Cool Seaplane Landing on a Lake (jet, commercial, training)
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I was kayaking across a lake in Northern Minnesota the other day when a seaplane landed. He flew right over me, probably just 50-75 feet above the water and then touched down a short distance later. I've always enjoyed watching aircraft land but it occurred to me I've never seen a seaplane land on the water. And of course, I had a great seat for the event, too. I thought it was pretty cool.
I searched google and the picture in this link is pretty similar to the plane I saw land:
Before they went out of business after a tragic crash in 2005 I used to fly Chalks Ocean Airways once in a while. I have fun memories flying them when I was a kid especially flying in and out of the Port of Miami out of the Miami Seaplane Base (X44) Landing and taking off right next to the cruise ships and flying in between the buildings of downtown Miami. Also landing in the Port of Nassau Bahamas and going up the ramp in Paradise Island. I also flew them before to Bimini. My last flight had a water and land landing as the planes were not 'seaplanes' as they were really flying boats. Flew them from Fort Lauderdale Airport to Paradise Island and back. They had hulls shaped like boats but also wheels so they could land on sea and water. I think the best part of the flight besides for takeoff was going up the ramp from the water to land.
I've worked on a few floatplanes when we lived in AZ. I still kick myself for not taking my checkride after completing everything needed.
I put a friend's C-150 on floats and I remember the unsuccessful test flight with 2 of us onboard. With 1/2 fuel and no wind, we could not get that plane fast enough to get the floats 'on the step'. We did figure 8's for a half an hour to no avail. He was able to take-off with just himself, but was planning to use the plane for training and check rides. So he found a used Lycoming O-320 (150 hp) and bought the kit and paperwork(STC) to legally replace the tired 100hp Continental. The airplane was now a rocketship, able to get off the water with full tanks, +2 people, using only 3/4 throttle. I loved flying across the water at 5 feet or speed taxiing when the conditions were right. One time we flew across the lake (2 minutes) to a little resort, pulled the plane up to the beach, tied it off, and had lunch. Every once in a while, I had to fly on a weekend, and you had to be careful about boats and jet skis. For some reason they like to get as close as they can when you're taking off or landing, even zipping in front of you. Landing was a little different because you came in a little fast and flat, then as soon as you feel the water you have to keep back pressure on the yoke to keep the nose up. It was great fun, but hard on the equipment.
......Maybe those of you who have made landings on water will be kind enough to share a few stories?
Float planes are wonderful aircraft. Dave Quam, one of the people who started the US Seaplane Pilots Association was a neighbor and taught me my first eleven hour of flying in his float plane (Cessan 172 on floats -- kept it either at Wickem Lake by Warwick Airport or Greenwood Lake NY).
Dave and I once took a flight in mid-Sept from Warwick NY, up to Twitchell Seaplane Base CT for fuel, on to Portland Maine for fuel and to go to LL Beane's, then on to Moosehead Lake Maine where we stayed overnight at a bush pilots home (Dick Folsom's place).
The next day we flew from Moosehead to Lake Champlain to visit a friend of Dave's. Weather was lousy. Great horizontal visibility but a ceiling around 1,200.' Dave had a Loran (I'm dating myself here!) so we knew where we were going. After the visit we then followed the Hudson River back to Warwick NY.
Quite a ride.
Rich
Commercial Single Engine Land and Rotary Wing, Pvt Floatplane
Thanks for the stories, guys. I'm surprised to learn those planes have only 150 hp. I would have expected more. I guess they are not very heavy. And RichcapCod, you are not dating yourself. I don't really know anything about small aircraft, so I have no clue what a Loran is.
Thanks for the stories, guys. I'm surprised to learn those planes have only 150 hp. I would have expected more. I guess they are not very heavy. And RichcapCod, you are not dating yourself. I don't really know anything about small aircraft, so I have no clue what a Loran is.
The aircraft in your picture is a Cessna 206. I believe the hp is more like 310 and can carry 6, as long as they aren't all big. A Cessna 150 is a small 2-place trainer, that was manufactured with a 100hp, 200 cubic inch, 4-cyl.
A loran refers to a navigation radio that uses surface based transmitters to fix positions. It was used by the marine industry for years before use in aircraft. Now most aircraft use GPS in some form or another. I got my pilot certificate in 1980 and loran was not used in aircraft yet.
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, able to get off the water with full tanks, +2 people, using only 3/4 throttle. I loved flying across the water at 5 feet or speed taxiing when the conditions were right. One time we flew across the lake (2 minutes) to a little resort, pulled the plane up to the beach, tied it off, and had lunch. Every once in a while, I had to fly on a weekend, and you had to be careful about boats and jet skis. For some reason they like to get as close as they can when you're taking off or landing, even zipping in front of you. Landing was a little different because you came in a little fast and flat, then as soon as you feel the water you have to keep back pressure on the yoke to keep the nose up. It was great fun, but hard on the equipment.
