Flying Boats in Florida; Sampling SeaMax

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • SeaMax USA is a partnership between Carlos Bessa and Malcolm Jones, who also operates the Wallaby Ranch hang glider flight park.
  • The SeaMax is an amphibious Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) described as a small, lightweight (1,144 lbs), high-performing flying boat with a 100-hp Rotax engine, capable of over 100 mph.
  • While the SeaMax is still working towards SLSA status, it is considered a promising aircraft due to its experienced designer (22nd creation) and over 45 units sold internationally.
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Carlos Bessa is a partner in SeaMax USA. The business co-owner is Malcolm Jones, who operates the world’s most established hang glider aerotow flight park (Wallaby Ranch). Carlos also pilots a tug at Wallaby and has logged a rather fantastic 9,000 hours doing so!

My wife, Randee, and I are finding lots of good reasons to winter in Florida (while our home state of Minnesota gets buried in snow). Here’s three of those good reasons: SeaMax, Mermaid, and Drifter on Lotus floats. Float flying in winter is different…and fun! *** I have now flown the SeaMax three times. Yesterday we did three water and three land touchdowns. What a hot little flying boat. (Earlier SeaMax SPLOG) I use the word “little” literally…the amphib high wing LSA barely comes up to my chest and gross weight is only 1,144 pounds; LSA floatplanes can weigh 1,430 pounds. At this weight SeaMax performs brilliantly with the 100-hp Rotax 912S; 4800 rpm produces more than 100 mph. SeaMax has not yet finished its work to achieve SLSA status. But since this is the designer’s 22nd creation and as over 45 SeaMax aircraft have been sold into Europe and elsewhere, the task is not difficult, just time consuming. This is one to watch.

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