Best airplane for seaplane rating?

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Melissa2983298

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Melissa
Hi Everyone,

I am a private pilot with around 200 hours; all completed in the same aircraft, a Piper Archer. I don't have any tailwheel experience or stick time, but would like to get my seaplane rating. What would be the best airplane to get a seaplane rating in, given my experiences? Either a cub or a husky?

Thank you for the input
 
I'd think availability of aircraft to take lessons in will be your determining factor for what kind of airplane. Cub, Husky, 172, Aeronca Sedan.... If you want to learn good float technique? Go for less horsepower. And avoid high performance airplanes. Learning cowl flaps and constant speed props will detract from the float flying part. At least at first.
 
Like he said, less power.

Given the options you mentioned, I’d go cub, also probably cheaper.

That is unless one of those places by far reaching chance will rent the plane to you after, in that case go with that place.
 
Head for Jack Brown’s Seaplane Base in Winter Haven, FL and train in their Cub. They have been drowning, err, I mean training seaplane pilot’s for many many years.
 
Adventure Seaplanes in MN I think through October. They have a 172 on straight floats. Good plane.
 
I wouldn't concern myself as much with the airplane type as I would its availability. If you will have access to the plane after the checkride, that is probably the most important thing to consider. If not, just pick the one you are most interested in flying.
 
It's rare to find a seaplane for rent after you get your rating. Consequently, most places have trainer-types on floats, like a 172, Cub, or Citabria. There's a place in CT that has a Lake Amphib (based at KOXC?). I'd pick one that's most convenient.

Where are you located?


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I heard the place in Florida is the only place in the entire country that will rent you the plane after the rating.
 
retpd2001 said:
I heard the place in Florida is the only place in the entire country that will rent you the plane after the rating.
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There’s one in WA, it’s a flying club but has a 172XP on straight floats, but there are lots of politics, or at least when I was there, too many chiefs not enough Indians comes to mind.

http://befa.org/fleet/aircraft/
 
retpd2001 said:
I heard the place in Florida is the only place in the entire country that will rent you the plane after the rating.
Click to expand...

Not true. I can think of at least one place in Michigan and Minnesota that will allow it. Of course restrictions apply, but it is something.
 
Suggest using a sea plane for a sea plane rating.

Remember, wheel planes are only good for one water landing and no takeoffs!
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Otherwise sounds like fun..!!! Take pictures and keep us informed on how it is going.

I would like to do sea plane but I don't swim very well.
 
mondtster said:
Not true. I can think of at least one place in Michigan and Minnesota that will allow it. Of course restrictions apply, but it is something.
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I think a place in Michigan and a place in Florida are actually the same company and yes they do allow solos but I’m not sure of their rules.
 
Seaplane rating is mostly about the water ops, situational awareness, docking, sailing, step taxi. The only flying stuff are the take-offs and landings, especially glassy water landings that require special techniques. So in that regard if you use a simple plane that you're already comfortable with like a 172 you might end up getting more out of it seaplane ops wise at least. On the other hand many people, myself included, just do it as an adventure, don't intend on buying a floatplane and may never actually use it. If you are coming up on needing a BFR a new rating takes care of that so you can deduct that expense right off the bat and convince yourself that you'll actually be saving money by doing it. Actually no, you won't but let's not tarnish the thought with reality here. So in that regard a Cub would be cool. There is another guy down in Florida named Rich Hensch who runs Florida Seaplanes and teaches out of his back yard in a Maule. That's where I went.
 
Bunk! Getting a rating is nothing but a minimum license to learn. Come fly glacial rivers, small creeks, step turns on one float to takeoff, landing over obstacles and stepping over shallow sandbars, starting up and getting off the shore of a swift river with rocky rapids just downstream, driving onto a submerged bar and having to unload the plane by wading 100 yards to a crappy bank, and that includes piggy-backing passengers? Or my fav. A one way glassy water landing into a setting sun. Did I forget to mention 35mph winds across your landing area? Long crosswind taxis? Whitecaps? Fly floats for a few years and you'll make some memories!
 
mondtster said:
Not true. I can think of at least one place in Michigan and Minnesota that will allow it. Of course restrictions apply, but it is something.
Click to expand...

And Alpine Aviation in Grass Valley, CA will rent their Lake Amphibian also. I had it for a week one time when the alternator on my plane crapped out when I was up/over there to do a little water flying with my wife. No problem, just left my plane there for Gordon to fix, and I took the Lake back home with me to San Jose. Just _Barely_ fit in the hangar. Maybe an inch on either side.

When taking off one day from San Jose, ground asked me what the thing on top of the plane was. When I told them it was the engine, his next question was why it was up there!


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Last edited:
Not true.

I stand corrected. That is what a CFI told me after an intro ride in a Super Cub on floats.
 
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