southernseaplane.com

What It Is

Southern Seaplane is a well-established comprehensive seaplane service provider with over 70 years of operation in Louisiana, USA. Founded in 1954, it started out as a charter service catering to the oil industry, and has grown into a full-service seaplane aviation operator covering sightseeing tours, custom charters, pilot certification training, recreational fishing, and aircraft maintenance. Its base is located in Belle Chasse, directly across from New Orleans, and it primarily serves the Gulf Coast region.

Core Services & Pricing

The company's core services are divided into five main categories:

1. Seaplane coastal sightseeing tours for tourists, including themed routes covering bays and estuaries
2. Custom charter services, available 24/7, specializing in accessing remote coastal destinations at a lower cost than helicopter transport
3. FAA-certified seaplane pilot training, offering rating courses for single-engine and multi-engine aircraft, plus recurrent safety training for already licensed pilots
4. Guided fishing trips to Louisiana barrier islands, with seaplane transfers to and from the location
5. Seaplane maintenance, modification, and parts supply for clients globally

For pricing, training and fishing programs have transparent, publicly listed rates. Training packages are all-inclusive flat rates that cover ground instruction, flight hours, and examination fees, with no hidden extra charges. Pricing for other services requires direct inquiry with the company.

Pros, Cons & Who It's For

Advantages include fully compliant certification, a long operating history, diverse training environments, transparent pricing, and lower operating costs compared to helicopter services.
Disadvantages are that service is only limited to a small region of the US, most services do not have public pricing listed, and there is no Chinese language support.

It is ideal for leisure travelers visiting the U.S. Gulf Coast, pilots looking to earn a seaplane rating, and commercial clients that need transportation to remote coastal locations.

Accessibility from China

The official website loads and works normally directly from China, no VPN/proxy is required. All content on the site is in English.