Seaplane training

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Kingairdude

Filing Flight Plan
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Kingair
Hello all,

I have always wanted to get single-engine sea added. Those that have done it say it was their favorite training and rating. I have an ATP SEL and MEL. What are the requirements to add to ATP? Can I do it in cub or do I have to shoot an approach in IFR seaplane? Would like to do same in twin seaplane. The ATP pts does not have the task chart or information that the private and commercial pts have.

Thanks

Rob
 
Couldn't tell you for certain but there's not much different about flying and navigating a seaplane from a land plane. The bulk of the training is take-offs, landings and on water operations such as sailing and step turns. In fact just about all of my checkride consisted of glassy water landings.
 
Kingairdude said:
Would like to do same in twin seaplane
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I don't have a sea plane rating, nor have I done much research on the topic, but I was told that there is only one sea plane rating. So no multi and single, just sea.
Can someone confirm this?
 
Checkout the Twin SeaBee training available in Tavares FL and the Twin Aztec? (I think Henning's flown it) available at Lake Havasu. Those CFIs can give you your answers about twin sea (MES) and the ATP stuff.
 
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MachFly said:
I don't have a sea plane rating, nor have I done much research on the topic, but I was told that there is only one sea plane rating. So no multi and single, just sea.
Can someone confirm this?
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There are single engine sea and multi engine sea class ratings.
 
ajstoner21 said:
There are single engine sea and multi engine sea class ratings.
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Okay so say you have ASEL & AMEL, when you get your seaplane you'll need to take a separate checkride for ASES & AMES?
 
Kingairdude said:
Hello all,

I have always wanted to get single-engine sea added. Those that have done it say it was their favorite training and rating. I have an ATP SEL and MEL. What are the requirements to add to ATP? Can I do it in cub or do I have to shoot an approach in IFR seaplane? Would like to do same in twin seaplane. The ATP pts does not have the task chart or information that the private and commercial pts have.

Thanks

Rob
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Sheble can get you done in both, I did my MES in their Beech 18 and SES in their Lake and some time in the Supercub.
 
This is where I'm getting mine done
http://www.lakehavasuseaplane.com/

I chose them of Sheble because I thought trying to get it done in 2 days with the check ride I'd rather do it in a 172 (and it has a c/s prop to boot) would be an easy transition from my R182 and wouldn't require as much to get the flow of just flying it. I'm waiting until I finish my CPL though so I won't have just private privileges on the ASES.

You need ASES and AMES just like ASEL and AMEL
 
Z06_Mir said:
This is where I'm getting mine done
http://www.lakehavasuseaplane.com/

I chose them of Sheble because I thought trying to get it done in 2 days with the check ride I'd rather do it in a 172 (and it has a c/s prop to boot) would be an easy transition from my R182 and wouldn't require as much to get the flow of just flying it. I'm waiting until I finish my CPL though so I won't have just private privileges on the ASES.

You need ASES and AMES just like ASEL and AMEL
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I did my CSEL & CSES rides concurrently in the Lake amphib, even got both ratings for the price of one.
 
Henning said:
I did my CSEL & CSES rides concurrently in the Lake amphib, even got both ratings for the price of one.
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Do tell. I'm still time building for the commercial (well, and my IFR ride is in 7 days) and I'll need at least 25 more hours before I can even start training for it to make sense. And I need the long XC so I'm still at least a month out from even starting training.
 
Z06_Mir said:
Do tell. I'm still time building for the commercial (well, and my IFR ride is in 7 days) and I'll need at least 25 more hours before I can even start training for it to make sense. And I need the long XC so I'm still at least a month out from even starting training.
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Simple as that, although I got the 2 for 1 pricing deal for doing a quick repair on the plane while afloat.:D All you do is the air work for the commercial and do some landings on the runway and some landings on the water and Bob's your uncle, you're done with both.
 
Henning said:
Simple as that, although I got the 2 for 1 pricing deal for doing a quick repair on the plane while afloat.:D All you do is the air work for the commercial and do some landings on the runway and some landings on the water and Bob's your uncle, you're done with both.
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Ahh. I gotcha. I'm guessing that though that was easiest for you it probably wouldn't be for me. I was planning on doing the seaplane thing over a weekend and I'm sure the CPL will take much more than a weekend on its own!
 
Z06_Mir said:
Ahh. I gotcha. I'm guessing that though that was easiest for you it probably wouldn't be for me. I was planning on doing the seaplane thing over a weekend and I'm sure the CPL will take much more than a weekend on its own!
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Nope, done in a weekend. Commercial is easy peasy if you can fly.
 
Henning said:
Nope, done in a weekend. Commercial is easy peasy if you can fly.
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I need some night dual, so I know that's out of the question. I think i could practice everything else on my own pretty easily. I haven't been night current since my PPL training and I think I did my night stuff around March of last year. I guess I could do it before hand since I need more night time anyway.. but I just think I'd be more comfortable in my own airplane taking the ride than in a rental on floats. But I'm still really low time (19x hours) and well over half o my time is in my airplane. I'm sure experience though changes things. I got my PPL June 6th and my IR ride is Feb 2nd if that gives you any indication of how new I am lol. That's an awesome way to do it though and I am jealous. I have been looking forward to getting a seaplane rating for a long time, I'm putting off my CFI for it for awhile even after the commercial is done.
 
