Southern Seaplane

What Southern Seaplane does

Southern Seaplane, Inc. is a family-owned private aviation company founded in 1954 and headquartered at its private seaplane base (FAA identifier 65LA) in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. The company operates a fleet of five single-engine Cessna aircraft (180, 185, 206, 210) equipped with straight floats, amphibious floats, wheels, and skis, supported by a 3,200 x 400 ft hard-surface runway and a 5,000 x 100 ft waterway. It provides on-demand air charter, private seaplane tours (New Orleans Bayou Tour, Save Our Coast Tour), guided barrier-island fishing trips, air taxi service to the Chandeleur Islander lodge, pipeline and power line aerial patrol, and FAA Part 141 approved seaplane pilot training. It also offers aircraft maintenance, STC-approved wing-tip extension installations (A.R.T., Wipaire, Sierra R/STOL), and hangar rental.

Revenue is generated through seven distinct streams: usage-based hourly charter rates ($515-$915/hr), per-passenger tour pricing ($200-$400/adult), flat-rate training packages ($2,375-$9,700), flat-rate fishing charters ($3,000-$4,000), per-flight air taxi fees, recurring hangar rentals, and professional services for aerial patrol. The company sells exclusively through direct-to-consumer channels via phone (504-394-5633) and an online booking form, with no intermediaries, resellers, or paid digital marketing. GTM motion is relationship-driven and regional, concentrated in the Gulf South (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas). The business is operationally controlled by the Panepinto family, with Lyle Panepinto (Director of Operations, acquired from founder Phil Panepinto in 2007), Rhonda Panepinto (Director of Tours & Accounts Receivable), and Lacey Charvet (pilot/co-owner), supported by a small team including Chief Pilot Larry Stapleton and Office Manager Emile Charvet.

Name

Southern Seaplane

Legal name

Southern Seaplane, Inc.

Website

https://southernseaplane.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Seaplane is a family-owned Gulf Coast aviation company operating five Cessna float-equipped aircraft from Belle Chasse, Louisiana, providing on-demand charters, seaplane tours, fishing trips, FAA Part 141 pilot training, pipeline aerial patrol, and aircraft maintenance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter Aviation Services

NAICS

Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Flight Training (611512)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Seaplane & Amphibious Air Taxi (TLAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Island & Remote Region Regional Airlines (THABACAL)

Keywords

• Seaplane charter services
• Air tour operations
• Fishing charter flights
• Seaplane pilot training
• Aircraft maintenance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Belle Chasse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Air Charter Services: Hourly-rate on-demand air charter service using Cessna aircraft (180/185, 206, 210) with float and land configurations. Customers pay per flight hour with standby rates available. Flat-rate packages and monthly contract rates are offered for frequent flyers. Operates 24 hours on-call.
2. Air Tours: Private seaplane tours including the New Orleans Bayou Tour (30 min, $200/adult) and Save Our Coast Tour (1 hr, $400/adult). Tours are priced per passenger with group discounts available.
3. Fishing Charter Services: Guided fishing trips to Louisiana barrier islands using Cessna 185 ($3,000, up to 3 fishermen) or Cessna 206 ($4,000, up to 4 fishermen). Includes flight time and fishing experience.
4. Seaplane Training: Part 141 approved training courses for Single Engine Seaplane (SES), Multi Engine Seaplane (MES), and SES/MES combo ratings. Offered as flat-rate packages per course (e.g., $2,375-$4,200 for SES, $6,500 for MES, $9,700 for SES/MES combo).
5. Chandeleur Islander Air Taxi: Air taxi service to Chandeleur Islander lodging on Louisiana's barrier islands, priced per flight (drop-off, pick-up, or round trip) based on passenger count (3 or 4 passengers).
6. Aircraft Hangar Rental: Rental of hangar and T-hangar spaces at the private facility to outside aircraft owners, including a 100 x 100 ft storage hangar and 5 T-hangar spaces.
7. Aerial Patrol Services: Pipeline and power line aerial patrol services for operators with governmental or regulatory reporting requirements. Pilots are NCCER Full Pipeline Operator Qualified.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Southern Seaplane operates seaplane charter, tour, and training services from its private facility in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. The company uses float- and amphibious-equipped Cessna aircraft (180, 185, 206, 210) to provide on-demand air charters to Gulf Coast destinations, sightseeing tours, guided fishing trips, FAA Part 141 seaplane pilot training, pipeline aerial patrol, aircraft maintenance, and hangar rentals.

