Amphibian L-65 - maximum comfort for four over 2500 km of travel

On the one hand, this is a continuation of the modernization of the popular seaplanes L-44 and L-45. On the other hand, there is a lightweight version of the heavier L-72 boat. The company that produces it, Chaika, positions its amphibian as the best vehicle designed for four people.


The main difference from previous models is less weight. Instead of the relatively large Lycomings, a pair of Rotax-915iS-3 was used, developing a total of 280 “horses”. The amphibian felt lighter, but had to sacrifice speed: “maximum speed” dropped to 260, “cruising” – 230 km/h.


But there was a serious plus - the maximum distance covered (with full load) reached 2,5 thousand km. To take off, the L-65 requires a runway with any surface or a strip of water of 250 m (150 m is enough for an empty one).

Seaplane production

The Chaika company has been producing flying boats since 2005. Previously, these were the L-42, 44 and 45 vehicles. Since 2019, the L-65 has taken the leading position in the list of manufactured products. Its technical advantages are the ease of control of the power unit. There is no need to suck anything in, warm it up, or pump it up. Just press the “Power” button first and then the “Start” button.


The design of the seaplane is reliable and consists of profiled steel and aluminum elements. Some parts are made of carbon fiber.

Without load, the car can already cover 4 thousand km. Fuel is placed in caisson tanks inside the wings (500 l), as well as in soft hydroplane tanks.

In the cabin

The avionics "composition" is solid. Considering that the amphibian is intended for long-distance flights, the pilot's panel has instruments for as many as three navigation systems. These are Garmin-430 made in the USA, the AirNavPro application and MGL (developed in South Africa). Necessary information about the location Aircraft is displayed on a ten-inch monitor. Communication is carried out via a pair of aviation and one marine radio station. There is a satellite phone. So you won't get lost!


The amphibian's cabin can comfortably accommodate four people, including the pilot, even those of substantial build - there is plenty of room for everyone. Inside there are many pockets, drawers, cup holders, shelves for things and all kinds of small things. The cabin uses special sound-absorbing panels and mats that seriously reduce noise levels. According to the manufacturer, the cabin and cockpit dimensions are the largest in the world for four-seat aircraft.


At the buyer's request, a dry closet is installed in the aircraft. And instead of a luggage compartment, you can place a couple more seats, turning the seaplane into a six-seater car.

Security

The Austrian engines installed on the machine have long established themselves in the world as reliable units. However, if one of them fails, the flight can continue on the second. For better safety when landing, the car is equipped with certified seat belts, and in extreme cases, a rescue parachute system that is instantly activated in an emergency.

Where are L-65 used and how much does it cost?

Most often these are long trips, tourism, recreation, including hunting and fishing. However, amphibians may also be needed by organizations. For example, for monitoring power lines, gas and oil pipelines, or counting the number of animals. In general, the car will come in handy where you need to fly far, spending up to 12,5 hours in the air. The cost of the new amphibian on the official website is available upon request. There are private advertisements for the sale of new cars in 2022 at a price of 65 million rubles, used ones (190 hours of flight time) - 59,7 million rubles.