Chesapeake Bay Seaplane Proposal Draws Pushback From Maryland Residents

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Originally published at: Chesapeake Bay Seaplane Proposal Draws Pushback From Maryland Residents

Residents and boating groups are raising concerns about safety, congestion and noise on the busy Chesapeake Bay waterway.

[Rdant0 (Robert D)]

So funny that people tend to be against things they don’t understand, but for something they do. Airplane pilots tend to be much more professional and safety minded than recreational boaters. So, if indeed the waterway is too congested with boats, then why aren’t they advocating for boat restrictions?

[Andrew_M]

I’m a commercial seaplane pilot. I’ve witnessed some scary interactions between seaplanes and recreational boaters who don’t have a clue that a seaplane is landing or taking off. The wake produced by a deep-hulled power boat can flip a seaplane (e.g., Jimmy Buffett) even if there is no direct conflict between the two. Then there was the crash that occurred in busy Vancouver harbor where boat and seaplane traffic are mixed and congested. On the water a seaplane is far less maneuverable than a boat. The two don’t mix well in my opinion and adding frequent seaplane service to an already congested boating waterway is looking for trouble.