Posted: 6/18/2025 6:01:26 PM EDT
| Just curious - can floatplanes, seaplanes, & amphibs operate from just about any suitable body of water, or does the FAA severely restrict such operations? |
I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.
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Not the feds, the states. There is no federal air regulation that says you can't land on streets, either. Only, "No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner that endangers others or property." You must choose, but choose wisely. |
9 lives - 9 pellets... Coincidence?
| NYS cut way back on planes allowed on certain lakes in the Adirondack park. (The park is more a designated area as it’s a line around the mountains and there are plenty of private holdings within the so called blue line). Granted the state does own a big chunk of it and they kicked out the float planes where they had been going for over 80 years. Thank your granola crunchers for suing to kick everyone else out but them. Gone are a lot of the former fire service roads through the state forest lands, heck you cannot even fly a model airplane/drone in parts. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
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MI, USA
| It’s a state by state basis. In Michigan everything is open unless specifically posted closed. It used to piss of a large hunt club that owned a large tract of land with a good sized lake on it when we would land the super cub on it. Don’t touch the shore and you are legal. |
It can even be on a town-by-town basis. As a helicopter pilot, every time I get a trip to someplace I'm not familiar with, I endeavor to check local ordinances. Although I never call any town hall, because you know the answer will always be "No!", even if it is not prohibited by law  The good news is that I live in the northern New England area. The states up here do not have any state level restrictions beyond needing landowner permission. But cities and towns might prohibit operations. A couple of times I've been asked to land in some places I thought might attract police presence. Each time I required the client to contact the local PD in advance and provide documentation that "alles ist in Ordnung." Probably not an issue for water op's, but often prudent for helicopters in built-up areas. I have often thought about moving to Florida, but I understand that they specifically prohibit landings anywhere that is not an official airport/heliport/seaplane base, which sucks 
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Originally Posted By aa777888-2: It can even be on a town-by-town basis. As a helicopter pilot, every time I get a trip to someplace I'm not familiar with, I endeavor to check local ordinances. Although I never call any town hall, because you know the answer will always be "No!", even if it is not prohibited by law The good news is that I live in the northern New England area. The states up here do not have any state level restrictions beyond needing landowner permission. But cities and towns might prohibit operations. A couple of times I've been asked to land in some places I thought might attract police presence. Each time I required the client to contact the local PD in advance and provide documentation that "alles ist in Ordnung." Probably not an issue for water op's, but often prudent for helicopters in built-up areas. I have often thought about moving to Florida, but I understand that they specifically prohibit landings anywhere that is not an official airport/heliport/seaplane base, which sucks Of course on the coast, seaplanes are always only 10 miles from an airport. 
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I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.
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Originally Posted By backbencher: We have a lot of land made lakes in Texas, and I occasionally see float planes operating from them. Was just curious. Nick |
If the enemy is range, so are you.
Don't mind Sylvan, he's fond of throwing intellectual Molotov cocktails.
Don't mind Sylvan, he's fond of throwing intellectual Molotov cocktails.
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Originally Posted By Commando_Guy: Almost every lake in Texas is man made. Learned that one when I built the TFFC in Athens. Was an interesting bit of info. Nick Originally Posted By Commando_Guy: Originally Posted By backbencher: We have a lot of land made lakes in Texas, and I occasionally see float planes operating from them. Was just curious. Almost every lake in Texas is man made. Learned that one when I built the TFFC in Athens. Was an interesting bit of info. Nick You are correct. Caddo Lake is one of the few natural lakes in Texas. |
I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.
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Yes, it's more in the state or local government's hands. From a real estate standpoint, it's about riparian rights of who owns the property. In my state, if it's a non-navigable river, then the property owner owns to the middle (which can change by the level); and then you own to the shore if it's navigable. Even if you own it, you can't people from using it, but at the shore it becomes trespassing which someone mentioned before. State aviation laws may say where you can land airplanes and helicopters, but local ordinances exist as well. It got really interesting with all the drone laws because they were trying to regulate the sky, which they can't do. In the helicopter it was always easier to just make sure you had the property owner's permission, do a little research, then just go do it--if you called the local popo or city hall, you'd get "NOOOOOO, you can't do that." It's out of the ordinary, so somebody will call the cops, but as long as you are not violating 91.13, then they have an uphill battle to give you crap. Would think it's similar with seaplanes, but not as much is private property. Seaplane Pilot's Association is a great resource......check them out. |
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Been watching a reality series on Alaska Bush pilots. Apparently in Alaska, you may land pretty much anywhere you please (conditions permitting).  |
"According to Argonne National Laboratory, it takes 100 pounds of battery in an EV to go a distance achieved by only one pound of gasoline in an ICE vehicle"
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Originally Posted By akcaribouhunter: Yup Can darn near land anywhere but hard part is taking off. Originally Posted By akcaribouhunter: Originally Posted By _DR: Been watching a reality series on Alaska Bush pilots. Apparently in Alaska, you may land pretty much anywhere you please (conditions permitting). Yup Can darn near land anywhere but hard part is taking off. Aeronautical engineers have been 100% successful in returning 100% of every craft they have created to the surface of our planet. Aerospace engineers do not have such a track record, though they came very close early in their profession. |
I sell firearms produced by the finest child labor in the world, be it Filipino, Muslim, Mormon, Arizonan, or Texan.