Why aren't seaplanes more popular?

Phoenix

Phoenix

Ejection Handle Pulled
Joined
Oct 8, 2015
Messages
583
Display Name
Display name:
Phoenix
Boating and flying what's not to like?:D
 
bnt83 said:
My guesses are:

#1 Maintenance costs
#2 Insurance
Click to expand...
I'd venture to say insurance is slightly more a factor than maintenance.

I've heard getting seaplane insurance can be a really biotch and most of the schools that will train you won't let you rent solo.
 
The owner of the twin bee told me his insurance quote was 25% of the hull value for the first year.

That was when the Sea-Bee was worth around $225,000
 
Fearless Tower said:
Which desert? Seems like there are almost as many seaplane training schools in AZ/NV as there are in Florida.
Click to expand...

High desert in NM. There was an amphibious Caravan through here a few years ago. It sure looked out of place. People just stared at it going... "whatnell iz that..?" :lol:

The nearest river with water is the Rio Grande. It is dammed up near Truth or Consequences and has enough water to use a boat with a motor. I think some people even float inner tubes there...:yes:
 
Performance and cost.

If you want to use an airplane to travel a seaplane is much slower given the same airframe / powerplant. You also have less useful load, and you paid a lot more for it in the first place.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Performance and cost.

If you want to use an airplane to travel a seaplane is much slower given the same airframe / powerplant. You also have less useful load, and you paid a lot more for it in the first place.
Click to expand...

Yeah this months AOPA had an article on a supped up C182. Expensive (400K) to only cruise at 118 Kts.

If I lived in or near a lake and no airport within 100 miles, maybe. I'm not paying that much money to go that slow.
 
Too much money for the speed ,and maintenance cost can get prohibitive,if you use them in salt water. They do however look cool.
 
This is why we have been waiting impatiently for the Icon. Down here on the Gulf coast, you would see tons of sea planes, if they were made out of something non-corrosive. Like, you know, composite material.

And then...it comes out, costs a bajillion dollars, and cruises at just 80 knots. <bang head here>

So, I'm still waiting.
 
Zeldman said:
High desert in NM. There was an amphibious Caravan through here a few years ago. It sure looked out of place. People just stared at it going... "whatnell iz that..?" :lol:

The nearest river with water is the Rio Grande. It is dammed up near Truth or Consequences and has enough water to use a boat with a motor. I think some people even float inner tubes there...:yes:
Click to expand...

Man, I grew up going to Elephant Butte, and it was a big lake back then. Has it declined that much?
 
I'd guess the OP doesn't live in Minn. cabin on a lake and a anphib is as good as it gets.
 
Because jawja isn't seaplane-friendly, as well as many other states. It's in the works to open up Lanier, but I haven't heard anything in months.
 
Because they are expensive, especially if done right, high performance airframe with a FACTORY seaplane kit,
high insurance, require skills not easily found in little wheeled land planes.

My deductible for insurance was 20% of my hull value for the plane while on amphibs, insurance is about triple what it would be if I just had the plane in its tailwheel configuration (even if with me flying backcountry).

I'm burning 15GPH at 120KTAS up high around 5-7k, about a buck ten at my normal cruise altitudes of a thousand or two AGL, I also have very small floats for my airframe so I do loose some gross weight on the water for those cruise speeds.

Mx isn't that bad I you take care of your plane and nip things in the bud (major stuff to cosmetic stuff), also having a amphib majorly helps here as it lives in a hangar and can be serviced anywhere, of course amphibs cost more.

If you're straight floats, getting fuel can be fun, plus any accident will result in a insanely expensive, if even possible, recovery.


All that said, you don't know how fun flying is until you've flown floats, if you live by the water you don't know utility till you fly a amphib. Even comparing my amphibs 120ktas to a 200ktas straight land plane, I can go point to point utilizing beaches, docks and airports faster than the considerably faster land plane.


Tom-D said:
The owner of the twin bee told me his insurance quote was 25% of the hull value for the first year.

That was when the Sea-Bee was worth around $225,000
Click to expand...


That's insane! He must have ether been a ink wet PPL and a just out of the printer MES, or he didn't shop it. I had decent hours and rating, a little float time, next to no amphib time and I didn't get it even nearly that bad. You sure it wasn't 25% deductible? That sound about right.
 
Last edited:
Also a big seaplane lover, and like Honeck, still trying to swallow the fact that I'll be unhappy with my Icon.

The seaplane restrictions in many states are horrid! Forget op cost and insurance, you'll be lucky if you can land it anywhere worth a ****!

We'll keep trying though.
 
Many of the Lake Amphibian crowd carry NO insurance at all. Their argument for this being that lawyers only want to sue insurance companies and individuals personal assets can be quickly transferred to relatives.
 
Frogs97 said:
Man, I grew up going to Elephant Butte, and it was a big lake back then. Has it declined that much?
Click to expand...

I am not really sure. It is a very long lake which makes it appear bigger than it really is. It is bigger than Blue Water Lake. There you can see the docks are 50 feet or more away from the water.
 
James331 said:
That's insane! He must have ether been a ink wet PPL and a just out of the printer MES, or he didn't shop it. I had decent hours and rating, a little float time, next to no amphib time and I didn't get it even nearly that bad. You sure it wasn't 25% deductible? That sound about right.
Click to expand...
At the time he said he was going to run bare for 4 years and save enough to buy another one.

he was newly rated multi sea. but not a new pilot.

The twin Bee got landed gear up on the runway at OKH by a high time Navy pilot CFI, who just walked away said screw you sue me.

it has never flown since. (10 years)
 
For me it's the deductible, the rates have dropped a good chunk with he hours o put on the plane since I bought it. Thing is based on the common type of seaplane damage and price to fix it, I'd be better just keeping the 20% hull value in a bank account incase I clip a wing on a dock or something.

