Seaplane Pilots Association

04/02/2025

SUN 'n FUN is oh soo fun!

Last week, Water Flying’s editor Mark Twombly flew a C208B with Blackhawk engine conversion and the Yukon Propeller by Wipaire and Hartzell.

Today, SPA’s Executive Director Steve McCaughey got to tour this amazing floatplane.

Stop by and see it yourself at MD-032A! And stay tuned to Water Flying for an all inclusive article!

04/01/2025

Let’s turn up the FUN!

Stop by and see our team at C-078/079! 🌊🛩️

Are you ready to turn up the FUN at 51!?!? ☀️✈️

Day 1 of the 2025 SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo is a go! Let's get ready for an exciting week of airplanes, friends, food, exhibitors, and most importantly, FUN!! 🛩️👬🍕

01/01/2025

Happy New Year from the Seaplane Pilots Association!! Wishing you blue skies and calm waters in 2025! 🌊✈️

12/29/2024

Our good friends at Aerocet have extended an end-of-year opportunity! Every gift you make to the Seaplane Pilots Association Foundation from now until the end of the year will be MATCHED up to $10,000 for 2X the power and impact on the water flying community!

Donate now and double your impact! Click here: seaplanefoundation.org/donate/

We are dedicated to our mission of protecting and promoting water flying today and for future generations. Your support helps address he current threats to seaplane flying, promote safe pilot practices, continue our advocacy efforts and grow the seaplane community!

12/24/2024

Wishing you and yours a joyous holiday season! 🎁✈️🌊

12/18/2024

On this day, December 17th 1903 the Wright Brothers made history with their first powered flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Wright Flyer was forever etched into history and enabled 121 years of pilots to take to the skies.
Happy Wright Brothers Day!

12/06/2024

Happy International Volunteer Day!

THANK YOU to all our amazing volunteers who go above and beyond to support the water flying community! Your passion, dedication, and hard work make a world of difference.

We’re always looking for passionate individuals to join our team of volunteers! Discover how you can get involved: seaplanepilotsassociation.org/volunteer

12/04/2024

🌍 Protect Our Seaplane Bases!

This year, generous donors, advocates and volunteers opened the Hamlin Seaplane Base in Newport, ME. Pictured here, this new base includes multiple floating docks for both tenants and visitors.

On this , help us preserve and/or open the water flying community’s next seaplane base in the near future! Your donation helps protect these vital facilities for seaplane pilots.

To donate, visit seaplanefoundation.org/donate

12/03/2024

🚫 Combat Invasive Species!

Attention Seaplane enthusiasts! Preventing the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species is crucial, and we can’t do it without your support. Your donation this will help us continue our research into:

- preventing the attachment of aquatic invasive species;
- the most effective decontamination of invasives when they do attach or hitchhike on our aircraft;
- deployment by pilots of best practices for identifying, inspecting and eliminating the intruders before they are carried to new bodies of water.

Help us keep our waterways open! To donate, visit seaplanefoundation.org/donate.

12/03/2024

🎓 Empower Future Pilots!

Pictured here is Kristin van der Kloot, a 2024 recipient of the Tyler Orsow/Chuck Kimes Memorial Seaplane Rating Scholarship.

Kristin shares with us, “Though many of us have goals we are working towards in our aviation careers, sometimes we are so focused on our goals that we forget to enjoy the journey. I want to make sure I never lose sight of my passion for aviation, and always make time for the aspects of aviation that bring me joy…and I can’t really think of anything more fun than flying floats in Alaska.”

Congratulations, Kristin! Wishing you blue skies and calm waters! 🌊✈️💙

Help educate the next generation of seaplane pilots by donating this to the Tyler Orsow/Chuck Kimes Memorial Seaplane Rating Scholarship!

To donate, visit seaplanefoundation.org/donate

12/03/2024

✈️ Safety First!

Safety is our top priority. Pictured here is part of our underwater egress training in Houma, LA. So far, we have trained hundreds of pilots and passengers, but with the power of our generous donors, SPA can conduct more trainings and create additional safety videos!

By donating this to support our Safety Programs and Seminars, you’ll help enhance initiatives that keep pilots and passengers safe. Let’s work together for a safer flying experience!

To donate, visit seaplanefoundation.org/donate

11/13/2024

Gordon B. Richardson Sr.
May 19, 1937 - Nov 12, 2024
In deep sadness, we wish our dear friend and fellow pilot, Gordon, tailwinds and smooth flight west. You will be incredibly missed.

Services for Gordon will be held at First Baptist Church in Caldwell, TX at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation in Gordon’s name to the Texas Lions Camp, P.O. Box 290247, Kerrville, Texas 78029

Gordie, as he liked to be called, was a passionate seaplane pilot as well as a member of our Seaplane Pilots Foundation board of directors. He loved warbirds and vintage aircraft, too, logging over 5,000 hours of flight time.

11/13/2024

“We’ve been doing high-speed taxi runs with it and it’ll be out the rest of this week and next week,” Coulson said.

Coulson Aviation is arranging approvals from Transport Canada to move the plane to the U.S., he said.

Once it gets the OK to fly, the plane will head to San Francisco, where arrangements are being made with U.S. officials to park it along the shoreline for people to see, he said.

After one night in San Francisco, the plane will fly to San Diego for two or three days, before heading to its new home in Tuscon, Arizona at the Pima Air and Space Museum, which acquired the water bomber earlier this year.

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/philippine-mars-plane-gets-ready-for-final-run-to-arizona-9770644

11/11/2024

Thank you, Veterans, for inspiring us to reach new heights and for protecting the freedoms we cherish.

11/01/2024

Happy Halloween from the young Seaplane Pirate and pretty Mermaid!

09/26/2024

Remembering one of our most incredible SPA board members and amazing human being, Mark Futch - today he would have turned 70 … we lost him too early … and we really need him and his kind of passion, now!

Mark we’re sure you are catching up with old friend, Jimmy Buffet! 💔

08/30/2024

Jimmy Buffet Day -August 30, 2024
Honoring our beloved Seaplane Pirate

Rest in paradise.


James William Buffett
(December 25, 1946 - September 1, 2023)

08/22/2024

Jimmy Buffett Day - August 30th

You probably can’t think “Jimmy Buffett” without thinking “Florida.”

From his flip-flops and Hawaiian shirts to his laid-back songs about beach bums and fruity drinks, the late singer-songwriter is practically synonymous with the Sunshine State.

That’s why the Florida Legislature designated Friday, Aug. 30, as Jimmy Buffett Day. Concerts and other events are happening all over Florida to celebrate the trop-rock icon behind breezy hits such as “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “A Pirate Looks At Forty” and the immortal “Margaritaville.”

Jimmy Buffett Day: What every parrothead should know about Florida’s trop-rock icon

Thank you Charles Runnells of the Naples Daily News