Seaplane Pilots Have More Fun!
Seaplanes offer the best of both worlds and are the ultimate get away vehicles, they will take your passion and love of flying to a whole new level....and make you a better stick and rudder pilot!
Only three percent of the pilot population has taken advantage of all that seaplane flying offers.....Imagine no runway......each and every landing you make is unique...the water and conditions.are constantly changing.
Although an additional rating is required to fly seaplanes, it is considered one of the easier—and more enjoyable—add-on ratings to obtain. No written examination is required, and the necessary flying can be accomplished in the matter of a few days. It’s the sort of thing you can accomplish on vacation or a long weekend.
The most elegant airport FBOs in the world can’t compare with the magical places seaplanes call home. Seaplanes are distinctive craft designed to travel to that very special realm where land, air, and sea merge as one.
Seaplanes offer the best of both worlds and are the ultimate get away vehicles, they will take your passion and love of flying to a whole new level....and make you a better stick and rudder pilot!
Only three percent of the pilot population has taken advantage of all that seaplane flying offers.....Imagine no runway......each and every landing you make is unique...the water and conditions.are constantly changing.
Although an additional rating is required to fly seaplanes, it is considered one of the easier—and more enjoyable—add-on ratings to obtain. No written examination is required, and the necessary flying can be accomplished in the matter of a few days. It’s the sort of thing you can accomplish on vacation or a long weekend.
The most elegant airport FBOs in the world can’t compare with the magical places seaplanes call home. Seaplanes are distinctive craft designed to travel to that very special realm where land, air, and sea merge as one.
Why learn to fly a seaplane? The answer will be obvious once you master your first water landing....there really isn't anything else quite like it. Learning to fly a seaplane requires a quest and journey for knowledge, in a variety of forms and sciences: aerodynamics, weather, navigation, airspace and many others. With this knowledge comes a natural increase in self esteem, energy and desire for life! We simply feel better about ourselves when we are educated and in control of our lives. The challenge that many of us have is finding something that motivates, inspires and sparks our imagination enough to continue the “journey” to completion. Seaplane flying can offer just that.
Our goal is simple.
Our goal is simple.
- Provide a comprehensive and efficient seaplane training program........ that is enjoyable, challenging and educational. This is fun stuff and you will leave a better pilot!
1. What is required to obtain a seaplane rating?
- A seaplane rating is granted only on the basis of demonstrated proficiency, not on the basis of a specific level of experience. Most pilots will find that certifiable proficiency in the Lake L4-200 is reached in 8 to 12 hours of flight training.
- However, it should be noted that the basic level of proficiency required to obtain a seaplane rating is nowhere near enough experience to arm you with the "real world" experience of water flying. Insurance companies often impose their own minimum experience levels, and regardless, it is advisable that one pursues additional training in the aircraft and in the area where you plan to fly.
- Yes
- No. If you obtain an add-on seaplane rating as a private pilot, then upgrade to a commercial pilots certificate in a land plane, you will not be able to exercise commercial privileges in a seaplane until you upgrade your seaplane rating as well. If you don't plan to fly a seaplane commercially, you can continue to use your seaplane rating in the capacity of a private pilot while exercising commercial land privileges.
- In a nutshell, any way you want. Strategies vary from person to person, and there is no known guidance from the FAA on this subject. Insurance companies are often interested in logged amphibious time as a distinct subcategory of logged seaplane time. Many seaplane pilots who fly amphibs primarily from land based airports consider their amphibious flight time as land plane time. Others consider it seaplane time. A third group breaks it down according to the number land and/or operations. The bottom line: it is up to you.
- For insurance purposes, it is best to log amphibious time as seaplane time, since total seaplane time is a much more important factor in determining seaplane insurance rates rather than total land plane time.
- Yes, you may train in either a flying boat (Lake Amphibian) or float plane and will be certified to fly any single-engine seaplane.
- Ground training takes place from Sebring Regional Airport, from there its off to the many lakes in the area.......making for quick and efficient training. Plan on four days from start to finish
- YES

Rates
- Dual Instruction in our aircraft is $280 per hour.
- Cost for a three day nine hour course at Leading Edge Aviation Seaplane is $2520. Some pilots may require more than nine hours in the Lake.
- Examiner fee $450