Now that we have the internet there is no shortage of flight safety information
Which is
exactly why this particular forum was created.
The key is to get the information from being the tribal knowledge of a select few, to being the basis of safe thinking for very many.
This week, I was hired by a fellow who purchased a Lake Amphibian to go to British Colombia, and train him to fly it. Wheels only for now, then water work, and his seaplane endorsement next spring. I spent each breakfast and dinner time with him, as much as I could recounting memorable events to convey wisdom about the aircraft, and its operation. To my delight, the now aging type training manuals, privately produced for these aircraft are filled with stories, examples, and accident reports on the type. I supplemented that with the more modern links to Youtube videos.
And, I flew a number of glassy water landings with him, for the first hand experience. It has been a difficulty in the system for the issuance of seaplane ratings, when during the brief term of the student's training, there is no occasion of glassy water, so the trainer shows
how it is done, but cannot show why.
I have had a number of "regular" water landings, which have instantly become glassy water type, when the very light breeze creating the reference ripples stopped, and left only a mirror upon which to land.
A lake in northern Labrador, upon which I landed and camped, but the "Swiss cheese" holes start to line up, when you recall that this lake is nearly 300 miles from the nearest town or help. If you get it wrong, it's really wrong!
I landed into this lake in the mountains of British Colombia. There is no overshoot from this, you have to get it right. The aircraft is pointed in the landing direction.
But, once you're safely down, it's as smooth as, well... glass!
