You might be surprised to learn that we fly Seaplanes all year long in Washington State. On a typical afternoon you might see three or four seaplanes at the same time in one scan of the sky around Seattle, taking people to the islands, doing training operations, or just out having fun.
Thanks to that giant heat source called the Pacific Ocean, we actually have a pretty mild climate which allows year round operations. We do have real weather and yes it does rain a lot between September and June, occasionally heavy. Often we have morning fog, there are some real screaming fall wind events, sometimes a few weeks of barely freezing weather mid-winter, and then forest fires in the summer. But rarely hail, super-cells, or tornados, so days to go fly can usually be found any week of the year.
In Washington State we fly seaplanes in pretty much any terrain and on any water you might find elsewhere in the United States. From West to East we have ocean, bays, inland waters, rainforest,
mountains, lakes, rivers, and across the Cascade Mountains a high mesa with desert, rolling farmland, canyons, and more rivers and lakes.
Washington is the gateway to spectacular seaplane flying in British Columbia, Idaho and Montana as well as a frequent kickoff or return point for flights to Alaska.
Several commercial operators and flight schools are based in the Seattle area, notably Kenmore Air and Northwest Seaplanes. They offer regularly scheduled service as well as charter service in
Washington and British Columbia. Currently there are about a half dozen training providers, all based in or near Seattle.
The Washington Seaplane Pilots Association is vigilant and active in protecting current seaplane access to our waterways, to increasing our access to new locations and to promoting safe
operations by all of our members and operators.
Come visit Washington. Look us up and we’ll go fly any day of the year.
Significant bodies of water that are open include:
Lake Union
Lake Washington
Significant bodies of water that are closed include:
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Regional Seaplane Associations
Washington Seaplane Pilots Association
Washington Field Directors
Washington Governor
Jay Inslee
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002
Phone 360-902-4111 Fax 360-753-4110
Washington Senators
Senator Maria Cantwell
511 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3441 Fax: 202-228-0514
Senator Patty Murray
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-2621 Fax: 202-224-0238
Congressional General Aviation Caucus Members:
House Members
Suzan DelBene Democrat
318 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 202225-6311 Fax 202-226-1606
Jamie Herrera Beutler Republican
1130 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 202-225-3536 Fax 202-225-3478
Derek Kilmer Deomcrat
1429 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 202-225-5916
Rick Larsen Democrat
2113 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 202-225-2605 Fax 202-225-4420
Adam Smith Democrat
2264 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 202-225-8901
Cathy McMorris Rogers Republican
203 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 202-225-2006