Student Stories from the Belgrade Lakes

I have always felt most at home on or near the water. I have spent most of my life on boats in some way, including currently living on a boat in Boston Harbor, so there was never a doubt when I started flying that I would get my seaplane rating eventually.

I loved getting to explore a new area via float plane. Melissa chooses training locations in such a way that you get to see cool stuff while also learning to fly floats. It was great!

Most people wonder when they’re going to use the rating again. Maybe you won’t, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Do it because it’s fun. Do it because it expands your skillset. Do it for the adventure. But if you’re considering doing it, DO IT!

I love the outdoors and flying. I enjoy being able to use aviation to explore new areas to hike, bike, or just enjoy time outside. Float plane flying has always seemed like a natural extension of that, and reading books like Success on the Step only fueled the fire. Finally being in a position to scratch that itch, I started doing research on seaplane training around the northeast, and decided on Bel-Air to do my training. Additionally, aviation is an endeavour of non-stop learning, so I wanted to try something new and exciting - put myself in new situations, sharpen stick and rudder skills, and grow my skills as a pilot.

From the first landing on water I had a grin that didn't go away for the rest of the training. It was exciting to take the same fundamentals we all learn flying land-based airplanes like pattern geometry, aircraft performance and flight planning, and apply those to an even more dynamic environment. The freedom you get in a seaplane surprised me. Instead of choosing from one or two pieces of pavement, you create your own runway taking into consideration aspects of the water, wind, terrain, traffic etc. This freedom comes with responsibility to do all of those things safely, so I think that heightened awareness for the environment around you can make anyone a better pilot. 

And then to do all of this flying with the backdrop of Maine was exceptional. The abundance of lakes and rivers makes for such a great environment to fly in.

My main advice is to stop thinking about it and just do it. At the end of the second day, Melissa asked how I was feeling and I said "This is the most fun I've ever had flying." Seaplane flying is challenging, interesting, and rewarding. It will make you a better pilot and will be a whole lot of fun along the way. When it comes to the training, chair fly the maneuvers, have your checklist mnemonics and aircraft configurations memorized. The training comes easier when the memory items are actually in memory and you can be more focused on the feel of the airplane.

I was inspired to achieve my seaplane rating to both act as my flight review, and to try out an entirely new type of flying that would improve my stick and rudder skills. Every rating and certificate I’d applied for before required months of training, and it was really refreshing to finally go for an accelerated add-on that I knew would be full of exciting challenges within each lesson. 

My absolutely favorite part of training was flying with Melissa. She was so fun to fly with, and has been a great professional pilot mentor to me since. Additionally, I loved seeing Maine from an aerial view. For almost my entire life I have spent summers in Maine visiting my extended family, and to finally see its quiet & picturesque beauty from an aircraft was amazing.

I practically tell everyone they should go for their seaplane add-on. It is undeniably the most fun I’ve had flying. The best advice would be to read and study as much as possible beforehand, and prepare questions. This ensures the time you spend flying is positively building off of that self learned knowledge. 

For many years, decades in fact, I held an adventurous and romantic vision in my mind of piloting a seaplane in some far-flung, remote region of the world, spotting an isolated body of water, and touching down in solitude, making the first ripples of the morning across the surface.  Dreams like that die hard and I finally found the opportunity to work towards making that a reality with Bel-Air Seaplane training.

I must say, touching down on water for the first time on Day One of training was such an exhilarating feeling.  As a former Naval Aviator (Marine Corps), I had operated and landed in a maritime environment before, but there was always an aircraft carrier between my aircraft and the actual water!  This was a whole new domain for me.  Challenging and exciting all at once.

If you are ready to open the door to a whole new kind of aviation and really challenge yourself and your piloting skills, then seaplane training and qualification is the perfect path to doing so.  Your sense of aircraft “feel,” your stick and rudder skills, your precision, and your flight discipline will all be put to the test and ultimately improved through seaplane training.  Flying floats expands your aviation palette and will make you a better pilot, in my view.   

From the Shop Floor to the Water: Why I Earned My Seaplane Rating 

For me, earning my seaplane rating was about more than adding another rating to my pilot certificate. It was about connecting my own flying journey with the work we do every day at PK Floats. I started flying at 36, so I came into aviation a little later than some, but I think that has made me appreciate the journey even more. 

As a newer pilot with an extensive background in manufacturing, I came into seaplane flying with a different perspective. I understand the shop floor, the details, the process, and the importance of building a product that truly serves the end user. But to fully understand what we build, I knew I needed to experience it from the pilot’s seat. 

