Patent ID: 8430356

Claim:
A general aviation class amphibious aircraft adapted to take off and land on water, comprising: a. at least one fuselage and a wing connected to the at least one fuselage; b. a power plant having a propeller, the power plant coupled to an aft portion of the at least one fuselage; c. a shroud surrounding the propeller; and d. at least two floats coupled to the wing, wherein each float comprises: i) a step that is located on a bottom surface of each float at a point that is forward of the location at which the bottom surface of the float intersects a line that (1) passes through a center of gravity of the aircraft and (2) is oriented at an angle of six degrees rearward from vertical, ii) a forward portion located forward of the step, the forward portion including a ski surface that is planar in a left to right horizontal direction, and iii) an aft portion located rearward of the step.