# Who's in charge at a seaplane airport? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 1, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901 "2021-09-01T13:57:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/1 "2021-09-01T13:57:23Z")
I once spent an hour watching the take-offs and landings in Vancouver Harbour. There is a control tower that directs the pilots, but there are all sorts of other boats from a large ferry down to rowboats. I assume the latter do not have radio contact with the tower and they seem to cross the “runway” willy nilly. I know that in an ordinary airport nothing can cross a taxiway, let alone a runway, without asking permission from the control tower. But generally, it is the Harbour Master who runs the harbour. For example, there was a line of freighters outside the harbour that could enter only when another one left. So who has the ultimate control here? The planes were all single engine, or maybe small twins. None of them flew under the Lion’s Gate Bridge. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/2 "2021-09-01T23:23:02Z")
One bump. Maybe @LSLGuy can help with this. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2021, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/3 "2021-09-02T10:45:57Z")
I do know that seaplane bases (as opposed to places where you are allowed to land a sea plane) typically have their sea lanes marked with buoys. I’m running out of time to research, but here are some FAA seaplane handbooks: > **[Seaplane, Skiplane, and Float/Ski Equipped Helicopter Operations Handbook |...](https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/seaplane_handbook)** > > Seaplane, Skiplane, and Float/Ski Equipped Helicopter Operations Handbook Brian ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/4 "2021-10-19T17:31:32Z")
We were once kayaking the upper Allegheny River near the town of Foxburg, PA. My gf pointed out a small plane that had been circling above us, descending lower and lower. She suggested we move toward shore, and so we did. The plane landed on the river! It was pretty cool. The pilot/owner lived right there. He “taxied” over to shore where he had a dock setup that allowed him to winch the plane up a ramp and onto land. Of course we paddled over to chat. He thanked us for clearing his landing area, and we arranged to meet later at [The Foxburg Inn](https://foxburginn.com/) (the picture is 100 yards downriver from where he landed) , where he bought us drinks. No idea what he would have done if we hadn’t cleared out. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/5 "2021-10-19T17:47:08Z")
From my experience. I’m not a pilot. Sea planes have to give way to all other vessels. Air traffic near busy areas usually just calls out traffic for the pilots but it’s pretty uncontrolled. I believe they try and maintain 200 ft altitude separation depending on direction of travel. My experience is around 1000 flights in Southeast Alaska ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/6 "2021-10-19T18:51:38Z")
Yeah it seemed to be largely uncontrolled. What I found confusing was there was a control tower, but whatever they were doing, it was clear they had no control over the sea lanes, while the harbor master does. There were even some rowboats crossing the landing area. In land airports, no vehicle can move without tower permission. I guess there are exceptions in emergencies. ---
**Author:** ![Snipe70e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@Snipe70e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snipe70e)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/7 "2021-10-19T20:12:55Z")
I believe a sea plane has to abide by the maritime “Rules of The Road”. I do not remember just where they come in at. But I know when going to the Maritime Academy as a Engineering Midshipman I had to take a Naval Science class on rules of the road as part of my training\> When I graduated from CMA I recieved a 3rd Assistant Engineer any Hp license and a UNSR-R commission as an Emsign. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/8 "2021-10-20T14:07:28Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I know that in an **ordinary airport** nothing can cross a taxiway, let alone a runway, without asking permission from the control tower. Gisborne Airport, New Zealand, appears to be a small untowered airport, judging by the pictures. It has a railroad crossing the runway. I guess you might say that this is _no ordinary airport._ [Discussion here with lots of pictures.](https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/gisborne-airport-runway-with-railway.html) [![](https://lh5.ggpht.com/-KvPNoNnW-Zk/Uge0hI4lrSI/AAAAAAAArL0/jy1hOPnKXas/gisborne-airport-1%25255B6%25255D.jpg) ](https://lh5.ggpht.com/-KvPNoNnW-Zk/Uge0hI4lrSI/AAAAAAAArL0/jy1hOPnKXas/gisborne-airport-1%25255B6%25255D.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/9 "2021-10-20T14:12:54Z")
There’s also [this one on Gibraltar](https://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/11/gibraltar-airport-worlds-only-airport.html), but at least this one looks like a controlled airport. [![](https://lh6.ggpht.com/-j2A9QglHRt8/TrJfemd1GjI/AAAAAAAARbA/PQLnCjZWlOU/gibraltar-airport-6%25255B4%25255D.jpg) ](https://lh6.ggpht.com/-j2A9QglHRt8/TrJfemd1GjI/AAAAAAAARbA/PQLnCjZWlOU/gibraltar-airport-6%25255B4%25255D.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-in-charge-at-a-seaplane-airport/949901/10 "2021-10-20T17:09:07Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I guess you might say that this is _no ordinary airport._ > > [Discussion here with lots of pictures.](https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/gisborne-airport-runway-with-railway.html) Off-topic: The next story link was [President Heads](https://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/02/the-abandoned-giant-busts-of-presidents.html); I was actually supposed to shoot there this past weekend; unfortunately we got rained out.