Florida City Takes Seaplane Entrepreneur Under Its Wing
By Tim Cotroneo
When Peter Closi shifted from the helicopter industry to the seaplane industry, he didn’t realize the move would lead to being embraced by an entire city. That’s exactly what happened after his 2020 purchase of Jones Brothers Air and Seaplane Adventures in Tavares, FL.
A self-described serial entrepreneur, Closi owned, operated, and flew for a Key West helicopter company. He followed that up with a St. Pete seaplane training, charter, and excursion business. Closi looked 125 miles northeast for his next venture, and he discovered a similar airborne company, only this time featuring a city that was all-in on seaplanes.
“Two weeks after I purchased Jones Brothers in December of 2020, I received an early Christmas present. The city of Tavares refers to itself as Seaplane City, and during the holiday season they put on a fly-in as part of their community festivities. Santa hops in a seaplane, and then the fireworks begin. The whole town gets involved. I was thrilled to learn that Tavares loves their seaplanes,” Closi said.
Long Time No Sea
Closi received a second surprise when he gathered with the handful of Jones Brothers employees. “One of the pilots was Paul Lindsay. Paul taught me to fly when I was earning my rating. Seeing Paul again reminded me that the seaplane world is pretty small,” Closi noted.
Lindsay is Jones Brothers longest tenured pilot. His seaplane story goes back to the early 70s when he was a teenager, and his mom enrolled him in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Paul’s Big Brother was a pilot. On their first meeting he took Paul on a seaplane flight. After his initial flying experience Lindsay was hooked, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Lindsay has always worked two jobs around the Tavares area. By day he serves as a boat captain for Premier Boat Tours in Mount Dora, FL. “I’d see the planes fly overhead during my boat tours and thought that it looked like fun. Now I’ve got two great jobs cruising the lake with a propeller on the back and flying for Jones with a propeller in the front,” Lindsay said.
More Than a Nickname
Part of the appeal of operating a seaplane enterprise in Tavares, FL, is the city’s nickname. In 2010, this central Florida town of 22,000 residents was looking to revive its downtown business. With the area’s history of hosting the first American seaplane flight in 1914, City Administrator John Drury proposed the nickname of “Seaplane City” before the city council. The branding almost immediately delivered dividends with Tavares’ waterfront and local restaurants feeling an uptick in tourism and pride. This initiative also caused a stir in the seaplane world with pilots looking to experience the area’s Chain of Lakes.
Tavares and Jones Brothers Air and Seaplane Adventures are continually coming up with new excursions and events tied to the hometown’s 4,400-acre Lake Dora. Planes, Tunes, and BBQ is held in the spring. Tavares jumps with barbecue, live music, a drone show, and a melon drop contest featuring Jone Brothers pilots and planes. In the fall, Rocktoberfest combines rock music with seaplane competitions, and the now famous “Pumpkin Drop.” A drawing is held to determine who gets to drop the pumpkin from a Cessna.
Jones Brothers year-round tour and excursion menu includes the Lake Dora Splash and Dash, the Harris Chain and River Run, the Gator Tour, and a Sunset Celebration. Other popular options feature a Breakfast Fly-in, a Romantic Dinner Fly-in, and a Seaplane Bar Hop. Over the course of the year, seaplanes become key players in birthdays, anniversaries, and marriage proposals.
Jones Brothers is also a go-to for future pilots looking to earn their seaplane wings as the company is a Gold Seal Certified Flight School. The Lake County area, with its 1,400 lakes, makes the Jones Brothers launch a perfect site for those seeking to turn their flying dreams into a reality.
Spirit of the Jones
Closi is proud of his team of pilots, office staff, fleet of six seaplanes, and the 2,200 passengers they took airborne in 2025. Closi also feels a close bond with the city of Tavares.
Since taking over the reins of Jones Brothers, Closi has observed, and appreciated, how his business works hand-in-hand with the city. “What we have here is similar to a marriage. There is a bigger picture ripple with the decisions we make at Jones Brothers. Everything we do impacts the image of the city and other area businesses. There is a wonderful synergy here,” Closi said.
As for the name of Jones Brothers, how did that come about? Closi paused and replied, “When I took over the business I asked about the name. A lot of our customers ask about the name. The story that’s been handed down is that because there is a sense of adventure with seaplanes, we’re like Indiana Jones. So even though none of us have the last name Jones, we’re all Jones in spirit.” https://www.jonesairandsea.com/
