The seaplane is a category of planes with the ability to both take off from and land on water. There are two of varieties of seaplane: the floatplane and the boatplane. The history of the seaplane stretches back to the early 20th century, with the first successful flight taking place in 1905. Since then, seaplanes of all types have been used consistently throughout the world for a variety of functions.
The floatplane is a specific type of seaplane. As a seaplane, it has the ability to take off from and land on the water. Floatplanes are outfitted with special pontoons--often referred to as "floats"--that allow them to float on the water. Accordingly, they often are called pontoon planes. These propeller planes have been in use since World War I.
Flying boats are seaplanes similar to floatplanes. However, while floatplanes use pontoons affixed to their fuselage to float on the water, boatplanes use the hull of the boat itself for buoyancy. Because of their use of the hull to stay afloat, these planes offer a larger surface area for contact with the water and can thus handle more extreme weather conditions, such as waves, when taking off and landing.
Seaplanes serve a various civilian and military purposes. One common use is transportation: Both civilians and military personnel use seaplanes to land in remote areas or areas not well served by other modes of transportation. During wildfires or bush fires, seaplane also may be used to help fight the blaze. Seaplanes commonly aid rescue operations by police and coast guard units, especially for rescues on the water.
