Lake LA-4-180 Skimmer

Lake Aircraft · United States · first flew 1959 · light aircraft

The Lake LA-4-180 Skimmer is a four-seat amphibious light aircraft with a distinctive above-fuselage pusher engine and flying-boat hull, designed for combined land and water operations.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Pusher engine mounted above fuselage on pylon
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Pusher engine mounted above fuselage on pylon
Amphibious flying boat hull
High-wing layout with sponsons for water stability

Unmistakable amphibian with a boat hull, prominent wing-mounted sponsons, high straight wing, and a pusher engine mounted above and behind the cabin on a streamlined pylon.

Specifications

The Lake LA-4-180 Skimmer has a length of 7.59 m (25 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.58 m (38 ft).
Its maximum speed is 248 km/h (154 mph).
Typical crew: 1-2, up to 4 occupants.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Derived from the Colonial Skimmer designed by David Thurston in the early 1950s, the design passed to Lake Aircraft, which refined and certificated the LA-4 series; the 180-horsepower Lycoming-engined variant became the definitive production model.

Variants

The LA-4 family includes the original 150 hp model and the LA-4-200 Buccaneer with greater power; the Seawolf is a turbocharged variant, and Renegade is a stretched six-seat derivative.

Where you'll see it

The LA-4-180 found favour with private owners, flying clubs, and utility operators throughout North America and internationally, prized for its unique amphibious capability in areas with lakes and coastal access.

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