How much damage did he do with the gear up? I've always been told landing gear up just hurts the paint on your keel. Sure as heck beats landing gear down on the water
 
James331 said:
How much damage did he do with the gear up? I've always been told landing gear up just hurts the paint on your keel. Sure as heck beats landing gear down on the water
Click to expand...
Ground the keel off flush with the belly skins, damaged the hull skins to the point they would be required to change. replacement of the keel beam, there are no keels for these.
 
Tom-D said:
Ground the keel off flush with the belly skins, damaged the hull skins to the point they would be required to change. replacement of the keel beam, there are no keels for these.
Click to expand...

Ouch!
 
The availability of seaplane bases in NJ is dismal at best... The only one I know of nearby is private.
 
Bird Man said:
The availability of seaplane bases in NJ is dismal at best... The only one I know of nearby is private.
Click to expand...

Rivers, lakes, etc

I've yet to land mine at a SPB.
 
Infrastructure for the most part. Most marinas are not set up to take a plane, plus no 100LL. Plus they are slower and less efficient on fuel for traveling. To make them practical in the lower 48 you really need amphibs, so you take a major hit on useful load and insurance. In the lower 48 they just don't serve a major need, so you don't see many. Now go to Alaska, especially SE Alaska, and seaplanes dominate because there is water everywhere and very little terrestrial infrastructure.
 
For me its cause they be UGLY unless they are dedicated seaplanes (searay/wind?, Icon)

Would love to have one if only just to have fun by landing it and causing a ruckus with boaters.
 
falconkidding said:
For me its cause they be UGLY unless they are dedicated seaplanes (searay/wind?, Icon)

Would love to have one if only just to have fun by landing it and causing a ruckus with boaters.
Click to expand...

When I was doing my MES on the Colorado River, we just rounded Don Laughlin's penthouse (he waved) and lined up on the river with 2 jet skis running down it. CFI asks, "What are you going to do about them?" "Clear over them and land in front of them, I've got speed and glide slope on them, it'll be cool." "Excellent, lets do it.":D
 
Welcome to NJ where seaplanes are only allowed to be operated as boats...

You have to cross over to NY state lines or PA to take off and land...

:nonod:

James331 said:
Rivers, lakes, etc

I've yet to land mine at a SPB.
Click to expand...
 
Their was a time when on takeoff, on the step a seaplane was about the fastest thing on the water. Boats started getting big engines and the event of the the personal water craft and a six pack of bear things changed. More than once someone on a Jet Ski or Ski boat with Skier has run along side of me on the step and cut in front of me just as I am lifting off. Great fun for them scare the S*** out of me.
 
Its fun, but it has a lot of problems. People do it, but its not like you can go out and just land on any lake anywhere, even in Canada there are restrictions. Some states are better than others. Florida has a lot. So does Washington. Maine yes. Colorado has NONE (well MAYBE some private lakes, but its restricted to knowing someone). Also, it's hazardous. Lots of stuff to run into just under water. Lots of dings. Its not like these lakes are swept and made safe like runways. Even the seaplane bases are just labeled with an anchor. There is no "lane", you just land wherever it "looks good". Be careful out there!!

Dont even get me started on the hazards of getting into docks...
 
Personal opinion... but I've always liked the looks of this...
fdesign_CTLSfloats370x278.jpg
 
Frogs97 said:
Man, I grew up going to Elephant Butte, and it was a big lake back then. Has it declined that much?
Click to expand...

When I was going down every weekend in the 80's and 90's the lake was full and pretty big. I heard they lost their water rights lawsuit to mexico and texas though and had to dump a lot of water. Caballo is now a mudpit if even that. On the other hand I watched a couple float planes land on the Rio Grande near Soccorro. That was pretty exciting. Not sure if they had the gear down or not. I ended up landing in Soccorro due to inability to make headway up the valley. Only took me a couple minutes to get back there from Polvadera......man that was a windy day.

Frank
 
Henning said:
Infrastructure for the most part. Most marinas are not set up to take a plane, plus no 100LL. Plus they are slower and less efficient on fuel for traveling. To make them practical in the lower 48 you really need amphibs, so you take a major hit on useful load and insurance. In the lower 48 they just don't serve a major need, so you don't see many. Now go to Alaska, especially SE Alaska, and seaplanes dominate because there is water everywhere and very little terrestrial infrastructure.
Click to expand...
That just reminds me, there is an outfit up in AK that offers training in a G21 Goose. Definitely on my bucket list!
 
Tom-D said:
You've never gone to Lake Hood?
Click to expand...

Not yet, I'd love to one of these days, most the seaplane bases I visited were in the PNW, out here on the east coast I haven't visited any yet somehow.



coloradobluesky said:
Its fun, but it has a lot of problems. People do it, but its not like you can go out and just land on any lake anywhere, even in Canada there are restrictions. Some states are better than others. Florida has a lot. So does Washington. Maine yes. Colorado has NONE (well MAYBE some private lakes, but its restricted to knowing someone). Also, it's hazardous. Lots of stuff to run into just under water. Lots of dings. Its not like these lakes are swept and made safe like runways. Even the seaplane bases are just labeled with an anchor. There is no "lane", you just land wherever it "looks good". Be careful out there!!

Dont even get me started on the hazards of getting into docks...
Click to expand...

You can be safe, you just really have to do your due diligence on lakes and rivers before you operate out of them, do a really good survey before you land, etc. Some good options in the north east.
 
Yeah, they fly slow and if you are just wanting an airplane to fly across the country fast then they are not for you. But if you want to have fun flying and have a great time rather than just taking advantage of the more utilitarian transportation functions of an airplane, give it a try.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top