Landing on waves on on swells with a roughened surface is different than landing on glassy water. Even the most experienced water pilots often can't judge height above glassy water. Even water birds crash into glassy water. When discussing water landings with the common denominator, particularly in an audience that is not primarily made up of experienced water or float water landing experience, to put every thought of stalling into the water out of their mind.
We obviously have different training methods, I first teach them to make all landings on the water with the power at idle right to touch down in the normal attitude for the airplane being flown so they learn to judge height accurately while landing. ( except of course on glassy water... Note: I do not consider full stall landings normal attitude and treat them seperate just like glassy water is a seperate method. )
In most light airplane, minimum sink equates very closely to the published sea level Vx speed. A little experimentation can quickly nail down what the number really is for a given airplane. Holding that speed until impact will usually yield the most survivable chance for a pilot to make a successful ditching. It also means the pilot doesn't react to the illousion of depth perception over water, and try to flare high. If the pilot is taught not to flare but to hold that stable descent to the water the probability of a good outcome will increse significantly.
I guess we do not have the same ideas regarding judging height during landings on water, I see no reason that a pilot should not be taught to flare on the water exactly the same as on land.
What will happen to a pilot who is taught only power assisted landings on the water if the engine fails and they are forced to land without the power " crutch " to find the water?
Last edited by Chuck Ellsworth; 19th November 2007 at 04:27.