Pilots

In a state where it can seem like everyone is from someplace else, Mark L. Futch's Florida roots run centuries deep. The British sympathizers in the Futch family tree held out in Key West during and after the Revolution. In the 1860s, when they first came to Boca Grande, some of his ancestors ran guns for the Confederacy. More recent generations turned their efforts toward charter fishing, mainly for the tarpon that make the area world- famous among sportsmen.

Tories and Rebels. If that background hints at a slight genetic predisposition for lost causes, Futch's friends must certainly have thought so back in 1987. That's when this aviating member of a predominantly seafaring family decided to go into the charter seaplane business. "I thought there would be a market for it. They said the saltwater would kill me," Futch now recalls. His buddies gave him a year, tops, for Boca Grande Seaplane to go the way of the Stars and Bars.

But seven years later, the business is still going strong. Futch has a second seaplane on order, and plans to acquire more in the near future. He's logged some 3,200 hours in the Maule M-7 floatplane that until now comprised the entire fleet in his strictly on-call charter business. Futch now averages 500 to 600 hours a year in the mostly seasonal operation. In the summertime, he returns to the family calling as captain of the charter boat Sitarah, hooking well-heeled sports (including many seaplane clients) into the mighty tarpon of Boca Grande Pass.

Call it good luck, good timing, or plain good business sense, but Futch seems to have beaten the odds that make many seaplane operators sink under high maintenance and operating costs. "There is a lot of discretionary income here," Futch says. "You just have to charge for the saltwater."

Futch has found an unusual niche as a sort of airborne limo service for the affluent elite of one of Florida's most exclusive resort communities. Lifetime Boca Grande residents such as Futch are by far the exception on the island. Celebrities and captains of industry are the norm, especially in the winter months when Futch does most of his flying business.

The names of many of his passengers would be familiar to anyone: Harrison Ford ("Nicest guy in the world. He just came up to me and said, 'Hi, I'm Harry Ford. Is that plane for rent?'"); Katherine Hepburn ("Nice after you got to know her. I flew her a bunch."). The list, as they say, goes on and on. There's a personalized, autographed photo of George Bush hanging on Futch's office wall. He did some fish spotting for the president and his pals when they came to town in November 1992, and he flew a large portion of the White House staff around Florida. You might not recognize the names of other frequent passengers unless you regularly travel in high-finance circles (the president of a major international bank was my fishing partner when I went out with Futch on _Sitarah_ recently). Still others are icons of American business; Futch does regular flying for the heirs of a major chemical dynasty, although he asks that their privacy be respected.

Some hops are simply scenic excursions to Florida's many natural treasures — sightseeing tours sure to include aerial views of manatees, alligators, and porpoises; perhaps highlighted by a gentle glide into some quiet, unspoiled backwater inaccessible by practically any other means. Florida has some 8,426 statute miles of shoreline, including lakes and rivers, and very few restrictions on seaplane operations, Futch says.

The bulk of his business, though, is composed of regular charter runs. He offers efficient transport to nearly any locale in the state. Key West is by far the most popular destination. But Futch also ferries Boca residents and visitors to and from airline connections in Tampa and other major cities. He simply lands on a nearby body of water, and then the passengers take a cab from there to the airport terminal. If they're on their way into Boca, he'll meet them at the same spot.

At a trim 39 — he actually looks younger — Futch cuts quite the image of a sharp young executive as he sits comfortably behind the desk in his office, fielding telephone machine messages and answering questions from his accountant as he discusses the business with me. Futch's wife Kathy ("the greatest secretary in the world") runs the office and the accountant handles the more complex business paperwork. Maintenance is handled by an A&P friend. Still, although he plans to take on another pilot as his fleet — and presumably his business — grows, Mark Futch pretty much is Boca Grande Seaplane. To say nothing of the fishing charter business. He seems to thrive on the hectic pace — and on the success.

A 7,600-hour pilot with 3,600 hours on floats, Futch flew mostly Piper Navajos, Aztecs, and Cessna 210s in corporate and charter work before the Boca Grande Seaplane idea came to him. But by far, he says, he loves the seaplane flying best. "I would never get to see Florida like this any other way," he says.

The same can be said of his passengers, who in addition to their other accomplishments, certainly seem to know a great way to get from Point A to Point B when they see one.

A former AOPA Pilot staff editor, Bill Gruber is a freelance writer living in Venice, Florida.