Pacific Northwest seaplane pilots have pioneered a program that would allow pilots to perform their own invasive species inspections prior to landing in another state’s waters rather than requiring state or federal inspectors to perform the examination.
Participants watch an educational video, take an accompanying quiz, and pocket a completion certificate. The course describes how to analyze seaplane aircraft for contamination, and if detected, how to rid the invasive species from the craft. The novel plan was rolled out in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana a few weeks ago and is gaining traction. Proponents say it could lower the cost of inspections for pilots, speed up interstate transport for floatplanes, and lessen the burden for government examiners.