The city of Tavares, Florida ought to be feeling good about their effort to become their adopted name: America’s Seaplane City (FA1). The city built a fine facility and seaplanes are using it. Yet the strongest measure of their success may be that the city, located about 45 minutes northwest of Orlando, has attracted not one but two seaplane manufacturers. I’ve written about Progressive Aerodyne and their SeaRey several times. We’ve done video with Aero Adventure since Alex Rolinski took over the operation. Recently, we were hosted by Alex Gutierrez as we paid a visit to their new factory following a laborious move from Rockledge, Florida to Tavares. In 2013, this a tale of two men named Alex and a familiar brand in the light kit arena. The longtime friends got together in central Florida after Alex R purchased the rights, designs, and inventory of Aero Adventure.
Aero Adventure, Inc.
Website: https://www.sea-plane.com/
Email: aeroadventurellc@gmail.com
Phone: 866-494-5367
DeLand, FL 32724 - USALSA Seaplane Companies Cluster in Central Florida
Icon Aircraft receives a high percentage of the attention paid to LSA seaplanes. They’ve worked hard on marketing and been quite successful; their Facebook page has nearly 300,000 “Likes!” Yet, as I’ve written, this is a growing subset within the LSA industry with several interesting designs already flying plus new ones to come that are really going to widen people’s eyes. However, some of that remains in the future while we have present-day success stories. If you want a seaplane you can afford and you want it soon, you have several choices, for example: Progressive Aerodyne’s SeaRey and the hot little SeaMax, both of which are SLSA approved, plus Edra Aeronautica’s Super Petrel LS, and in the world of light kits, don’t forget another longtime player, Aero Adventure. The latter Florida company recently reported news. “Here We Come Tavares,” exclaimed a recent newsletter from Aero Adventure!
Aventura II
Seating | 2-seater |
Empty weight | 640 lbs |
Gross weight | 1,150 lbs |
Wingspan | 30 feet 8 inches |
Wing area | 161.7 square feet |
Wing loading | 7.11 pounds/square feet |
Length | 23 feet |
Height | 7 feet |
Fuel Capacity | 12 gallons |
Kit type | Assembly |
Build time | 200 hours |
Standard engine | Rotax 582 |
Power | 66 horsepower |
Power loading | 17.42 pounds/hp |
Cruise speed | 70 mph |
Stall Speed (Flaps) | 32 mph |
Stall Speed | 45 mph |
Never exceed speed | 90 mph |
Rate of climb at gross | 500 fpm |
Takeoff distance at gross | 200 feet |
Standard Features | Fiberglass hull/upper deck/ body sock, reinforced tubular construction, streamline struts, landing gear retract system, steerable tail wheel, 8-inch aluminum wheels, brakes, ballistic parachute, streamline radiator cowling, 12-gallon fuel tank, clear Lexan windshield, fixed rudder trim, elevator trim tab, double surface wings, quick folding tail, 2-color fabric, foam seat, ignition switches, airspeed indicator, altimeter, hourmeter, tachometer, EGT, water temperature gauge, compass, electric flaps, bilge pump. Spanish and English spoken. |
Design
Cosmetic appearance, structural integrity, achievement of design goals, effectiveness of aerodynamics, ergonomics.
Pros - Design may look familiar (like a Buccaneer II), but it's a new plane from a new company. Roomy and capable; a lot of good can be said about this new but proven plane. Familiar construction to ultralighters. Beautiful hull work. All fiberglass is superb. Works very well as amphibious model. Excellent capacity for occupants and some luggage.
Cons - Ultralights adapted to floats may be considerably lighter; heavier planes like Aventura II need to be flown more attentively to speed and space requirements. Company establishing good reputation but a limited number of aircraft are flying at this t
Systems
Subsystems available to pilot such as: Flaps; Fuel sources; Electric start; In-air restart; Brakes; Engine controls; Navigations; Radio; (items covered may be optional).
Pros - Many goodies are standard: electric flaps, retractable gear, trim, bilge pump, a good complement of gauges, and a ballistic parachute are part of the price. Electric starting was nice on the test plane.
Cons - When you have a lot of systems, you must learn to manage them; this will take more time and not spending it may cost you. Look at the cockpit photo - you'll see lots of levers and controls.
Cockpit/Cabin
Instrumentation; Ergonomics of controls; Creature comforts; (items covered may be optional).
