distance required to land a water plane in a lake?

Question

I just bought property with 600' of frontage on a lake and am looking just for a generalization about how much space I would need to land what.

Answer 1

It depends, but if you have 600' it sounds like a big enough lake.

A normal cessna takes off in less than 1000ft, but on water I would triple that. A 3000ft lake is pretty common so chances are yours is, too.

Depending on where you are going to fly with it, You should consider a cessna 206, or the stretched 206 known as a 207.
You could carry either 5 other people(or michael moore), a few 50 gallon drums, or even a motorcycle or ATV. The useful weight of a 207 is about 1400lbs, which is the weight that is available for fuel people and cargo.
The 206 and 207 are a good value at about $150,000 for one in good shape. the new 206h runs for about $400-500k

If you are just looking for a small floatplane for fun, then look at a cub or supercub on floats. they are available for less than $100k in good condition.

Answer 2

What your question SHOULD be is: how much distance do I need to take an airplane off of water. You need to know either the type of airplane, or the length of the path in the water facing directly into the wind.

More than one airplane has been intentionally landed in a lake, only to discover there wasn't enough room to take off! You need at least three times the landing distance to take off of water to break the grip of the water, and then come up to climb speed.

Elevation and total weight make a big difference, too, and be sure to factor in any hills or trees or other airplane eating structures into your calculations....

Answer 3

landing wouldn't be the problem, taking off would :(

Answer 4

depends on the airplane make/model in question...

Answer 5

What type, model, etc.?