X3 Skier
En-Route
I went to St Charles MO Regional Airport this past weekend for a short course in Seaplane Flying and to hopefully get my ASES LSA rating. Flying Fish LLC flyingfishseaplanes.com was the one I chose. Three day program with 6 hours of flight time including either a proficiency check with a different instructor for the LSA Version or a checkride with a examiner for the full version.
Flying Fish provides study material prior to arrival so I was familiar with the ideas about water ops and the SeaRey. The first day was a short ground school on the basics of water ops and then out to the SeaRey amphib for preflight. Scott, my instructor, walked me a thorough preflight and we “boarded” the flying boat. The Rotax 914 was balky for the start, it being a 90 degree day. After consulting with Chris, the company owner, the engine started on the next try. Chris observed that Rotax can be a bi*** on a hot day. I observed I knew a girl like that. With that we taxied for takeoff in the middle of a Young Eagles day by the local EAA Chapter.
We spent 2 hours mostly “see then do” and at the end, I was accomplishing sort of decent normal water landings and takeoffs on the three rivers near the airport and making a “torpedo attack” on a River barge gaggle.
After a good debrief, I went back to the hotel for some serious chair flying.
Second day started with a ground review and the Rotax fired right up this time when we tried. This day was spent on various special types of water landings including the most dangerous type, glassy water where you have zero idea of your height above the surface so you just fly it on in a less violent version of a carrier landing.
Since I never water landed with the gear down, a major catastrophe in a seaplane, and apparently performed adequately otherwise, Scott signed me off for the proficiency check with Chris as the CFI. Scott was always available to answer questions while I did some more chair flying that evening.
The next day, Scott went thru an oral review of seaplane stuff before turning me over to Chris.
We took to the task of flying on a pretty gusty day after the oral and Chris would request a type of landing and let me screw up or squeak by each type. One of the more interesting maneuvers was engine failure where you sort of point the airplane right down at the River to maintain high enough flying speed as to not become a submarine or auger in after stalling. The whole ride took about an hour including a brief formation join up with a passing Bald Eagle and at the end, Chris signed me off as a seaplane LSA pilot.
One of the most fun things I’ve done in an aircraft including taxiing out of the River, parking in a riverside restaurant parking lot and having lunch.
If you’re looking for a good diversion from your standard flying, check out Flying Fish and pick up another rating. They have two locations, one in St Charles MO and the second in Winter Haven FL. Even if you fail the check ride, it’s a blast plopping down in the H2O.
Cheers
Flying Fish provides study material prior to arrival so I was familiar with the ideas about water ops and the SeaRey. The first day was a short ground school on the basics of water ops and then out to the SeaRey amphib for preflight. Scott, my instructor, walked me a thorough preflight and we “boarded” the flying boat. The Rotax 914 was balky for the start, it being a 90 degree day. After consulting with Chris, the company owner, the engine started on the next try. Chris observed that Rotax can be a bi*** on a hot day. I observed I knew a girl like that. With that we taxied for takeoff in the middle of a Young Eagles day by the local EAA Chapter.
We spent 2 hours mostly “see then do” and at the end, I was accomplishing sort of decent normal water landings and takeoffs on the three rivers near the airport and making a “torpedo attack” on a River barge gaggle.
After a good debrief, I went back to the hotel for some serious chair flying.
Second day started with a ground review and the Rotax fired right up this time when we tried. This day was spent on various special types of water landings including the most dangerous type, glassy water where you have zero idea of your height above the surface so you just fly it on in a less violent version of a carrier landing.
Since I never water landed with the gear down, a major catastrophe in a seaplane, and apparently performed adequately otherwise, Scott signed me off for the proficiency check with Chris as the CFI. Scott was always available to answer questions while I did some more chair flying that evening.
The next day, Scott went thru an oral review of seaplane stuff before turning me over to Chris.
We took to the task of flying on a pretty gusty day after the oral and Chris would request a type of landing and let me screw up or squeak by each type. One of the more interesting maneuvers was engine failure where you sort of point the airplane right down at the River to maintain high enough flying speed as to not become a submarine or auger in after stalling. The whole ride took about an hour including a brief formation join up with a passing Bald Eagle and at the end, Chris signed me off as a seaplane LSA pilot.
One of the most fun things I’ve done in an aircraft including taxiing out of the River, parking in a riverside restaurant parking lot and having lunch.
If you’re looking for a good diversion from your standard flying, check out Flying Fish and pick up another rating. They have two locations, one in St Charles MO and the second in Winter Haven FL. Even if you fail the check ride, it’s a blast plopping down in the H2O.
Cheers
