The Seaplane Pilots Association has been attempting to persuade Colorado state authorities to permit seaplanes to use state operated lakes in Colorado, without success so far. Many authorities governing other non-state lakes have followed the state's lead. As a result, Colorado is the only state in the entire United States which has prohibited seaplanes.

But the authorities who govern Meredith Lake, near La Junta in southeast Colorado, have agreed to permit seaplanes, so the first ever Colorado splash-in is scheduled for May 14th. We're hoping to have several seaplanes, but also of course we hope anyone with an interest in airplanes in general will come. Camping is free, so I plan to camp for the weekend and help out.

Come join us--should be fun!

Cary

Oh I wish I could be there to help and camp, this has been a heck of a fight. I can't make it though, wife scheduled for discharge from another round of chemo that day.

Tadpole wrote:Oh I wish I could be there to help and camp, this has been a heck of a fight. I can't make it though, wife scheduled for discharge from another round of chemo that day.

Be there for her--much more important. My prayers for her--cancer is the damnest disease.

Cary

So what is the deal with colorado not allowing seaplane ops?

Never understood it???

Jim

jaudette wrote:So what is the deal with colorado not allowing seaplane ops?

Never understood it???

Jim

For the longest time, the "official" response of the Department of Parks and Wildlife was just "no". No reasons given, just "no". Not until we attended the hearing at the legislature earlier this month did we find out their reasons. The SPA's focus had been on safety and compatibility with other users, which from my observation was presented pretty well, because that was what we all had anticipated should be addressed. Turns out that safety, which we thought would be their emphasis, was an issue but not as important to them as the danger of invasive species being transferred from one lake to another.

That also became the focus of the legislative committee, which is why the proposed statute was turned down this time. The clear message from the committee was, "figure out the invasive species issue and come back to us", although I doubt that will change the DPW's response. They made up their collective minds, and facts won't change them.

But the county commissioners down at Crowley county aren't narrow minded. They're pretty receptive, apparently, and there's some really good community support, from what I'm hearing. Some really hard work has gone into it, so it should be a good weekend.

Cary

I grew up in Colorado. I agree, the company line has just been "no" as far back as I can remember. Invasive species is a fairly new excuse. Nice to see that some progress is being made in one county at least.

I'll go out on a limb to say that there are so many environmental activist type folks there these days that any meaningful change won't likely occur. Not In My Back Yard.

gbflyer wrote:I grew up in Colorado. I agree, the company line has just been "no" as far back as I can remember. Invasive species is a fairly new excuse. Nice to see that some progress is being made in one county at least.

I'll go out on a limb to say that there are so many environmental activist type folks there these days that any meaningful change won't likely occur. Not In My Back Yard.

The NIMBY types are certainly at work in other respects, too. But like the camel, if we can get a foot in the door with just a little step at a time, maybe some day it'll all work out.

Cary

Bumping this to remind everyone that the First Ever Colorado Seaplane Splash-in is next Saturday, May 14th, at Meredith Lake near La Junta. Here's fly-in info, from Ray Hawkins, the Colorado SPA field director and seaplane liaison to the Colorado Pilots Association. Note the bus service from LHX to the site, if you fly into LHX in a land airplane. I'll be on the radio at the site, 122.9.

Cary



TO ALL PILOTS THAT WILL BE ATTENDING

APPROACH/DEPARTURE SERVICE PROVIDED BY DENVER CENTER ON 128.375

LHX CTAF/UNICOM: 123.0, FBO - 719-384-8407, FULL SERVICE
- ANTELOPE ON & IN VICINITY OF AIRPORT.
- HEAVY AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS DURING SUMMER MONTHS
- BE ALERT; INTENSIVE USAF STUDENT TRAINING IN VICINITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS & PUEBLO COLORADO.
- BUS TRANSPORTATION WILL BE PROVIDED BETWEEN LHX TERMINAL AND LAKE MEREDITH EVENT SITE.

LAKE MEREDITH SEAPLANE BASE CTAF 122.9, EVENT MANAGER - 303-710-2497, NO SERVICES
- NOTAM ISSUED FOR PROCESS TO OBTAIN LANDING PERMISSION
- ALL SEAPLANES MUST LAND AT LHX FOR INSPECTION AND TO SIGN INDEMNITY FORM.
- AIRCRAFT REQUESTING TO LAND AT LAKE MEREDITH MUST HAVE AUTHORIZATION CODE PROVIDED BY EVENT PERSONNEL AFTER INVASIVE SPECIES INSPECTION.
- - THE INVASIVE SPECIES INSPECTION IS A SELF-INSPECTION PROCESS DOCUMENTED BY EVENT PERSONNEL. BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS 1) WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN WATER? 2) WHERE WAS THE AIRCRAFT LAST IN WATER? 3) WHAT WAS THE INVASIVE SPECIES STATUS OF THE LAST BODY OF WATER?

