Questions Re: Getting a sea plane rating

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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1st. Where is a good resource to get some basic questions answered?

2nd, here are my basic questions.

a. ballpark what is an average time to get the rating (for a mediocre ASEL pilot) And what are hour requirements.

b. Are there sea plane rentals (specifically in the DFW area if anyone knows)

c. How do I know where I can land.
I am at our laehouse today and I think it would be a blast to fly out here and pull up to the slip.

Maybe there is an ADF for lakes that have designated areas or is it just if the area is clear, you can land? :dunno:

What other considerations should someone that has no clue about this be thinking?


Thanks in advance for any tips / advice.
 
I got mine a few years back.

Day #1
Training in morning.
Lunch
Training in afternoon.

Day #2
Review in the morning
Lunch
Checkride in the afternoon.

As far as where you can land one, that varies from state to state and municipality. In Michigan, I can legally land and takeoff on any navigable body of water except Reeds Lake and (I think) Lake Angelus.

I did mine with http://www.traverseair.com/
 
It's a weekend thing, much like getting your multi.

As far as rentals, :lol:

No, and the very few places that do rent would want much more than just a wet ticket SES.

As for where to land, we could talk about that till kingdom come.

Easy answer is just land at the places in the water landing directory here
http://www.seaplanes.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=235

Outside of that, you need to check with who controls the waterway, I also like to talk with the local police too (that's who's going to get the complaint call), of course verify that where you're landing isn't in any airspace that will cause a problem for you.

Even if you can land there, many variables, current, floating objects, people, DA, turns, etc.


For my landing area by the house I called the department that controls our waterways, verified the topos and parks boundary maps, my current sectionals, called both police departments who have have jurisdiction, patrolled the entire landing area, verified the depth from a slew of different websites, then checked myself.

After that I still circled 4 or 5 times low level, did one pass just off the water before landing, the landing was down current and shortly after touching down you start a turn, so it is a turning takeoff and landing, trees on both sides to 50-100' on a narrow river. Not something I'd want to do in a low power plane.


All that said, float flying is by far the most fun I've had in a plane, it changes the way you look at things and really makes the generic trike rentals look boring.

Books wise, notes of a seaplane instructor is a great into and basic training book

http://www.lakeandair.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=4005

Seaplane operations is a more in depth and advanced book

http://www.lakeandair.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=4023

The FAA also has some free pubs, but for your case I'd just get notes of a seaplane instructor
 
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Ohio, for instance, you can't land anywhere unless you have prior permission. Exceptions are the Ohio River, Lake Erie (I think) and one broadly-allowed lake somewhere in the state. Other than that, banned unless you have permission from the controlling agency/property owner.
 
Between 6 & 10 hrs to get the rating, typically a weekend thing. Rentals? Not really, no. There are a couple places where it happens, but not many. In your area though an Eipper Quicksilver MXII on amphibs is an affordable bit of fun, and even more capable planes aren't a big deal to have on straight floats, the tricky part is having an amphib. The most affordable full plane amphib is a Lake Buccaneer.
 
The bulk of SES training involves how to handle the thing on the water, how to do runups while taxiing, how to do step turns, how to taxi downwind (not as easy as it sounds) how to dock, marine right of way rules etc. You'll have to learn glassy water landing techniques.

The reason there are no rentals and the reason insurance is so high is not because seaplanes are difficult or dangerous, it's because you can land them in places that are completely undeveloped and uncontrolled so, hit a rock or a log and now you have a disabled aircraft in a place where recovery can be phenomenally difficult and expensive.
 
Amphibs are great, but you really have to verify your gear, many folks have gotten hurt not doing that, insurance rates prove this.

One of the best budget float planes I've seen was a 150hp Cessna 150 on straight floats, saw one for like under 30k if memory serves.
 
My ASES took right at 10 hours including checkride. It can probably be done in less time though. Mine took a little longer as part of the program was landing on different lakes under different conditions. I have heard where other programs just use the same body of water, sort of like landing on the same runway each time. I really enjoyed getting mine. It was in Wisconsin.

Solo rentals are hard to find due to insurance issues but there are some out there.

You can find out what bodies of water are seaplane friendly, which are prohibitive and which are restrictive from the Seaplane Pilots Association directory.
 
There are two flight schools within an hour that have sea planes. One has a Colonial Skimmer but it is dual only. The other flight school here just added a 172 on floats to its stable. I asked about rentals because I had heard the same thing that they are hard to find. They said something about a "proving" process with the insurance company before it can be rented solo. Seems to me you simply have the renter show they have valid non-owned insurance for say 75% of the value or more and rent it.

There is an older guy around here who has a Waco and Champ on floats that told me he lets people fly it after they get their rating because there are none to rent and he knows people want to get a little solo time.
 
