My daft idea

[douglas.lindsay]

This is a long-term dream. It ain't gonna happen for the next year at least and, given my very strong desire to maintain my current marital status :O may never come to anything... but:

Anybody had any experience with permit-to-fly floatplanes or amphibians (or knowledge of how to do it on a C of A for less than silly money)? Any suggestions about specific models to consider, or anybody know anyone around central Scotland who has one & might be available to discuss experiences over a drink?

Of course, long before I ever come close to being an owner, I'll be talking to Hamish at Prestwick in order to try the whole floaty-winged thing out and, if I like it, to get my seaplane rating on his beautiful bird...

[Sir George Cayley]

First things first - join the LAA

2nd, get hold of a recent issue of their mag which had a report from a chap who'd put something like a Rans or Kitfox or similar on floats down Devon way.

3rd find an inspector

4th learn to swim ;)

Good luck - we need a bit of madness every so often.

SGC

[Pilot DAR]

I don't see anything daft about amphibian flying! I've done about 20 hours in the Teal in August. All kinds of fun!

I don't know about the British regulations applicable to these, or the relationship that the CAA has with the Norwegian authority, but there's one I know of for sale in Norway. A very simple, and economical amphib, which is a delight on the water.

This website might interest you.. Thurston Teal Amphibian (http://www.seabee.info/teal.htm)

Here's me... YouTube - 180 HP Thurston Teal Amphib doing Touch and Go!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqMNJ1Jdo8)

If you would like more info, PM me...

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/oo252/PilotDAR/Aircraft/34atHopeIsland-1.jpg

[Rod1]

Defiantly possible to do it on the LAA, but do not try to import an unapproved design unless you really are mad. Join up and call the engineers and you will get good advice. You may be able to buy a land version and mod it at relatively cheaply.

Rod1

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Wot I've been told, hanging around floatplanes whenever I get the chance (I've no idea whether this is true or not), is that the reason they're so expensive to run is that the insurance is expensive.

And the reason that the insurance is expensive is that yer average floatplane accident is a capsize, resulting in a live pilot wanting to make a large claim for retrieving and drying out the aircraft.

[douglas.lindsay]

Rod1/SGC - after reading your comments I joined the LAA this evening, not sure how my wife would feel about me building a plane in the back garden but we'll see...!

PilotDAR, very encouraging of you, thank you sir ;) I hadn't come across the Teal before; it is a lovely looking plane in its own strange way, but I'm wondering if parts might be a little bit rare...?

GtW, interesting point. So you don't own one yourself? I had always assumed from the avatar that you must.

[Pilot DAR]

Yes, "Strange way" is just the perfect way to describe the beauty of a Teal! It is very practical, and utilitarian, having been designed by Dave Thurston, who was also a design contributor to the design of some famous Grumman flying boats, and the Lake Amphibian. It's all very purpose built, and practical, though unconventional in many ways. I have spoken to Dave a number of times about the details of the Teal, but sadly, he has now retired from aviation, at the age of 93!

Parts are actually very easy to come by, as the fellow who owns the one I presently fly, also owns several other Teals in pieces, all of the left over parts from the original production (and there are lots), and the Type Certificate!

As GtW correctly offers, insurance for planes that float can be rather costly, particularly for low time pilots. There are two very clear reasons for this: Be it a straight float plane, the insurance company knows that every place you land and takeoff will not be a runway, so there are many variables that you will have to assess, and get right, which an airport already makes right for you, were you to be flying a wheel plane. If the subject plane is an amphib, yes, you might be at a nice runway with it, but then you might land with the wheels up. Worse, you might land on a remote lake with the wheels down. Both are bad, but when you have a problem on a body of water, it can be very expensive to remove what's left of the plane. Here in Canada, it's common that the site of the event can be 100's of km from the nearest road.

Float flying can be complete fun, but there is a lot of additional responsibiliy for the pilot, and the cost and effort to make right even a small problem, gets very high quite quickly....

Come to Ontario, and I'll introduce you to a training outfit who trains in 172 float planes, and rents them out for local flights.

[ChrisVJ]

The insurance thing is a little more extensive than that.

Basically amphibs are subject to all the usual risks of GA PLUS those associated with water. Just a guess but judging from the incidence amongst our group, being amphibs probably doubles or worse the chances of an accident. Also incidents on water are usually considerably more expensive than regular landing incidents. Recovery, dry out, engine restoration or replacement and a higher proportion of write offs prejudice insurance companies against water birds.

I have no idea how the permit system works in the UK. Here in Canada we have Ultralights and 'Amateur Built.' I chose to build jemima under the Amateur built which is basically the same as the USA "Experimental." Essentially, if you can show the aircraft complies with regular good practice you can get the permit. A number of aircraft designs are considered acceptable based on experience and that includes the Searey.

Almost everything on the Searey is built by bolting together Al tubes and covering with cloth (Wings etc|) or a premade fibreglass shell (fuselage.) I'd say it was in the order of an IKEA or MFI kitchen.