Amphibious plane and ASEL

14 CFR 61.3

§61.3 Requirement for certificates, ratings, and authorizations.
(a) Required pilot certificate for operating a civil aircraft of the United States. No person may serve as a required pilot flight crewmember of a civil aircraft of the United States, unless that person:

(1) Has in the person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization—

(i) A pilot certificate issued under this part and in accordance with §61.19;

So the point of contention is what the "privileges of" an ASEL rating is, and whether it allows you to fly an amphibious seaplane between land airports. This reg clears up exactly nothing.
 
So the point of contention is what the "privileges of" an ASEL rating is, and whether it allows you to fly an amphibious seaplane between land airports. This reg clears up exactly nothing.

I think the better statement would be "amphibious airplane" instead of "amphibious seaplane."

Let's face it, amphibious airplanes and certificate requirements are not well defined within the regs, probably because it only applies to a relatively small group of people and airplanes. I can't point to any specific regulation that would satisfy your question but I can tell you that if the seaplane pilots association plus 3 different DPEs that I've spoken to about this all say the same thing, I'd tend to believe that you don't need a seaplane rating to operate an amphibious airplane from land.

Further, I'll reiterate that there is no rating required, either land or sea, to operate a light sport amphib.
 
I think the better statement would be "amphibious airplane" instead of "amphibious seaplane."

Let's face it, amphibious airplanes and certificate requirements are not well defined within the regs, probably because it only applies to a relatively small group of people and airplanes. I can't point to any specific regulation that would satisfy your question but I can tell you that if the seaplane pilots association plus 3 different DPEs that I've spoken to about this all say the same thing, I'd tend to believe that you don't need a seaplane rating to operate an amphibious airplane from land.

Further, I'll reiterate that there is no rating required, either land or sea, to operate a light sport amphib.

^That

However FAR aside, there is a reason my insurance of amphibs (with a few companies) did NOT only not have a open pilot policy, and even stated named pilots only.
 
The analogous dry version of a seaplane is LANDplane. Both are airplanes.
 
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