Since this is a sea rating, ur gonna want to find as much seamen as you can get before you start training. Since ur new it'll seem like they're throwing a load at you but just swallow as much as you can and it'll get easier from there. Seamen can be tough so don't get all choked up, you'll do fine.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
1st. Where is a good resource to get some basic questions answered?

2nd, here are my basic questions.

a. ballpark what is an average time to get the rating (for a mediocre ASEL pilot) And what are hour requirements.

b. Are there sea plane rentals (specifically in the DFW area if anyone knows)

c. How do I know where I can land.
I am at our laehouse today and I think it would be a blast to fly out here and pull up to the slip.

Maybe there is an ADF for lakes that have designated areas or is it just if the area is clear, you can land? :dunno:

What other considerations should someone that has no clue about this be thinking?


Thanks in advance for any tips / advice.
Click to expand...

There's a place here that has a plane and has been looking to get up and running for training and rentals. I don't want to rat them out because they're not ready yet, but I can pass along your interest. I can't answer your other questions because I haven't had the training yet....
 
The SEAS is the best example of license to learn that I know of. C'mon up to God's country and fly on and off small rivers and streams. Step turns to take off around corners, landing over tall trees and dodging sandbars.... Flowing waters are where the fish live!

I don't fly floats anymore. High maintenance, expensive mooring, expensive insurance....
 
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2 days, 5 hours.

I did it with Tom at Traverse Air and the whole experience was top notch.
 
eman1200 said:
Since this is a sea rating, ur gonna want to find as much seamen as you can get before you start training. Since ur new it'll seem like they're throwing a load at you but just swallow as much as you can and it'll get easier from there. Seamen can be tough so don't get all choked up, you'll do fine.
Click to expand...

I'm dying!
That is the funniest thing I think i have read
 
two days at jack browns in winter haven fl

you get to strike two things off your bucket list

1. SES
2. fly a J3
 
Stewartb said:
The SEAS is the best example of license to learn that I know of. C'mon up to God's country and fly on and off small rivers and streams. Step turns to take off around corners, landing over tall trees and dodging sandbars.... Flowing waters are where the fish live!

I don't fly floats anymore. High maintenance, expensive mooring, expensive insurance....
Click to expand...

I did both SES and MES on the Colorado River. Heck was even landing the BE-18 in turns.:D Dealing with river currents is interesting as well. For fun though, you can't really beat flying off the water.
 
I just got my rating 2 weeks ago up in Alaska. It took me 9 hours including checkride.

http://alaskafloatratings.com/

Great mountain location with dozens of different lakes in a close proximity, each unique and often with different wind and water characteristics. That meant we got to easily practice all the different kinds of landing/takeoff techniques. They have 2 Super Cubs for training.

It seems like most places that rent won't do it with less than 500 hours float time!!!! The easiest way to fly floats solo is to just buy your own floatplane. Not very practical for most people, including me, lol.

I remember some guy up there saying he got his rating in Texas somewhere.
 

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EdFred said:
I got mine a few years back.

Day #1
Training in morning.
Lunch
Training in afternoon.

Day #2
Review in the morning
Lunch
Checkride in the afternoon.

As far as where you can land one, that varies from state to state and municipality. In Michigan, I can legally land and takeoff on any navigable body of water except Reeds Lake and (I think) Lake Angelus.

I did mine with http://www.traverseair.com/
Click to expand...


Very cool. I think I'll look into this.

There was a group at the Sporty's fly-in out of Lawrenceburg, IN that had a package deal to get your ASES ticket. I think it was around $2000, IIRC. They did the training on the Ohio River.
 
Did mine with Kenmore in WA, same type of structured layout, first day there we set up the date for my checkride.

10hr program, finished with a couple hours left over.
 
overtorqued said:
2 days, 5 hours.

I did it with Tom at Traverse Air and the whole experience was top notch.
Click to expand...

I will do a SES add on some day and it will be with Tom for sure. The nicest guy I have ever met hands down.
 
James331 said:
Did mine with Kenmore in WA, same type of structured layout, first day there we set up the date for my checkride.

10hr program, finished with a couple hours left over.
Click to expand...

Kenmore Air Harbor. I did mine in 6 IIRC, including the check ride. You learn step taxiing, sailing, mooring, glassy water + confined area + rough water TO/Land, and docking procedures. It is real simple. They pump out so many SES pilots that they don't write out endorsements, they have a big rubber stamp.
 
Lots of places on the chesapeake bay one can land on. I took my lessons in an 85 hp taylorcraft over about three weekends but never used it as there was nothing to fly. However, I could see that there was ALOT more to it than just the rating and would require lots of hours to be good at it, docking, glassy water takeoff, distance judging, getting it up on one float,etc, etc.
 
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