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A Piston Beaver floatplane is shown arriving at Orcas Island, Washington.  Orcas Island is located in the San Juan Island chain off the northern Washington coast and is a 30 to 45 minute flight from Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport. 

The Piston deHavilland Beaver is considered to be the most successful floatplane ever built. The Beaver, which seats 7 (a pilot and six passengers) and has a maximum cargo payload of 2000 pounds, also has a thick wing for maximum lift, a very sturdy structure and a 450 horsepower Pratt Whitney R-985 radial engine. The last Piston Beaver was made in 1967.

 

 

This page updated or reviewed in January 2010