Airboat training and operator courses taught by 20+ year captains

You steer with a stick that moves the rudders behind the prop, and you control speed with a foot throttle. Most airboats have no brakes and no reverse, so you slow down early and plan the space you need to stop. The boat slides through turns, which means you set up a turn before you're in it. Hands-on time with a captain is the fastest way to learn it.

Start every run with a pre-run check of the prop, cage, rudders, fuel, oil and battery. Wear hearing protection, keep passengers seated and clear of the cage, and know the water before you run it. Give other boats and people plenty of room, because an airboat can't stop short.

Most courses run 2 to 5 days, depending on the operators' experience, the size of the team and the missions they run. Day 1 covers safety and baseline handling, days 2 and 3 cover terrain and scenarios, and days 4 and 5 add fleet standards and instructor development when a crew needs them.

$3,000 to $5,000 per operator, with a minimum of four operators. Course length, travel and whether you train on your boats or Patriot's set the final number. Agency and fleet programs are priced as a group, which lowers the cost per operator.

Yes. Every operator who finishes gets a certificate of completion. If your agency or employer works to a specific standard, tell the shop when you book, and the course and the certificate are set up to meet it.

Faron Floyd, Bryan Edwards and Kris Anderson. All three hold a U.S. Coast Guard OUPV license and have run airboats for more than 20 years. Bryan leads rescue training in swift water and ice.

Yes. Train at the Patriot shop in Vidor, Texas, or the captains come to you. On-site courses use your local conditions and access points, on your boats or Patriot's.

Patriot's training partners include the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the Orange County, Jefferson County and Harrison County sheriffs; the British Army, Iraqi Forces, Nigerian Navy and Royal Thai Army; and Chinese National Petroleum Corp. and Cameron LNG.

Every new Patriot is water tested before it leaves the shop, and training is a separate course. New Patriot owners get a discount on training, typically 20 percent, set when the boat is bought.

Yes. Bryan Edwards specializes in rescue-style operations, including swift water and ice. Tell the shop what conditions your crew faces, and the scenarios are built around them.

Yes. Instructor development is part of days 4 and 5, so your agency can bring new operators up to the same standard between Patriot courses.