We would be happy to help you with your ASES and AMES ratings. You would have 2 separate checkrides for SES and MES. We would do the SES instruction in either a PA12 or a C180. And the multi in our Twin Bee. You could choose to add either to your commercial certificate and not have to do the instrument and approach part of the exam or add them to your ATP by doing some additional airwork and 4 approaches. The Twin Bee being an amphib, we can offer ATP MEL and MES on the same checkride. I hope this helps with some of your questions. We are in Tavares Florida , America's Seaplane City... It's a GREAT place to visit to get your add on ratings and is a TON of fun!!! We have package deals with a hotel room overlooking the seaplane base and we do fly in lunches each day while doing work on large and small lakes and rivers. Let me know if we can help in any way. My name is Rob, feel free to email or call 352-508-1800.
 
Z06_Mir said:
This is where I'm getting mine done
http://www.lakehavasuseaplane.com/

I chose them of Sheble because I thought trying to get it done in 2 days with the check ride I'd rather do it in a 172 (and it has a c/s prop to boot) would be an easy transition from my R182 and wouldn't require as much to get the flow of just flying it. I'm waiting until I finish my CPL though so I won't have just private privileges on the ASES.

You need ASES and AMES just like ASEL and AMEL
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I think this method is the ultimate cop-out for legitimate float plane training & flying.

After going through 20+ hours of dual instruction flight time prior to taking my SES checkride, I am not convinced that a 2-day training camp can properly prepare a pilot to be seaplane capable.

In my humble opinion.
 
Kainalu said:
I think this method is the ultimate cop-out for legitimate float plane training & flying.

After going through 20+ hours of dual instruction flight time prior to taking my SES checkride, I am not convinced that a 2-day training camp can properly prepare a pilot to be seaplane capable.

In my humble opinion.
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It depends on what you already know, but I'm not disagreeing. A person who is an experienced sailor used to sailing into their dock with some high speed boat time as well and an experienced pilot is just fine. If you have no time on the water and/or little experience in the air especially back country time, no, a weekend course is not going to make you safe and competent.
 
Keep in mind that most places will not rent a seaplane solo. If this is important to you, you need to ask first.
 
Kainalu said:
I think this method is the ultimate cop-out for legitimate float plane training & flying.

After going through 20+ hours of dual instruction flight time prior to taking my SES checkride, I am not convinced that a 2-day training camp can properly prepare a pilot to be seaplane capable.

In my humble opinion.
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20 hours dual to the SES checkride is rather long, although not necessarily a bad thing, why so long?

Accelerated training is a proven method to get a pilot a given rating, while meeting FAA PTS in the shortest amount of time. The same required PTS applies on the checkride no matter how many hours dual were given. No matter the teaching time-frame, after a given rating is acquired, the old pilot's adage 'you now have a license to learn' is always applicable, and is really the most important thing for a PIC to always keep in mind.

Having used accelerated training at Sheble's for only one rating, I see no problem with the teaching method, and found it best and most efficient for my situation at the time. The longer I fly seaplanes in particular, the more it is obvious how difficult it is to be fully prepared, no matter how many hours and years of experience.
 
Dave Krall CFII said:
The longer I fly seaplanes in particular, the more it is obvious how difficult it is to be fully prepared, no matter how many hours and years of experience.
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Your last sentence answered the question for you. The instructors that taught me how to fly floats did not only in-depth ground instruction on flight planning (density altitudes at high lakes, take-off/landing distances, glassy water, accessibility, etc.) but then we would also train in differing conditions (high lakes, rivers, oceans, etc.)

I personally think that float flying is way too dynamic of a discipline to cover in a two day course.
 
Kainalu said:
Your last sentence answered the question for you. The instructors that taught me how to fly floats did not only in-depth ground instruction on flight planning (density altitudes at high lakes, take-off/landing distances, glassy water, accessibility, etc.) but then we would also train in differing conditions (high lakes, rivers, oceans, etc.)

I personally think that float flying is way too dynamic of a discipline to cover in a two day course.
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It can't be covered in a 2-day true, but the requirements for the FAA SES rating can, to their PTS.

So could you say you really did a personally chosen, advanced course of dual seaplane FLIGHT training, rather than just the basic training FAA SES rating? I did a similar thing for my primary SEL flight training and it is certainly superior, as an option, with time and money allowing....
 
Sadly, some of us don't have the geographical options that others do. What we have is a two day course and checkride... For me, I doubt I'll ever rent a seaplane solo so it's fine. If I wanted to own one I'd (need to live somewhere else) get a CFI who would spend a couple weeks with me. Here in the desert though it just don't make sense to try to spend 20 horus and 2+ weeks on it when I could get it done in a weekend.
 
Kainalu said:
Your last sentence answered the question for you. The instructors that taught me how to fly floats did not only in-depth ground instruction on flight planning (density altitudes at high lakes, take-off/landing distances, glassy water, accessibility, etc.) but then we would also train in differing conditions (high lakes, rivers, oceans, etc.)

I personally think that float flying is way too dynamic of a discipline to cover in a two day course.
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It's too dynamic to cover in a 200 hrs, the rating is minimum competence like any other rating.
 
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