Seaplanes?

Jose wrote:
The accident rate for dual is not bad, it is when pilots go into the
wild and have trouble on unmarked waterways, wilderness rivers and
lakes that the accident rates go up.


What are the typical kinds of accidents and incidents that seaplanes get
into?

Jose
My instructor was adamant about flying the glassy-water approach and not
looking down. Everytime we heard about a seaplane accident he'd say
something like, "See. That's what happens if you don't use the
glass-water technique."

There are lots of things seaplanes are vulnerable to. Hitting a wave
and catching a float tip. Clipping a tree top trying to get out of a
small pond somewhere. And then there are always problems with the
idiots that try to race the plane during high speed taxi or worse, play
"chicken" with it.

Also if you flip a seaplane, all the electronics will be ruined. That
adds to the price of your insurance.

Then there is the corrosion problem if somebody takes the plane to salt
water, even if he does wash it off.

There is another class of accident where you fail to pick up a mooring
and drift down the river and over the dam (damn!?). It helps to have
some sailboat experience in this case. And if you are flying it from
the right seat solo, you might fall out off the float.

And if you don't "rake" a new landing area before landing, you can hit a
rock and puncture a float.

Bottom line: Seaplanes insurance should be more expensive!

Submerged objects, unmarked powerlines, weather related
forced landings.


"Jose" wrote in message
...
| The accident rate for dual is not bad, it is when pilots
go
| into the wild and have trouble on unmarked waterways,
| wilderness rivers and lakes that the accident rates go
up.
|
| What are the typical kinds of accidents and incidents that
seaplanes get
| into?
|
| Jose
| --
| You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose
whom to love.
| for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Most seaplane accidents are really boating accidents. Dumbest ones are easy:
trying to take off with the anchor out. Not checking the floats for leaks
and coming back in the morning to find your moored plane sunk to the wings.
Drifting backward into the dam while trying to start the engine. Trying to
turn upwind during a high-speed taxi (the wind can get under the inside wing
and flip you). Sailing backward in rough seas and burying the elevator.
Misjudging current near the dock and drifting into the Beaver at the next
bollard. Landing on a high-elevation lake and not having enough power to
unstick on take-off -- or worse, having just enough power to collect trees
on the far side of lake. Hitting a log floating just below the surface.
Hitting a duck (unlikely -- they hear you coming). Hitting a drunken
jetskier (they don't hear anything).

But the single most common accident is landing on your butt on the mossy
ramp because your deck shoes didn't hold. The guy with the wet spot on his
jeans from ass to knee is the floatplane pilot.

Seth



"Jose" wrote in message
...
The accident rate for dual is not bad, it is when pilots go into the wild
and have trouble on unmarked waterways, wilderness rivers and lakes that
the accident rates go up.

What are the typical kinds of accidents and incidents that seaplanes get
into?

Jose
--
You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose whom to love.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

Letting the front of the floats get water over them resulting in a nose
over. We had two in NorCal last year. You gotta keep the yoke all the
way back, just like in a taildragger.

-Robert

On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 09:59:30 -0800, "Bob Gardner"
wrote in ::

Rachel, you will have a heck of a time trying to find a rental.

Of course, one can always purchase one:
http://www.cubcrafters.com/cci/airpl...PartID=174 96

Don't forget Legend Aircraft for the Legend Cub.



"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
| On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 09:59:30 -0800, "Bob Gardner"

| wrote in ::
|
| Rachel, you will have a heck of a time trying to find a
rental.
|
| Of course, one can always purchase one:
|
http://www.cubcrafters.com/cci/airpl...PartID=174 96

On Sun, 4 Dec 2005 23:58:05 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
wrote in
tKQkf.11646$QW2.11307@dukeread08::

Don't forget Legend Aircraft for the Legend Cub.

http://www.legend.aero/index.cfm
Base price configuration of $74,000,

The American Legend Cub is a LSA, so a pilot won't need a medical to
fly it, but it's only 100 HP, and lacks the performance of the
Cubcrafters 180 HP product (base price about double the Legend).
There's a good Legend Cub article he
http://www.flyingmag.com/article.asp...age_numb er=1

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 4 Dec 2005 23:58:05 -0600, "Jim Macklin"
wrote in
tKQkf.11646$QW2.11307@dukeread08::

Don't forget Legend Aircraft for the Legend Cub.

http://www.legend.aero/index.cfm
Base price configuration of $74,000,

The American Legend Cub is a LSA, so a pilot won't need a medical to
fly it, but it's only 100 HP, and lacks the performance of the
Cubcrafters 180 HP product (base price about double the Legend).
There's a good Legend Cub article he
http://www.flyingmag.com/article.asp...age_numb er=1


The only one worth considering
http://www.seawind.biz/

("Larry Dighera" wrote)
The American Legend Cub is a LSA, so a pilot won't need a medical to
fly it, ...


Question: Is it a LSA or an LSA?

I can see "a" ...for a Light Sport Aircraft

But here, is it "an" ...for an (L)SA as in elephant?

Curious. My eyes see it one way, my ears hear it another.


Montblack
Never met a comma I didn't like.

"Montblack" wrote in message
...
("Larry Dighera" wrote)
The American Legend Cub is a LSA, so a pilot won't need a medical to
fly it, ...


Question: Is it a LSA or an LSA?

I can see "a" ...for a Light Sport Aircraft

But here, is it "an" ...for an (L)SA as in elephant?

Curious. My eyes see it one way, my ears hear it another.


Montblack
Never met a comma I didn't like.

I believe it would be an "a" because of how the first word that is
abbreviated is actually pronounced.

A Light ... and not An Light ...

Jay Beckman
I Are An College Graduate