| Type | Not for profit | |
| Founded | 1972 | |
| Headquarters | Lakeland, Florida, United States | |
| Membership | Individuals and companies | |
| Field | Aviation advocacy | |
| Number of Members Worldwide | 7,950 (2005) | |
| Founders | David Quam, Robert Murray, Al Lisch and William Hooper | |
| Chairman of the Board | Phillip Lockwood | |
| Executive Director | Steve McCaughey | |
| Website |
The association was founded by David Quam, Robert Murray, Al Lisch and William Hooper in 1972. The founding purpose of the Association was to protect seaplane access to public waters, promote seaplane flying and publish a member Newsletter and Seaplane Base Directory.[1] SPA states that its mission is, "to be the voice of the seaplane community and to represent the interests of seaplane enthusiasts on the federal, state, and local levels. It includes ensuring fairness and equality for seaplanes to share public waterways with all other user groups. Other key elements of our Mission include Safety, Education, and Environmental Stewardship."[2]
With corporate headquarters in Lakeland, Florida, SPA has established a network of Field Directors in every region of the U.S. and Canada who serve to coordinate the group's efforts and interface with local authorities and infrastructure.
The primary publication of the Seaplane Pilots Association is WaterFlying Magazine. It is the only nationally-published seaplane magazine in the world.[3]
For active pilots, SPA also publishes the Water Landing Directory, the nation's only resource for waterway regulations. The directory contains waterway information, access regulations, shore side facilities, trip planning, and more.[4]
In addition to its advocacy and education mission, SPA has two other major programs.