CURRENT FORECAST FOR MAY 14
High: 85 Low: 48
Wind: SSE 14 mph
Humidity: 38%
UV Index: 9 of 10
Sunrise: 5:44am
Sunset: 7:58pm
Density Altitude: 7100

SEAPLANES IN COLORADO! LET'S GET OUR FEET WET!

Ray Hawkins
Seaplane Pilots Association, Field Director, Colorado

Colorado may see seaplanes again !! Good work!

(I'll be East of The Mississippi River, but please somebody be my proxy)

The inspection for invasive species is crazy. We went to Carter lake last summer - and I guess I never noticed before - but they inspect every single boat that goes in the water. That doesn't look good for seaplane - they are serious about expecting everything that goes in the water apparently.

So, land at LHX to get inspection and permission means Amphibians only i assume.
No straight floats allowed, or ??

ya - since it's the only lake in Colorado and the only day ever allowed to land in a lake - it's pretty much amphibious only. So to quote former NBA player Charles Shackleford, you can use either your left or your right hand it don't matter.

Yeah, amphibs only, unfortunately. You can probably land straight floats at La Junta, if the grass alongside the runway is smooth enough, but it'd be a bit hard to take off again.

The issue on the invasive species is that, according to testimony at the legislative hearing last month, Colorado remains the only state in the lower 48 with no invasive species (mostly a form of mussels in other states), and of course, they don't want that to change. Most of us who attended the hearing were pretty well convinced beforehand that the issue of safety, i.e., mixing boats and seaplanes, would be the big issue. It turned out to be much less of an issue than the invasive species issue. One of the ideas behind this Splash In is to show the DPW and the legislature that the waters can be protected and still allow seaplanes.

Cary

Cary wrote:Yeah, amphibs only, unfortunately. You can probably land straight floats at La Junta, if the grass alongside the runway is smooth enough, but it'd be a bit hard to take off again.

The issue on the invasive species is that, according to testimony at the legislative hearing last month, Colorado remains the only state in the lower 48 with no invasive species (mostly a form of mussels in other states), and of course, they don't want that to change. Most of us who attended the hearing were pretty well convinced beforehand that the issue of safety, i.e., mixing boats and seaplanes, would be the big issue. It turned out to be much less of an issue than the invasive species issue. One of the ideas behind this Splash In is to show the DPW and the legislature that the waters can be protected and still allow seaplanes.

Cary

After having lived in Minnesota for a while, I've said that the invasive species issue may well spell the end to straight float airplanes in the lower 48. And, it's not just mussels, by the way. There are a LOT of invasive species plants out there as well, and they can be ugly when introduced.

Frankly, whether it's just a smoke screen or not, I really can't blame the Colorado folks for being concerned about invasive species transfer by seaplane. There is no doubt that the risk of transfer is much greater from boats, but at least it's easier (though expensive) to monitor boats.

Bottom line, though, is that many of these invaders will eventually expand their range to much of the US.

MTV

7100' DA should be a nice takeoff challenge on amphibs.

gbflyer wrote:7100' DA should be a nice takeoff challenge on amphibs.

7000' DA is above my "Personal minimum" in the little 4 banger on 2100As. Done it, and it was not fun. I would think very carefully about terrain, turbulence, CG, and engine performance.

8GCBC wrote:

gbflyer wrote:7100' DA should be a nice takeoff challenge on amphibs.

7000' DA is above my "Personal minimum" in the little 4 banger on 2100As. Done it, and it was not fun. I would think very carefully about terrain, turbulence, CG, and engine performance.

I suspect that most who will fly in are accustomed to high DAs--that's par for the course here in this part of the country. The lake appears to be about 6 miles long, and the terrain around it is relatively flat, but certainly the water runs will be long and climb rates will be pretty low compared to sea level ops.

Cary

I'm really bummed I won't be able to make this. I have the time off, but I'm taking my wife to Bora Bora for our 25th anniversary. Kind of a good news/bad news thing....

Cary wrote:

8GCBC wrote:

gbflyer wrote:7100' DA should be a nice takeoff challenge on amphibs.

7000' DA is above my "Personal minimum" in the little 4 banger on 2100As. Done it, and it was not fun. I would think very carefully about terrain, turbulence, CG, and engine performance.

I suspect that most who will fly in are accustomed to high DAs--that's par for the course here in this part of the country. The lake appears to be about 6 miles long, and the terrain around it is relatively flat, but certainly the water runs will be long and climb rates will be pretty low compared to sea level ops.

Cary

Well, if nothing else, it'll be entertaining watching folks smoke their motors while using most of that lake for takeoff.... . I'd be min fuel and no pax in there if the temps are above the fifties, except for a very few high performance machines.

The balance between creation of sufficient lift while overcoming the massive hydrodynamic drag is a tough battle at that DA, and notwithstanding Cary's comment, I'll bet not many float fliers out there have much experience on the water at that DA.

MTV

I joined the SPA while visiting their booth at the Airman's show this year specifically because of this thread. I ferried a float plane to Homer a couple of years ago and wanted to visit my mom in Grand Jct, but the whole state was out of bounds. Good job to all who have worked on this project, I hope it is very successful.