ST. MICHAELS, Md. — Neighbors gathered along the Miles River Tuesday as Coastal Seaplanes conducted sound testing and practice landings as part of its proposal to bring seaplane charter service to St. Michaels.
The company says the testing was designed to give the public a better understanding of what future operations could look and sound like if the service moves forward.
Coastal Seaplanes CEO Sam Riggs says the company operates amphibious aircraft throughout the Chesapeake Bay region and hopes to eventually offer charter flights connecting St. Michaels with destinations across the Mid-Atlantic.
“As a company, we provide safe charter via planes that land on runways and water,” Riggs said. “We operate amphibious seaplanes all over the Chesapeake Bay and the eastern seaboard, primarily the Mid-Atlantic.”
Riggs says the long-term goal would be to allow passengers to arrive closer to town.
“What this will look like, hopefully, is that we will be able to pull into the Saint Michael's harbor and pull up to a dedicated seaplane dock and bring people off and on the plane,” Riggs told WBOC.
The proposal has generated both support and concern among the community.
Nicole Giordano, a local boater, worries about how seaplane operations could affect safety on busy waterways.
“My biggest concern is the safety of the children that sail out of the yacht club,” Giordano said.
She says boat traffic on peak weekends could create challenges.
“On a very busy weekend or on holiday weekend, there are hundreds, maybe a thousand boats out here and many anchored out where we just saw him land multiple times. And that's dangerous,” Giordano said.
Others see potential economic benefits.
Jaime Windon, who owns a St. Michaels distillery, supports the idea.
“I’m all for it,” Windon said.
Windon believes the service could attract new visitors to the waterfront town.
“When I see someone that wants to come to Saint Michael's and bring something that's really interesting and innovative and exciting, like a seaplane, I'm really interested in seeing it happen,” Windon said.
Roy Myers, who lives in St. Michaels, says his concern centers on the proposed location.
“It includes the open anchorage, where we have many boats anchored out in that area, and includes the area where we have a lot of recreational boating, like log canoes,” Myers said.
Riggs says the Federal Aviation Administration has already completed its review of the proposed seaplane base area. He says no seaplane dock is being established at this time and that the company will continue working with neighbors and local officials as discussions move forward.
