ultra smooth glassy water landings danger

[Dave Krall CFII]

I was finishing up my latest BFR with some glassy water landings in a SuperCub from CubCrafters (which can totally spoil you) and the CFI said he'd had flight students that had actually touched down on glassy water so smoothly they didn't know they were on the water for a "minute"!

Even if the time was possibly somewhat exaggerated, it shows the usefulness of having enough sink rate so that the water can be felt upon contact.

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

I had the opposite problem due to the same visual site effect. I was doing a Jump in the army and thought I was landing on a small lake so I released my parachute a bit early so not to get drowned by it coming down around me. I hit a very hard ground with only 3" of water on it.

 

[Silvaire]

I'll believe a second, maybe two but no way could you go for an entire minute on the water and not know it.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

I'll believe a second, maybe two but no way could you go for an entire minute on the water and not know it.

An extreme example for sure but, when power is at a certain level there can be very little of that aircraft's floats touching to cause arrest of sink rate, due to its high lift configuration and thereby very little spray out laterally, if any.

Forward fixation by the pilot would take care of the rest in just the wrong situation....