Modern, sleek, sexy Amphibians

Jaybird180

Jaybird180

Final Approach
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Jaybird180
Talking with my wife about the prospect of mixing boating (a topic I know next to nothing about) with aviation, I wondered what craft would fit the above subject line.

Can some of you post photos of what you think fits the thread title?

Thank you
 
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Two out of three
 
For modern there is only the Seawind, however amphibious and float planes have little crossover with recreational boating unless your boat is simply a means of transportation to your destination; that is until you get into the bigger seaplanes. There is a nice Mallard based at PMP that is outfitted as an RV, and I have seen similar done with an Albatross. I think the apex of the lot is a PBY.
 
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Icon Aviation
 

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Sea Ray. One of the very few aircraft that can do retractable, taildragger, and amphibian (though not all at the same time).
 
My father built a Seawind.
 

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Henning said:
Seawind has been around for a long time.
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Go buy me a new one, right now.

There were very few of the experimentals built, and you can't start one now (no kit/plans available any more), and the certified version isn't, well, certified yet!

:(
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Go buy me a new one, right now.

There were very few of the experimentals built, and you can't start one now (no kit/plans available any more), and the certified version isn't, well, certified yet!

:(
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Three of them on Barnstormers right now including an incomplete 2012 that will be new when competed, the other two are flying.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Go buy me a new one, right now.

There were very few of the experimentals built, and you can't start one now (no kit/plans available any more), and the certified version isn't, well, certified yet!

:(
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I'm sure there are some for sale, just not new? But there are only about 60 in the US. There are no more kits for sale, but there are still a few around that should be completed at some point.
 
Modern and sleek the sea wind and the I con really look good.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Go buy me a new one, right now.

There were very few of the experimentals built, and you can't start one now (no kit/plans available any more), and the certified version isn't, well, certified yet!

:(
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Rumor is it won't be certified due to spin characteristics.

I have no experience with them though
 
Skylane81E said:
Rumor is it won't be certified due to spin characteristics.
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They crashed the flight test bird a few years ago, but they've made changes that are supposed to allow it to be certified. They just announced a "stall/spin prevention system" a couple of weeks ago, and since I first heard about that a couple of years ago, I'm guessing the PR from a couple of weeks ago is an indication that they've got the FAA on board.
 
I heard they think the test pilot committed suicide.
 
Skylane81E said:
Seamax
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I agree about SeaMax. Unfortunately, it's unpopular in the U.S. despite flying all over the world. Last time I checked, only 12 were registered, and only 4 were the S-LSAs. But IMHO it's definitely slicker and sexier than SeaRey.

Two new entrants in the same space are Super Petrel and Freedom S100. Personally I like the lines of the latter. S100 does not fly as much as SeaMax, of which more than 1000 were build. It's more like a couple of dozens. Still, it's really sexy looking. It uses a cantileiver plastic wing like A5. SeaMax loses in sexiness by using fabric-covered wing and motor mounted on struts like in 1925.

I'm not counting Icon A5 and a few others who are not ready to deliver. The promos for A5 are very sexy, no doubt.

BTW, they build a rather cute twin amphibian in Russia, called LA-8. About 20 were built and production is ongoing. It is a different class airplane, powered by two IO-550s or two of those odd Friench inline-six. Seats 8 or so.
 

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zaitcev said:
BTW, they build a rather cute twin amphibian in Russia, called LA-8. About 20 were built and production is ongoing. It is a different class airplane, powered by two IO-550s or two of those odd Friench inline-six. Seats 8 or so.
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Ooooh.... I want one!
 
zaitcev said:
I agree about SeaMax. Unfortunately, it's unpopular in the U.S. despite flying all over the world. Last time I checked, only 12 were registered, and only 4 were the S-LSAs. But IMHO it's definitely slicker and sexier than SeaRey.

Two new entrants in the same space are Super Petrel and Freedom S100. Personally I like the lines of the latter. S100 does not fly as much as SeaMax, of which more than 1000 were build. It's more like a couple of dozens. Still, it's really sexy looking. It uses a cantileiver plastic wing like A5. SeaMax loses in sexiness by using fabric-covered wing and motor mounted on struts like in 1925.

I'm not counting Icon A5 and a few others who are not ready to deliver. The promos for A5 are very sexy, no doubt.

BTW, they build a rather cute twin amphibian in Russia, called LA-8. About 20 were built and production is ongoing. It is a different class airplane, powered by two IO-550s or two of those odd Friench inline-six. Seats 8 or so.
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How much do they cost?
 
Henning said:
How much do they cost?
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I am tracking it on Russian forums, and recent versions broke 1 million U.S. dollars. It used to go for about $600k in 2007, but not anymore. This newest version with Czech TP100 turboprops goes for about $1100000. Everyone on forums like to complain that they are too expensive, but then someone buys them.
 
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