[Username Protected]

I'm comfortable understanding rules for landing on public water in FL, but can't find a lot of info about towing A5 to a public ramp, unfolding wings in parking lot and launching from public boat ramp (sufficiently wide, unobstructed return, low boating activity...).

Is this in the realm of possibility, should such an ideal off-airport public ramp be found?

Thanks!

[Username Protected]

I think a better solution would be to tow the plane to a nearby airport and leave the trailer on the ramp for a for a few hours. While water landings and beaching are fun, the Icon (and most hull planes) make for terrible boats due to the low wing hitting dock pilings and lack of reverse.

[Username Protected]

I have gone up some public ramps from the water (and of course later back down them to re-launch) but never started off a trailer. If there isn't an airport nearby that may be your best option, though I agree with Marcus that I'd opt first for the airport, among other things there will be a 75% reduction in bystander attention to deal with also (that can be good to promote the plane and freedom to fly, etc. but to me just risks finding the one butt head that will make some stupid problem, which may not be limited to civilians, that could be a law enforcement officer over-reaching).

My biggest concern is also docks, and their pillars or posts that stick up even higher than the docks themselves. Secondly, I would not want to try to use a non-reversing craft with very wide wingspan (vs. a boat) to mill around and maintain ramp priority versus a bunch of fisherman in agile small motorized boats. The shuffling and maneuvering that can be needed in the melee of a busy boat ramp is not something I want to try to get through in a plane, especially when one can't just shout over the engine noise to any encroaching idiot the way a boater can.

Lastly, in boat ramps, like the rest of the waterways, there are also those jet skiers and the rest of the "how close can I get to your plane while I try to take a selfie and post it at the same time I'm driving a motorized watercraft" idiot crowd...

[Username Protected]

good morning guys. I am currently enroute from NH to Florida with my RV and enclosed Icon trailer. I stopped to visit family in PA for the holidays and am navigating the weather challenges this week along the east coast towing a combined 64ft. My plane and trailer are on the tie down ramp in KDYL. I was able to tie down/park for free with trailer and plane on airport. so far, after a week, ive only flown once in the local area due to winds and weather, but my goal heading south is to duplicate, finding airports along the way, to enjoy a flight. I will be in FL for 3 months in the Cocoa area looking to enjoy my A5 via pavement or water. My brother say there is a boat launch near him on the Indian River that may accommodate launching and retrieving....I'll keep you posted. TIM

[Username Protected]

yeah typical boat ramps don't accomodate the A5 with the wings spread. I did all the trailer development testing like most sea plane operations lots of planning is involved. Near the HQ Lake Berryessa had almost all 4 boat ramps capable of launching and recovering with the wings spread and we would also practice or ramp out of them into the parking area. This lake is not that typical though. I would think there would be plenty of places at Lake Havasu Powel, Isabella and otherwise that could have suitable ramps. These are all CA or AZ. I can think of a few back East that could accommodate that. Like it has been said easiest would be go to an airport unload and fly to your favorite Lake, fly back to the airport and load up later. Been there a bunch done all these things. My team even developed a collapsible hoisting kit to load the aircraft on research vessels and a few to load on to Yachts via davits. We successfully demonstrated Launches and recovery ops on a research vessel in 5 mins.

[Username Protected]

Lake Berryessa had almost all 4 boat ramps capable of launching and recovering with the wings spread and we would also practice or ramp out of them into the parking area. This lake is not that typical though.

I used at least I think two of those during my transition training before heading east with the plane after taking delivery in Vacaville! There are some good ramps here and there but most aren't wide enough and/or don't have low docks and it just isn't an option, and messing around at a boat ramp and risking damaging an expensive seaplane (compared to most of the boats at such a ramp) just isn't worth it, especially since there isn't a way to back it down into the water on a trailer (wings folded or not) like a boat, which is also part of the reason launching or recovering a boat is a lot easier.