Seaplane FAQ ~ General 

General:

1. How many seaplane pilots are there in the United States?

There are approximately 35,000 seaplane rated pilots in the United States with current medical certificates. Of those, only a small fraction are presumed to be active. Approximately 1,500 seaplane ratings are issued each year.

2. How many seaplanes are there in the United States?

Since the FAA does not distinguish between airplanes on floats, wheels or skis and in part because it is difficult to put a multi-use (seasonal wheels/skis/floats) airplane in a single category, there is no hard data on the number seaplanes the United States. Educated guesses put the count between five and ten thousand. 

3. Can I rent a seaplane?

Yes, but there are only a few facilities that will rent seaplanes. Check the Water Landing Directory ~ Seaplane Flight Training Guide and search for solo rentals to find the current facilities that rent seaplanes.  

4. Are seaplanes more dangerous than land planes?

While no formal research has been conducted to compare the safety record of land planes and seaplanes, seaplanes clearly operate in a more dangerous environment. Many seaplanes will operate in remote areas that can present more challenging conditions and thus greater potential for mishaps. However, seaplanes are maintained to a very high standard of safety, and seaplane pilots generally have more developed flying skills than most land pilots. As a result of the increased skills required to fly a seaplane, it could be assumed that seaplane pilots operate to a higher level of safety than traditional land pilots.