Tamarack Aerospace has voluntarily filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company says it has chosen this course as a direct result of the EASA and FAA Airworthiness Directives (AD) issued against the Tamarack Atlas Active Winglet system, which have effectively grounded the fleet of CitationJets with the Active Winglets installed.

The decision to enter chapter 11 allows Tamarack to continue to operate and focus all activities on supporting Atlas winglet customers and to support EASA and FAA as they consider the proposal for lifting the restrictions imposed by the ADs.

Tamarack has offered Atlas upgrades free of charge in the form of two service bulletins prior to the ADs. These upgrades are said to improve the reliability and safety of the Atlas winglet modification, and have been proposed as the resolution of the ADs. Tamarack says it is working with all Atlas-equipped CJ owners to arrange for upgrades.

Currently, 73 per cent of the Atlas fleet is upgraded with more upgrades happening daily. The aircraft involved in an April 2019 incident that precipitated the EASA AD was not upgraded, says Tamarack, and there have been no reported incidents in those aircraft with the latest upgrades. Tamarack believes these upgrades will be considered the terminating action for the ADs.

EASA and FAA have been reluctant to provide an estimated time frame.

Tamarack's goal is to complete the retrofit of the fleet with both upgrades as soon as possible, in anticipation that EASA and FAA will concurrently agree that these upgrades are considered the terminating action for these ADs.

Tamarack says it values the close relationships with current and future customers, its valuable employees, vendors and partners, and believes that chapter 11 will be a temporary state, meant to ensure the long-term viability of the company.

Idaho-based Tamarack Aerospace Group invented and patented the Atlas Active Winglet system, that comprises a wing tip extension, a highly tuned winglet, wing loading sensors and a moveable load alleviation surface for the Cessna CitationJet 525, 525A and 525B.