FL seaplane rental?

[Tommooney]

HI FL brother Mooney pilots!

I'm seeing multiple ads to train in an ICON A5 in FL.

I got CSES rating from old Charlie Sheeble many years ago in Laughlin NV on the CO river but never was able to use it after that. I thought flying on water was super fun.

Is it possible to get checked out and rent a seaplane to fly to Bahamas? Any tip appreciated.

Thanks

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, Tommooney said:

HI FL brother Mooney pilots!

I'm seeing multiple ads to train in an ICON A5 in FL.

I got CSES rating from old Charlie Sheeble many years ago in Laughlin NV on the CO river but never was able to use it after that. I thought flying on water was super fun.

Is it possible to get checked out and rent a seaplane to fly to Bahamas? Any tip appreciated.

Thanks

Wow, I got my multi from him in Laughlin. 
 

My friend bought a third interest in a Citation and I needed to get my multi so I could play co-pilot. Two days and $900 later, I had my multi instrument.

[Tommooney]

When I took checkride, Joe asked during the flight if it was for private or commercial? I said Commercial, he said "gimme a steep turn each way "

[Pinecone]

I don't think many places rent out seaplane.

But I would just start calling the seaplane training places.

One day I need to get my CSES, I did my PSES in Maine a long time ago.

[Parker_Woodruff]

They only offer dual in their seaplanes, but anyone here wanting to get their SES rating in FL should visit Ryan Seaplanes.  You can even do a combined Commercial SEL & SES course.

http://www.ryanseaplanes.com

[A64Pilot]

What’s been the standard in Fl is of course Jack Brown’s, and I suspect in the Cubs it’s a whole lot less expensive. $2K all in.

Straight floats, not Amphibs.

https://brownsseaplane.com

I did it 20 years or so ago, it’s a blast anyone who’s coming up on a bi-annual I highly suggest doing this. It’s only 2K and a lot of fun.

Anyone looking at a seaplane as a toy, I’d recommend and LSA seaplane as putting amphib floats on a Cessna or Maule kills cruise speed useful load etc. really turn one into a dog, and often the floats cost more than the airplane.

I keep contemplating it myself as Fl is very sea plane friendly where many states like Georgia are not, there are only two place in Ga that you can land at in Ga, unless things have changed. One lake and the Savannah river. 

[Pinecone]

A bunch of different choices in FL.  

I have heard over the years that Jack Brown gets people in with the low price in the Cub, but many end up upgrading to the 172.

I did my Private ASES in Maine in a 172.

If I ever decide to do my Comm (nice vaca and counts as Flight Review), I will do it in a Maule or 185 on floats.

[201Steve]

Rental local is one thing

 

rental sea plane, to another country, in salt water, overnight, to a stranger, seems implausible. 

[kortopates]

Rental local is one thing
 
rental sea plane, to another country, in salt water, overnight, to a stranger, seems implausible. 

Absolutely! think about the problematic logistics if anything goes wrong with the plane out of the country to get an idea of the risks involved to the owner.


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[A64Pilot]

On 8/11/2023 at 8:18 AM, Pinecone said:

A bunch of different choices in FL.  

I have heard over the years that Jack Brown gets people in with the low price in the Cub, but many end up upgrading to the 172.

I did my Private ASES in Maine in a 172.

If I ever decide to do my Comm (nice vaca and counts as Flight Review), I will do it in a Maule or 185 on floats.

When I did it, they had a Maule and I called asking about using the Maule.

When I showed up the instructor said that they had figured I was obese, because I asked about the Maule.  Now I’m fat but wasn’t then.

I bet they have one 172 and ten Cubs, if I’m right the overwhelming majority of training is in the Cubs. That’s what it was when I trained, one Maule and a gaggle of Cubs.

For safety they are over floated, which of course turns them into dogs and a Cub with 85 HP is no performer to begin with, but it was fun. It takes more skill in my opinion to fly off of water if underpowered, but I don’t have a lot of experience.

No electrical system, instructor hand propped standing on the right float from behind the prop of course.

A month or maybe more there was a mid air between one of the Cubs and something training at Winterhaven, when I was there we flew well below pattern altitude, and splashed I think in every lake within 10 miles and there are dozens of lakes.

https://www.flyingmag.com/ntsb-reveals-likely-cause-of-florida-midair-collision/

[laytonl]

I did my CSES at Jack Browns in a cub.  It was a hoot.  Even the checkride was fun. very laided back atmosphere.  I felt they had a strong commitment to safety though I thought they should have a radio in the airplanes due to the proximity to the adjacent land based airport.  Lee

[jlunseth]

Can’t help you with a seaplane, but about a decade ago I was at a resort in the Bahamas and had dinner with two pilots from Germany. They had rented a land plane in FL. As I recall, there was some minimum daily mileage they had to put on the plane, so every day they would fly out to a new island and explore. Have not done it myself (I have flown my own plane over there a number of times). Here is a thread I found with several rental places mentioned.  https://www.euroga.org/forums/flying/11431-aircraft-rental-in-florida-or-bahamas

Remember there are tides in the Bahamas, so you can’t plan on just pulling up to an island and hopping out for a few hours. Depending on the island, the locals might also recommend you not leave the plane unattended.

[AH-1 Cobra Pilot]

I do know of a place that will rent seaplanes, but not in Florida.  They are also one of the only two GI Bill Seaplane schools and have a restricted student list.

https://www.jberaeroclub.com/contact.html

[pagirard]

Sunair at Leesburg (KLEE) let you rent their seaplane (Husky 2 seats) with 20h dual and 5h solo (and >500h TT) : https://sunairaviation.com/sea-plane

They restrict to freshwater only so no Bahamas for sure.

hope this helps