Summary Seaplanes come in two categories: the flying boat and the floatplane. Each has unique capabilities and uses in the aviation industry. Floatplanes, smaller than flying boats, can take off and land on both land and water, making them versatile aircraft for various operations.
Examples of iconic seaplanes like the Cessna 208 Caravan and De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver showcase the unique designs and capabilities of these aircraft. Seaplanes are one of the most unique configurations that has been developed in the aviation industry. These aircraft are typically divided into two categories; the floatplane and the flying boat.
Flying boats are typically larger and heavier aircraft that only take off from the water. They can be operated as a boat, or they can be accelerated quickly and take off from the water. Floatplanes, however, are typically smaller aircraft.
Many times, these aircraft are typically designed to take off from the land, but the addition of floats instead of landing gear allows the aircraft to float on the water. This allows the aircraft to take off and land on the surface of the water. These aircraft are smaller and slower than some flying boats, and are also restricted by wave heights while floating on the water.
Let's take a closer look at some of these unique floatplanes and what makes them so unique. Explore the unique mechanics and skills behind a seaplane's takeoff and landing procedures. 1 Cessna 208 Caravan Year introduced: 1984 Length 37 feet seven inches Height 14 feet eleven inches Wingspan 52 feet one inch Gross weight 8,000 pounds Cruise speed 186 knots (214 miles per hour) Range 1,070 nautical miles (1,230 miles) Service ceiling 25,000 feet The Cessna Caravan is commonly equipped with floats and used as a pond-hopper in remote areas throughout the world.
Cessna first began the project in the early 1980s, and it was originally launched with FedEx to be a short-haul cargo aircraft for its package delivery service. The first prototype flew its maiden flight in December 1982. The aircraft achieved type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in October 1984, and deliveries of the Cessna Caravan began shortly after.
The Caravan is a high-wing turboprop aircraft, with large wing struts. The aircraft is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine, which provides the aircraft with nearly 700 horsepower. The aircraft has a large cargo compartment, or it can be outfitted with seats to fit up to 13 passengers.
2 Cessna 205 Series Year introduced: 1962 Length 28 feet three inches Height Nine feet four inches Wingspan 36 feet Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) 3,600 pounds Cruise speed 142 knots (163 miles per hour) Range 730 nautical miles (840 miles) Service ceiling 15,700 feet Another Cessna aircraft that frequently operates as a seaplane is the Cessna 205. Cessna first developed this light utility aircraft in the early 1960s. It was designed similarly to the Cessna 210, but Cessna added fixed landing gear instead of retractable landing gear.
Shortly after its introduction, Cessna introduced the upgraded Cessna 206 . The 206 became one of the most popular single-engine aircraft, with over 10,000 total aircraft produced. Recent variants of the Cessna 206 feature a Lycoming IO-540 piston engine.
This provides up to 300 horsepower, depending on the variant. The Cessna 206 also features a large utility door on the right side of the aircraft, in addition to a single pilot door on the left side. The airframe was reinforced, which made the aircraft a popular cargo, passenger, or air ambulance aircraft.
3 De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Year introduced: 1948 Length 30 feet three inches Height Nine feet Wingspan 48 feet Gross weight 5,100 pounds Cruise speed 124 knots (143 miles per hour) Range 395 nautical miles (455 miles) Service ceiling 18,000 feet One of the oldest floatplanes on this list is the De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver. Originally, the aircraft was designed at the end of World War II. DHC intended to create a bush plane with a wide variety of utility roles.
The prototype conducted its maiden flight in August 1947. The aircraft was produced from 1948 through 1967, and over 1,500 aircraft were produced. The DHC-2 was designed to conduct several different types of utility operations, including aerial applications, general aviation, bush planes, cargo freighters , and passenger hauling.
It could fit up to six passengers and haul over 2,000 pounds. 4 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Year introduced: 1966 Length 51 feet nine inches Height 19 feet six inches Wingspan 65 feet Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) 12,500 pounds Cruise speed 182 knots (210 miles per hour) Range 800 nautical miles (921 miles per hour) Service ceiling 25,000 feet A later De Havilland Canada aircraft is the DHC-6 Twin Otter. This aircraft was developed as a short take-off and landing (STOL) utility aircraft.
De Havilland Canada first introduced the aircraft in the late 1960s. Several different variants have been built since then. This includes the series 100, which was produced from 1965-1988, the series 400, which began production in 2008, and the series 300, which was introduced in 2023.
Overall, nearly 1,000 aircraft have been built. More recent variants of the aircraft utilize two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engines, each providing about 750 horsepower. The aircraft also has impressive takeoff and landing performance, as it requires just 1,200 feet for takeoff and 1,050 feet to land.
These performance measures make the aircraft an impressive utility vehicle, and many operators utilize floats instead of landing gear on the aircraft. 5 ICON A5 Year introduced: 2016 Length 23 feet Height Eight feet Wingspan 35 feet Gross weight 1,510 pounds Cruise speed 95 knots (110 miles per hour) Range 427 nautical miles (492 miles) The newest aircraft on this list is the ICON A5 seaplane. This light aircraft is more like an amphibious vehicle, as utilizing floats on the aircraft is standard, not optional, like other aircraft on this list.
The initial concept was flown by ICON in 2008, and the aircraft has been in production since 2016. Over 200 total vehicles have been delivered. This high-wing aircraft features a carbon fiber airframe with a retractable undercarriage.
It can fit two people in its enclosed cockpit and is also powered by a single Rotax 912 iS engine. The engine powers a pusher propeller with 100 total horsepower. This unique aircraft type was designed to land on water – but what about hard surfaces?.
