AUGUST 2019 FLYINGMAG.COM | 35Left: Progressive
Aerodyne offers
customers a
range of color
schemes on both
the Adventure and
the Elite models.
Below: Folding or
reattaching the
Icon A5’s wings is
easily handled by
one person.
Opposite: The A5’s
forward-hinged
canopy speeds
the preflight
inspection.
He says many Searey customers like to fold the wings and
bring the airplane along on their yachts.
The Elite is a solidly designed and built seaplane with
visible wing struts that look strong enough to help the air-
plane absorb the shock of the 12-inch waves the company
says are its limit. They use a tapered wing for efficiency
and to increase visibility down and behind the airplane.
The main landing gear folds up alongside the fuselage, and
the tailwheel retracts when the airplane’s operating on
the water. Flight controls are stick operated. The airframe
is a single all-metal unit, while the wings and control
surfaces are covered with Stits Polyfiber painted with
Emron. The interior seats looked and felt like those in a
high-end sports car.
Richter says there are about 800 Seareys currently f lying
around the world. The airplane weighs about 1,000 pounds
empty, carries up to 22 usable gallons of fuel and burns
about 5½ gallons per hour at 75 percent power. With a
maximum gross weight of 1,430 pounds, two 175-pound
people could f ly around for a couple of hours with a reserve
and have room for a small bag or two.
The Searey Elite’s f laps are electric and offer settings of
10, 20 and 30 degrees. Richter says he uses 30 degrees for
takeoff because it offers the shortest water run. As soon as
the airplane breaks free of the water, he reduces flaps to 20
and pitches for best angle-of-climb speed at 58 mph. As the