At first, being a newer pilot leading a legacy float business felt like something I should avoid talking about. But the more time I spend around the aviation community, the more I realize it is something worth leaning into. I may be newer to flying, but I have spent my career in manufacturing, sales, and working directly with customers. That background helps me look at floats not just as a pilot, but as someone who understands how they are built, how they are used, and how important it is that they serve the person flying behind them. 

Growing up and working across the state of Maine has given me a real appreciation for its natural resources, outdoor lifestyle, and the amount of recreation and tourism the state has to offer. Today, I split my time between working in Lincoln and being back home in Portage Lake, two places where water, aviation, and the outdoors all seem to naturally come together. In a lot of ways, floats are Maine’s version of bush tires. They turn the water into a runway and open up an entirely different side of aviation. 

Training with Bel-Air Seaplane Service helped bring the story full circle. Around the same time I was stepping into ownership of PK Floats, our shop was crafting the very floats that would later be delivered to Bel-Air and used in my training. They were also some of the first floats I had a hands-on role in building, helping with the paint and finish process before they left our shop in Lincoln. Seeing them go from our team’s hands, to delivery, and then to the water as part of my own seaplane training gave me a much deeper appreciation for the product, the pilots who fly them, and the community that surrounds seaplane aviation. 

My favorite part of seaplane training was the sense of adventure and how connected the flying felt. Every takeoff and landing area was different. Wind, water surface, shoreline, boat traffic, obstacles, and available space all had to be considered. You cannot just go through the motions. You have to read the environment, understand the airplane, and make good decisions. That made the training challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. 

I also enjoyed the hands-on skills involved, from taxiing and step turns to docking, sailing, confined areas, rough water work, and glassy water landings. The training made me slow 

down, look outside, and think differently. It made me a better pilot, but it also made me a better manufacturer because it gave me a clearer understanding of what the end user experiences once the floats leave our facility. 

One of the things that stood out to me most was the seaplane community. It is filled with people who love aviation, the outdoors, adventure, and the freedom that comes with float flying. Being part of that community is something I am excited to continue embracing, both as a pilot and through the work we do at PK Floats. 

The advice I would give someone thinking about seaplane flying is simple: do it. The training will make you a sharper, more thoughtful pilot. It teaches aircraft control, decision-making, environmental awareness, and respect for changing conditions. More than anything, it reminds you how much fun flying can be. 

I am grateful to Bel-Air Seaplane Service for the training and for helping me experience this side of aviation firsthand. For me, the rating was not just a checkride. It was a step deeper into the seaplane community and a full-circle moment connecting the floats we build in the shop with the adventure, freedom, and people they are designed to support. 

Josh Michaud 

President 

P.K. Floats, Inc. 

After nearly 40 years as a professional pilot, I finally had the time to pursue something I had always wanted to do: earn my seaplane rating.

Pilots are a disciplined group by nature. Earning that first certificate or rating can feel daunting, but the accomplishment validates the countless hours of study, training, and hard work. Each additional rating expands your skillset and makes you a better aviator.

The seaplane rating was different. It challenged me to think about flying from an entirely new perspective. Water introduces a new environment, new considerations, and new techniques. More than anything, it reminded me that learning never stops in aviation.

Earning my seaplane rating with Bel-Air Seaplane Service rekindled my love of flying. It brought me back to the excitement and curiosity that first drew me to aviation years ago.

One of my favorite parts of training was becoming a student again. I was excited, a little nervous, and eager to learn something completely new. What made the experience so rewarding was knowing I was in the capable hands of instructors with years of experience teaching this unique form of flying.

And then there's Maine. The combination of pristine lakes, winding rivers, and breathtaking scenery creates an unforgettable training environment. Bel-Air's instructors challenge you, build your confidence, and most importantly, make the experience fun.

For those considering a seaplane rating, preparation is key. YouTube videos can provide a glimpse into the joy of water flying and may inspire you to turn a long-held dream into reality. I also recommend Notes of a Seaplane Instructor by Burke Mees as an excellent introduction to seaplane operations. Most importantly, take advantage of the training materials provided by Bel-Air. They are concise, practical, and tailored specifically to the rating. Whether you have thousands of hours in your logbook or have recently earned your private pilot certificate, arriving prepared will help you get the most from your training.

The training is fun, but you'll still need to earn the rating by successfully completing a checkride. That challenge makes the accomplishment even more rewarding.

For me, the seaplane rating was more than another line in my logbook. It was a reminder of why I fell in love with aviation in the first place.