What is the primary capability of pontoon planes?

Pontoon planes, also known as seaplanes, are specifically designed to take off and land on water thanks to their buoyant pontoon structures. These pontoons provide the necessary flotation and stability that allow the aircraft to operate on surfaces like lakes, rivers, and oceans. By being able to utilize water as a runway, pontoon planes can access regions where traditional land-based runways are not available, making them highly versatile for various maritime operations, such as search and rescue, transport, and recreational flying.

The other options pertain to capabilities that are not applicable to pontoon planes: they do not take off from aircraft carriers, which typically requires the aircraft to be designed for catapults; they do not skim the waves like hovercraft or other vehicles; and they do not rise vertically using rotors since that describes rotary-wing aircraft such as helicopters. The primary advantage of pontoon planes is indeed their ability to operate directly from water surfaces, which is crucial for their function.