Open Waters Campaign

Seaplanes are prohibited from operating on thousands of lakes, rivers and bays across the nation. Some of those restrictions are justified, but many more have no sound regulatory basis. That shouldn't be too surprising, since very few public policymakers understand seaplane operations.

The Open Waters Campaign is an unprecedented effort by the Seaplane Pilots Association to educate public policymakers about seaplane operations. Key educational points include safety, pilot professionalism and training, compatibility with boat traffic and residential areas, environmental impact, and noise impact.

In the past, the Seaplane Pilots Association has communicated the facts on these issues through staff and volunteers. Unfortunately, this approach limited our reach to only a handful of officials each year. Limited travel budgets and time limitations prevented broad educational efforts and required careful prioritization, ultimately leaving many worthy causes unaddressed.

Flying America's Waterways

To address these hurdles, the Seaplane Pilots Association has produced Flying America's Waterways, a ten-minute videotape that provides a concise overview of seaplane operations. Today, over 1,500 copies of this video have been distributed to members, seaplane facility managers, and public policymakers. Hundreds more are ready for rapid distribution to address even the smallest of regulatory issues.

Flying America's Waterways is just the beginning of the Open Waters Campaign. The Seaplane Pilots Association is developing printed supplements to the video and studies of issues such as safety, noise, environmental impact, and jurisdictions. So long as a waterway remains closed without cause, our job is not done.