During my 40 years of flying, I have always wanted to own an airplane. Over the years, I have looked at a number of airplanes, but I was never able to take the plunge and write a check. There are plenty of older airplanes with dated avionics and simply flying from A to B just never inspired me. In addition, with a family of four, I was always looking at four seaters. I had a paradigm shift when I saw a light sport seaplane with slick new avionics. I have always had an interest in seaplanes and now, with adult children, I really don’t need four seats. In fact, some one-on-one time with my family members sounds nice.
There are several quality amphibious airplanes available in the US market, but for us (my daughter and I), the SEAMAX stood out. It has a clean, polished look and it is very lightweight. Even with plenty of upgrade options, the useful load is particularly good. The SEAMAX team was also more accepting of customization requests—for me, IFR (see the article-Why I asked for IFR). We also wanted the folding wing option, which eliminated the Super Petrel. The Searey’s folding wing is a bit cumbersome. The SEAMAX folding wings are quick and convenient. I would say second only to the Icon, but the Icon was never a consideration for me because of the price, useful load, and its infamous purchase agreement.
We plan to do most of our operations on freshwater lakes but, occasionally take a trip to the Bahamas or the Florida Keys. I have not landed in salt water yet but, the SEAMAX seems like it would stand up to the saltwater better with very few metal parts exposed.
Finally, I am embracing the whole “low and slow” concept. Going to the lake is a blast but as a history fan, I am thinking about following Lewis and Clark’s trail, or the Oregon trail. I also have a passion for ancestry so; I may go find some more of my ancestors’ graves or follow some of their Oklahoma land run routes. There are so many things I am looking forward to doing. It may have taken me 40 years, but I think I have found my dream plane—the SEAMAX!