Published in Midwest Flyer – Oct/Nov 2016
After working with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Seaplane Pilots Association (SPA), Ohio officials have announced that the state will take steps to open more bodies of water to seaplanes.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) plans to proceed with rulemaking to allow seaplane landings in the coming months on Buckeye Lake, Indian Lake, Long Lake, and Salt Fork Reservoir, and even more in the future.
In December 2015, AOPA and SPA held meetings in Columbus with members of the Ohio legislature, as well as officials from Gov. John Kasich’s administration to discuss how to go about making Ohio more friendly to seaplanes. AOPA believes protecting the freedom to fly means protecting the freedom to fly from the water, said AOPA President Mark Baker who also serves on the board of SPA.