State aviation officials in Kansas and Iowa are reaching out to the pilot community with a petition that would measure interest in gaining seaplane access to several lakes under jurisdiction of the Kansas City District of the Army Corps of Engineers.
Lakes in the jurisdiction, on which seaplane operations are currently prohibited, include one in Iowa, nine in Kansas, seven in Missouri, and one in Nebraska, said Yasmina Platt, AOPA Central/Southwest regional manager.
"It is unclear why the Kansas City District prohibits seaplane activity in their lakes," Platt said, adding that the officials "may not perceive a need for seaplane operations" on the water bodies.
After receiving a number of inquiries about using some of the waterways, state department of transportation officials in Iowa and Kansas decided to work together "to pursue the possibility of opening lakes owned by the Kansas City District to those pilots flying float-equipped aircraft."
"It comes down to whether the Corps of Army Engineers determines there’s enough market demand for it," Jesse Romo, director of the Kansas Department of Transportation's aviation division, told The Wichita Eagle. Romo added, "We believe there’s a market for it."
AOPA members who wish to support the effort may access the petition here.
