An amphibious aircraft, also known as a SEAPLANE, is an aircraft that is capable of taking off and landing on both land and water. It is designed to operate from water surfaces as well as from conventional airports. The most common type of amphibious aircraft is the floatplane, which has floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy in the water. Other types of amphibious aircraft include flying boats, which have a hull instead of floats, and amphibious helicopters, which are equipped with retractable floats.