Progressive Aerodyne, manufacturer of the light sport and experimental Searey line, says it has offered the Seaplane Pilots Association a yearlong loan of an aircraft to promote aviation in general and seaplane flying specifically. At Sun ‘n Fun 2018 in Lakeland, Florida, this week, Progressive Aerodyne’s Kevin Oaks said the company is committed to popularizing and promoting seaplane flying and sees the nonprofit SPA as a safe means to do that.
The Searey, which is available as an S-LSA with a Rotax 912 or 912 iS or a turbocharged 914 and as kit, is a popular entry-level amphibian with good performance and docile handling. About 700 have been fielded in the 26 years that Progressive Aerodyne has been in business. The company has recently been testing a model with Rotax’s new 135-HP 915 iS engine, which is also turbocharged and features a redesigned gearbox and new electronic controls. AVweb flew that aircraft for this video and AVweb editor Paul Bertorelli recently earned a light sport seaplane rating in the Searey Elite.
