Expert: Malcolm Dickinson - 7/21/2006

Question
Hello, I am a commercial pilot, CFIA, CFII, ASEL, AMEL. I want to start my own business. I tried a skydiving DropZone... Now, I'm looking at the Lake Amphib's. How big of swells can they be landing in? Could I haul fisherman out to their charter boat in the open Atlantic? Forgive my ignorance, I'm not sea plane rated. I was looking at the 250hp Seafury... If not, is there an aircraft capable of this mission?

Answer
Hi,

Seaplanes operate in smooth water. Waves are VERY hard on seaplanes, and very uncomfortable for their passengers, so seaplane pilots always try to find the smoothest possible water. We look for any sheltered area (out of the wind) to use for takeoff and landing.

Lake Amphibians (LA-4-200) were made until about 1981 (a few more were made after then, but not many). They can land in smooth water (waves up to 6 inches, or 12 inches if you don't mind taking a real pounding.)

The longer models (LA-250 and LA-250 Turbo) are called "Lake Renegades" and due to their deeper-V hull and extra few feet of length, they can land in up to 12-18 inch waves.

Keep in mind that any time you operate a seaplane in rough conditions, your next annual WILL be significantly more expensive, because of the number of rivets that will have to be replaced and cracked ribs/struts that will need to be repaired. I can attest to this personally!

If you have never made a takeoff or landing in a seaplane in rough conditions (waves over 6 inches), you should go find a seaplane pilot or service and pay to ride with them in various conditions so you can see what it is like.

Because of the risk of total destruction when landing in large waves, seaplanes never (ever) land in open ocean water, with the exception of the enormous Grumman HU-16 Albatross.  For information about the Albatross's rough-water capabilities, do a google search or contact Rob Carlson, who lives in Boston and owns two or more Albatrosses. I believe he bought them to use for dropping off and retrieving buoys in open ocean waters.

best
Malcolm