Product overview

Southern Seaplane operates as a full-scale aviation service company offering a diversified portfolio of services organized into five main categories: (1) Air Tours including New Orleans Bayou Tour and Save Our Coast Tour; (2) Air Charters including Aerial Patrol, Air Med, Oil Field Services, Guided Fishing, Private Charter, and Chandeleur Islander transport; (3) Seaplane Training with Single Engine and Multi Engine Seaplane ratings, SES/MES Combo courses, Part 141 ratings, and the Seaplane Safety Institute; (4) Maintenance Services including wing-tip extensions and general aircraft maintenance; and (5) Airport facilities including hangar rental and private seaplane base. The company operates a fleet of Cessna aircraft (180, 185, 206, 210) on floats or amphibious floats from its private facility at 65LA in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. The training school holds Part 141 approval and the charter operation operates under Part 135 certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Seaplane Safety Institute: Part 141 Approved training course offering comprehensive 3-day safety course for rated seaplane pilots, including underwater egress training.
• Seaplane Training

Products and services

• Save Our Coast Tour
• New Orleans Bayou Tour
• Air Charter Service
• Aerial Patrol Service
• Air Med
• Oil Field Services
• Guided Fishing Charter
• Chandeleur Islander Air Taxi
• Private Charter
• Single Engine Seaplane (SES) Rating
• Multi Engine Seaplane (MES) Rating
• SES/MES Combo Course
• Part 141 Seaplane Rating Courses
• Seaplane Safety Institute
• Wing-tip Extension Installation
• Aircraft Maintenance Services
• Aircraft & Hangar Rental

Quantifiable outcome

• Wing-X STOL conversions increase takeoff performance by as much as 30% and gross takeoff weight by up to 400 lbs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Chandeleur Islander (Chandleur Islander Fishing Lodge)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Seaplane provides exclusive air taxi service to The Chandeleur Islander, a full-service lodging facility on Louisiana's barrier islands (Breton). Southern Seaplane operates 30-minute flights from Belle Chasse to Breton. Other Gulf South pick-up locations are also available. This partnership enables access to the remote island lodge via seaplane.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kenmore Air: Seattle-based seaplane operator providing scheduled and charter floatplane service in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Direct comparable as a U.S. seaplane airline/charter running float-equipped Cessna aircraft, offering scheduled service, charters, and tours from a dedicated waterway base.
• Tailwind Air: NYC-area seaplane shuttle and charter operator connecting Manhattan to Long Island and the Hamptons via float-equipped aircraft. Comparable as a regional seaplane charter/tour operator with on-demand and route-based service.
• Harbour Air Seaplanes: North America's largest seaplane airline, operating scheduled and charter floatplane service in British Columbia. Highly comparable business model combining commuter service, charter, and seaplane tours using de Havilland and Cessna float aircraft.
• Wayman Aviation / Florida Seaplane Training (Florida Seaplanes): Florida-based seaplane training and charter operator offering SES/MES ratings and tours. Direct comparable as a Part 141 seaplane school competing for the same pilot-training demographic in a different region.
• Tropic Ocean Airways: Florida-based seaplane and amphibious aircraft operator offering charter, scheduled service, and tours across Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. Direct comparable as a coastal/regional seaplane charter business serving tourism and remote island routes.

Regional players

• Penobscot Island Air: Maine-based seaplane and wheeled charter operator providing scheduled and charter service to Penobscot Bay islands. Comparable as a small Northeast U.S. seaplane charter operation serving remote island destinations and tourism.

Broad incumbents

• Mainesource Insurance / Falcon Aviation Consulting (Atlantic Aviation / Signature Flight Support): Atlantic Aviation is the largest U.S. FBO network, providing hangar rental, fuel, and charter support at airports nationwide. Comparable as a provider of hangar and T-hangar rentals plus aviation services adjacent to Southern Seaplane's facility-rental and maintenance offerings.
• ATP Flight School: Largest U.S. flight training organization, providing Part 141 pilot training from private through ATP. Comparable as a structured Part 141 aviation training business, though focused on fixed-wing airline-track rather than specialty seaplane ratings.

Emerging players

• Trans Maldivian Airways: The world's largest seaplane operator, providing resort transfer and charter floatplane service throughout the Maldives. Comparable business model archetype for high-volume seaplane tourism/charter, though at substantially larger scale and in a different geography.
• Labrador Airways / Air Labrador: Canadian floatplane operator providing charter, scheduled service, and air taxi to remote coastal communities in Labrador. Comparable as a charter/business operator using float-equipped aircraft to serve remote coastal/oil-and-gas clientele.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Seaplane