Travelers looking for a unique way to travel in the northeast, specifically between Washington, DC, and New York City, can now take advantage of seaplane service from Tailwind Air, an amphibious air carrier company. The seaplane flight service offers a fast, efficient way to travel between the two cities.
The creation of seaplanes, or more specifically, land and water-capable floatplanes or “amphibians,” dates back to World War I. Seaplanes became increasingly popular in the 1920s and 1930s, as these innovative aircraft were seen as a versatile and efficient way to travel and played an important role in the development of civil aviation. During World War II, the Allies utilized seaplanes to reach distant places in the Pacific Ocean for reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue operations. However, with the advent of landing strips and airports, seaplanes fell out of favor and were largely replaced by land-based aircraft. The development of water-based aircraft continued after World War II, but on a much smaller scale.
Tailwind Air, a veteran-owned company, established in 2012, recently launched a seaplane flight service from DC to NY. The company states that they are adept in operating amphibious seaplanes and is dedicated to minimizing customers’ time by leveraging access to waterways and smaller airports in urban metro cities. Along with operating, chartering, and maintaining seaplanes, Tailwind Air also maintains a fleet of jets and turboprop aircraft based out of New York’s Westchester Airport and Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Connecticut.
Tailwind Air maintains a modern, safe, and dependable fleet of Cessna Caravan amphibious seaplanes. Caravans are utilized by regional airlines throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Currently, Lake Hood, in Anchorage, Alaska, is the largest and busiest floatplane base, managing approximately 70,000 aircraft operations per year.
The DC-NYC service flight departs from Manhattan’s Skyport Marina and lands at Dulles Airport. Due to security concerns raised by the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration, Tailwind could not launch at Maryland’s College Park Airport in September of this year as initially planned.
Back in 2021, Tailwind pioneered its first NY to Boston Harbor service flight. The company also offers service to other Northeast cities such as the Hamptons, Provincetown, Sag Harbor, Shelter Island, and more.
All flights are equipped with two pilots and can accommodate up to eight passengers. Tailwind will offer up to ten weekly flights between Washington, DC, and New York City. Passengers can check in 10 minutes before departure. Flight duration is roughly 90 minutes, and one-way rates begin at $395 per person. For further details or to book a flight, visit www.flytailwind.com.
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Tailwind aims to compete with airlines and Amtrak’s Acela service for business passengers with the launch of its new flight service. According to the company’s website, “Tailwind seaplanes are the fastest way in and out of Manhattan.”
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