Pros - Big boys won't be squeezed together. Even some cargo can be carried if occupants weigh less than 215 pounds each. Entry is reasonable by first resting on side rail. Reach to panel and all controls is excellent. Seats are very comfortable. Windscreen protection is excellent.
Cons - Many seaplanes advise only lap belts to allow escape if upset in water; personally I prefer the optional shoulder belts. Seats don't adjust. No other negatives.
Ground Handling
Taxi visibility; Steering; Turn radius; Shock absorption; Stance/Stability; Braking.
Pros - On ground or in water, steering is very reasonable thanks to steerable tailwheel and rudder. A wide, low posture makes the Aventura II very stable on the ground, and in the water it might just be even better. Good forward visibility and some upward visibility to the side allows adequate traffic checks.
Cons - While steering is good, turn radius is wider than average - plan ahead. This bird is heavy, you must also plan your stopping. Ground clearance is slight. Downwind taxiing in a seaplane takes practice.
Takeoff/Landing
Qualities; Efficiency; Ease; Comparative values.
Pros - Basic takeoff and landing operations are straightforward. Short water runs attest to a good hull design. Flaps will help steepen your approach path. Slips are easily achieved. Though you may never plan an off-field gear up landing, a boat hull can be safer than gear on rough fields (though damage may result).
Cons - A heavier bird like this demands more attention to speed and space requirements. In an amphib with retractable gear, you must remember what surface you'll use for landing - and put the gear in the appropriate position. Remember, "there are only two kinds of pilots|"
Control
Quality and quantity for: Coordination; Authority; Pressures; Response; and Coupling.
Pros - Very good control response among 2-seaters; even "good" when compared to more agile single-seaters. Very good control harmony makes for quick transitions from other aircraft. Crosswind capabilities are excellent (though you shouldn't need them on larger lake landings). Steep turns went well with good stick and rudder range remaining.
Cons - Roll rate isn't fast (like a lot of 2-seaters). Retracting gear definitely requires acquiring some good technique and then practice. Adverse yaw is clearly present. No other negatives.
Performance
Climb; Glide; Sink; Cruise/stall/max speeds; Endurance; Range; Maneuverability.
Pros - Amphibs aren't noted for their blazing speeds, though boat-hulled ones do quite well (e.g., 70 mph cruise). Climb is certainly adequate given the weight of this seabird (about 500 fpm with a Rotax 582). Low flying over the water is excellent, simply superb - partly because hull works so well should you touch down inadvertently. Docking is simple with the high wings and stable water operations.
Cons - Endurance is lower, range is less with a Rotax 582; 12 gallons will last little more than a couple hours depending on operation. You're pushing a lot of plane through the air, so more power is required to hold altitude.
Stability
Stall recovery and characteristics; Dampening; Spiral stability; Adverse yaw qualities.
Pros - Stalls, whether power-on or -off, went very well. No wing drop tendency noted. Accelerated stalls merely went to mush mode. Longitudinal stability was normal and dampened quickly within three oscillations. Power response was neutral to positive (acceptable for high wing pusher engine mount).
Cons - Some adverse yaw must be anticipated. No other negatives discovered.
Overall
Addresses the questions: "Will a buyer get what he/she expects to buy, and did the designer/builder achieve the chosen goal?"
Pros - You can get one! | meaning kits are in stock. Factory workmanship appears excellent; stems from an attitude to give a buyer good value. A base price of $22,900 includes a standard ballistic parachute. This plane can deliver most of the fun of flying an ultralight floatplane. Factory has earned good owner remarks for technical support.
Cons - A license and FAA inspection are required. Relatively new company, though no complaints have been directed my way.
If you’ve never flown an airplane on floats, you’ve missed a glorious experience in flying. Good as any ultralight on floats may be – and that means “quite excellent” in my opinion – even those pilots with that experience may have missed the unique sensation of a boat-hulled ultralight. With a few thousand hours in my logbook covering everything from foot-launched hang gliders to twin-engined Barons, I can honestly say my absolute favorite hours are spent in one of two ways: first is soaring flight, but a close second is warm summer day flying in an ultralight floatplane. It just doesn’t get any better. Having stuck my personal opinion into this article, I must tell you about a most promising company and their 2-seat floatplane, the Aventura II. Since Arnet Pereyra exploded into the ultralight scene in 1995, this new company has filled out their line of floatplanes with a roomy and fun 2-seater which deserves a close look.