 2018

  Death of Armand Rivard

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  Armand Rivard died on December 23, 2018.

• 2009

  Owner announced retirement and sale plans

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  Armand Rivard announced an intention to sell Lake Aircraft and retire. The company employed six people at the time.

• 2008

  Aircraft production stopped

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  No aircraft were produced during the year, although the company continued making parts for existing aircraft.

• 2007

  Final reported production activity

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The company produced one aircraft and was also reportedly offered for sale.

• 2005

  Auction offering

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  Lake Aircraft was offered through an auction.

• 2002

  Second reported sale offering

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The company was reportedly offered for sale again.

• 2001

  Company offered for sale

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  Lake Aircraft was offered for sale as the business entered a period of reduced production and activity.

• 1980

  Peak-era workforce reported

  [1]Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  Lake Aircraft reportedly employed approximately 200 people during the 1980s.

A specialist general-aviation manufacturer associated with amphibious aircraft and long-term parts support for its aircraft designs.

• Amphibious aircraft

  LA-4 amphibious aircraft family

  The LA-4 family was Lake Aircraft's principal identified aircraft line. It represented the company's specialization in amphibious aviation and remained central to the value of the business's later assets. When the company was offered for sale in 2018, the offering included LA-4 tooling, the type certificate, and the associated designs. Lake Aircraft also continued producing parts for aircraft already in service after complete-aircraft production had largely stopped.

• 2018

  Renewed sale of Lake Aircraft assetsM&A

  Background

  The company had previously been offered for sale several times, while complete-aircraft production had effectively ceased and parts support remained an important activity.

  Action taken

  Lake Aircraft was put up for sale with the LA-4 tooling, type certificate, and designs included.

  Aftermath

  No subsequent purchaser or restart of production is identified in the available material. Armand Rivard died later in 2018.

  Source

• 2009

  Pursuit of a sale and retirementStrategy

  Background

  Lake Aircraft had experienced a severe decline in production and staffing. It produced one aircraft in 2007, none in 2008, and employed six people in 2009, although parts support continued.

  Action taken

  Owner Armand Rivard announced that he intended to sell the company and retire.

  Aftermath

  The available reference material does not identify a completed transaction or a successor operator. The assets were later offered for sale again in 2018.

  Source

1. 1Lake Aircraften.wikipedia.org