Hey,
Looked at your post and I've spent time at each of the 4 options you mentioned (Cal Sea/Neils/Como/The Amhib Flying Club). I own my own floatplane. Its at my house. I fly float 3 times a week. Alot of schools turn seaplane flying into a black art and treat the SES rating as something of an "elitist gang" - which is something I don't like at all. The course is turned into "I know best, this is the way I do it, don't listen to him over there, oh no thats too dangerous" week of head scratching.
In terms of getting the most out of what will be quite an expensive week, and possibly of limited use, with the potential to consume large sums of money to keep current this "add on" to you PPL - I'd be looking for the following attributes in a school.
- A relaxed low ego instructor
- A large variety of unrestricted water close by
- A large number of docking/mooring/ramping/beaching options
- A aircraft that can handle winds of 25Kts plus (To see what happens if you get caught out, and why its not nice to be on a lake in a windy day)
- A opportuinity to get advanced techniques shown to you by someone who is keen to share knowledge, not someone who's keen to drink "espresso"...Anyone who's been to Como knows what I'm saying
These are the factors I consider to be most important, and having been to all the schools, being an owner, being someone who's keen on growing the community - I'd have to say I'd go to The Amphibious Flying Club. I been to them all, I know them all, but this is the best one out there.
William