So, back to the subject of the original post (not that Dorniers don't intrest me, but another time....)
On the obverse of the topic... I was once receiving familiarization from a very compotent water pilot. Just after my reasonably good landing, while still moving about 60 kts, he said "let go". I looked over to make sure he did have control (not that I had any reason to doubt him). As I looked over, he again said "let go", and slapped my wrist. So rather stunned at this request, I complied. The problem was that aside from lifting his hand, to slap my wrist, his hands were flat on his lap!
With no one commanding the pitch or roll of the aircraft, and still moving quickly across the water, it behaved every bit as well as I could have flown it.
Prior to that, you could not have convinced me to let go control of an aircraft on the step on the water. Control was taken from me by gentle force, and it worked out fine!
That said, this is not my instruction to seaplane pilots to let go of the controls while moving on the water! Fly the plane all the time!
Last edited by Pilot DAR; 20th January 2011 at 22:16.