The Seaplane Pilots Association isn’t just another group doing fly-ins and hunting down discounts on rental cars - this group is about improving the profession of seaplane operations as a whole. The Association holds about 50 safety seminars a year, meeting pilots from Alaska to Australia and doling out FAA WINGS credits along the way.
Steve McCaughey is the Executive Director of the Association, and came out to SUN ‘n FUN to build awareness among everyday pilots that there’s more to seaplane flight than noodling around the marina. Real-world preparation is tantamount to McCaughey, as he demonstrates at airshows like SUN 'n FUN. Wearing a personal flotation device, he recounted one of their FAA training programs that helps demystify the process of activating one in actual water conditions. Putting seaplane pilots into the water, and having them inflate and deploy their personal flotation device (PFD), often for the first time), is a pretty cheap way to exert some downward pressure on fatality statistics - after all, an accident is never a good time to start learning the the proper use of survival gear on the fly.
Other initiatives with the Seaplane Pilots Association were highlighted, too, like their effort to become a self-policing bunch in the eyes of regulators. Thorough decontamination of seaplane equipment is vital to help limit the spread of pests and invasive species, and getting a true kill on some of those critters requires a little more effort than one may think. The Association does much more, too, advocating for operators and hosting its own private compendium of water landing areas. That could come in quite handy on a cross-country voyage, helping a seaplane pilot find the perfect out-of-the-way slip with a stash of 100LL.
Aero-TV is a production of the Internationally syndicated Aero-News Network. Seen worldwide by hundreds of thousands of aviators and aviation adherents, ANN's Aero-TV has produced well over 5000 aviation and feature programs, including over 2500 episodes of our daily aviation news program, AIRBORNE UNLIMITED, currently hosted by Holland Lee. Now in its third decade of operation, parent company Aero-News Network, has the most aggressive and intensive editorial profile of any aviation news organization and has published well over a half-million news and feature stories since its inception -- having pioneered the online 24/7 aviation new-media model that so many have emulated.
Circle To Runway (Runway Number) Used by ATC to inform the pilot that he/she must circle to land because the runway in use is other than the runway aligned with the instrument appr>[...]
Aero Linx: National Aviation Safety Foundation (NASF) The National Aviation Safety Foundation is a support group whose objective is to enhance aviation safety through educational p>[...]
At Altitude Of About 250-300 Ft Agl, The Airplane Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power On November 6, 2024, at 1600 central standard time, a De Havilland DHC-1, N420TD, was inv>[...]
From 2009 (YouTube Edition): Three Hour Flight Was 'Flawless' -- At Least, Until Mother Nature Intervened For anyone who loves the aviation business, this was a VERY good day. Afte>[...]
Also: AMA Names Tyler Dobbs, More Falcon 9 Ops, Firefly Launch Unsuccessful, Autonomous F-16s The Air Force has begun ground testing a future uncrewed jet design in a milestone tow>[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.05.25): Circle To Runway (Runway Number)
See All