BeechTalk - BT - Russian Seaplane: seeking Russian Speaker

Username Protected · **Posted:** 20 Feb 2019, 20:48

http://www.seabearaircraft.com/contact-us/

Is there anyone you speaks Russian that can call these guys and figure out how much they want for a flying Rotax 915 powered version with Garmin G3X touches OR an airframe with no engine or avionics? They don't respond to emails.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 20 Feb 2019, 22:48

I can do it, but knowing how things work in Russia, I would be highly surprised if it’s actually available for sale.

I would be even more surprised if it can be legally registered in the US. It’s obviously not an LSA, and it wouldn’t qualify as experimental under FAA rules. In what category could it possibly be registered then?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 20 Feb 2019, 22:53

Username Protected wrote:

I would be even more surprised if it can be legally registered in the US. It’s obviously not an LSA, and it wouldn’t qualify as experimental under FAA rules. In what category could it possibly be registered then?

Experimental Exhibition category, just like all other foreign imported airplanes like Yak, Zlin, Sukhoi, Technoavia, etc

Username Protected · **Posted:** 20 Feb 2019, 23:28

Thanks for sharing information on this aircraft. The 72, 45, and 44 are gorgeous planes. It looks like it would give the Icon a run for it's money if there were US support for it.

Hopefully you can find a Russian speaker and we hear about your adventures going to fly it in Moscow and ferrying one back one day.

Hopefully they have English speakers and they can at least use Bing Translate or Google Translator to translate English to Russian.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 20 Feb 2019, 23:29

I don’t speak Russian, or seaplane, but that is one sexy looking MES!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 20 Feb 2019, 23:53

What about getting in contact with the guy that wrote the article in the SPA magazine?
He has contact over there.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 00:27

Username Protected wrote:

Experimental Exhibition category, just like all other foreign imported airplanes like Yak, Zlin, Sukhoi, Technoavia, etc

Interesting. I don't know much about Experimental Exhibition category, but I was under impression that it would have to be certified in some capacity in the country of origin. Most of these seem to be warbirds or airshow performers of some kind. Can any foreign-built hunk-o-metal be brought into USA and registered as Experimental Exhibition?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 08:48

This airplane exists! I believe there are 30 or so flying and I've heard the price of $200K for a kit and $350K for a flying Rotax version. They even have an IO-390 version. Watch some of the videos, it's an impressive machine that can take off and land on 1 engine. The props reverse so you can back it onto the beach. It has 12 hours of fuel which is is insane! These are real airplanes that can go somewhere; the Icon (at it's present price point) is a joke. The Seabear is the smaller version of the Aero Volga LA-8. http://www.aerovolga.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1P__r843ug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rouymF6oXXw

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 13:01

Quite the find. Very interesting.

Big! 4-6 place?

Very unique ingress/egress. Should keep things very dry up front/inside.

I wonder what emergency egress is like?

I have read seaplane pilots need to be spry and get around quickly for docking ops, but with two reversible props I bet she's quite maneuverable.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 14:06

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKQJbm ... dRqeJyE7rA

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 14:14

Is this the same as the "Samara"?

I remember some seeing videos and photos of something very similar being refereed to as a Samara back in 2010 or so. Looks fun!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 18:28

Username Protected wrote:

Is this the same as the "Samara"?

I remember some seeing videos and photos of something very similar being refereed to as a Samara back in 2010 or so. Looks fun!

Different but equally cool!!

https://www.sereginaircraft.com/eng

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTZCwAkmRS4

165kts, 6 people, 1400lbs useful, 1000+nm range, impressive

Russians have to be one of the most intelligent people on the planet; the stuff they come up with is very impressive.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 18:41

The American version of the vaporware modern Widgeon is pretty cool also:

https://www.gweduck.com/index.html

Username Protected · **Posted:** 21 Feb 2019, 22:37

I highly suggest George Coy - he's imported over 350 aircraft from Russia and elsewhere. He is a very knowledgeable plus he's a very decent person to deal with.

Contact Information:
Border Air Ltd
629 Airport Rd
Swanton, VT 05488
Contact: George S Coy
Title: President
Phone: (802) 868-2822
Website: http://www.borderair.com

Regards, Tom

Username Protected · **Posted:** 22 Feb 2019, 19:07

Username Protected wrote:

The Seabear is the smaller version of the Aero Volga LA-8.

The family resemblance seems possible, but LA-8 is a rather large plane, sized for 8 passengers. If there is an actual heritage, I have to ask why AeroVolga isn't building the SeaBear. Is Chairka founded by escapees from AeroVolga?

I heard that more than 20 companies in Samara region are trying to build and market airplanes, and a very large proportion is amphibians. AeroVolga is one that found a considerable success. However, they also managed to sell several LA-8 to Iran, so now it's a matter of time before someone in the State Dept. finds out and puts them on a naughty list.