Following the success of the inaugural Future Opportunities for Seaplanes and Amphibious Aviation (FOSAA) earlier this year, the second edition of the event will be held in Miami in February 2025.
The debut FOSAA, which was held in Venice in March, underpinned the burgeoning renaissance of amphibious aviation and seaplanes. Since then start-up OEMs such as Jekta have seen increased interest in their amphibious aircraft. In July ZeroAvia announced a partnerships with Jekta to develop a hydrogen-electric solution for amphibious aircraft, while Seaplane Asia has placed an order for 13 of Jekta’s PHA-ZE 100 aircraft. Meanwhile South Korean lessor, Solyu, has agreed to finance 30 of the amphibious aircraft, taking pre-interest in the PHA-ZE 100 to over USD1 billion. Jekta, as well as fellow start-up OEM Elfly will be attending next year’s event in Miami alongside other OEMS, operators, supply chain stakeholders and sponsors including Satcom Direct.
In 2025, the return of FOSAA is once again set to bring together stakeholders from across the globe to delve deeper into the growing potential and opportunities for the sector. The event will build on the theme of growing successful operations, with topics reflecting resources, infrastructure, tourism development, powertrain options, retrofitting and regulations. In addition to the conferencing, the 2025 event will feature networking opportunities and a roundtable session to open up discussions on the environmental impact of amphibious aviation, training requirements, connectivity, interiors and the passenger experience.
As one of the most successful amphibious airlines, Tropic Ocean Airlines CEO and founder, Rob Ceravolo, who was formerly an Officer and Aviator in the US Navy, will share the lessons learned transitioning from fast jets to seaplanes, while outlining how the skills he learned in the force have supported the evolution from start-up to established operator.
Lorna Titley, Director Quaynote Communications, noted that since the event in March, the sector is seeing increasing interest as the “benefits of the flexibility, multiple operating parameters and diverse applications for these aircraft to the global air transport network are acknowledged.”
Hosting next year’s event in Miami is a strategic win with resort developers, the yachting industry and tourism providers already expressing an interest. “We were oversubscribed in Venice and expect as much if not more interest this year with a wide range of topics and world-class speakers,” Titley said.
Image source: Future Opportunities for Seaplanes and Amphibious Aviation.
