Questions to ask yourself:

Where will you keep this plane?

You need water at some point. How big is the available lake, river or bay, and how accessible is it. Are there local or other restrictions? How far away from your home is it? What about winter storage? Will you have a dock, and can you haul the plane out of the water after each flight? Will it be kept at a seaplane base on a buoy? What is the fee for keeping it there? If water is not available or convenient, you need to consider amphibious floats.

To what use will you put this floatplane?

Will it be local pleasure and sightseeing? Will you fly to remote fishing spots? Will you want to carry plenty of passengers and cargo, or just you and a friend traveling light?

About local geography and climate---

Elevation and average temperature dictate how much lake or river you need to get airborne, and the minimum wing/horsepower ratio you will need. Climate also affects how much use you can get out of floats.

In Summary...
These questions point to two critical factors that will determine the best floatplane for your needs: the job you want the seaplane to do for you and the location (and climate) of the waterway(s) out of which you will be flying.

Return to "Shopping for a Seaplane"

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