Not such a good idea: float plane takes off under bridge in Ottawa
 

What a load of total bollocks! Get out of the Ottawa ghetto and visit such towns as Chapleau, Kenora, Yellowknife,Vancouver, Victoria, in all of these places plus dozens of others float planes land right downtown,{in fact we tied up at the hotel ramp in Kenora a few years back} even the Ottawa River has dozens of float planes along both the Ontario and Quebec shorelines, including many within city limits, To hear the "Chuck Yeager" Cessna instructors at the Ottawa Flying Club rag on about this is more an indication of how little they have seen of Canada, and how little they know about float flying or flying in general. Where I taught floats for a few years the best sheltered place for T/O was under the local bridge , but folks simply waved to us, not like the twits in our nations Capitol who think its OK to drive like idiots and boat with no flotation devices but for Gods sake get those dangerous rag and tube float planes to stop scaring us!Yes, its true the pilot should have worked it out that Ottawa is not the place to do anything resembling fun, but was it dangerous? no way!

Well said Clunck!

Back in the day when telephones didn't take videos and were black and hung on the wall, I flew under a bridge in Ottawa. I had landed on the river in a Super Cub, in the wrong place, and had to go back downstream to the seaplane dock at Laurentian Air Service. I was damn lucky to have survived by the sound of it. :D

Sounds like it might work out for the guy, depending on who does the "oral counseling". :D

Absolutely reckless
 

Comparing this "stunt" to normal operation in remote cities doesn't help the discussion. This pilot took was in a busy area and under a major thoroughfare. If he managed to crash it would have serious consequences on the local economy. The actions of this pilot were absolutely reckless. Not to mention irresponsible.

STC, Vancouver, Victoria, "remote cities"? Dear me , no High Tea for you in the "Empress" with that kind of attitude! As for "Affecting the local economy ",Ottawa is a civil service town, nothing can affect the local economy short of a nuke dropped on the place, or electing a government which fires the whole civil service.

Does the OFC have a float plane Clunk?

Chuck, I'm told they had a part time instructor at one time who dabbled in float flying, and tried bush for a while but didn't stay for long. I doubt given the insistence from TC that students have to solo to get the float endorsement that an outfit like the Ottawa Flying Club would be too happy with the cost of insurance premiums for such a venture.

There's no float aircraft listed on their web site.

It was this issue that was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak with me and the head of flight training in Ottawa.

I was trying to get TC to change the solo requirements for a sea plane rating to a flight test with an independent flight test examiner.

Not only would it make more sense it would allow those teaching the sea plane rating to save a lot of money on insurance.

The head of TC's flight training department was one of the most impossible to reason with forms of life that ever lived.

Anyhow I decided it was impossible to even try and work in their system even if I got a frontal lobotomy so I could relate to them on their level....I have never done a sea plane rating since.

Chuck, regarding the "must solo" clause to obtain a float rating I agree totally with your position, but there is an interesting sequel to this dictate from TC. A few years back, TC decided to go after folks who unable to obtain or afford coverage for students soloing float planes were simply ignoring the rule and sitting in the aircraft whilst the student completed the required "solo" landings and take offs, when TC got wind of this they tried to ground and cancel the float ratings of pilots who having trained with any outfits who had indeed "bent the rules" to avoid punitive insurance costs, one of these pilots I know very well, at the time of this action by TC he had over 5,000hours {accident free} PIC on C185, Beavers and Otters, when TC tried to ground him he hired a lawyer who would have made TC look bloody stupid if they were to do this, one of the points he used was to point out that within the ranks of TC there were in fact inspectors who had done the very same thing when they were running outfits out side of TC, so the issue was quietly forgotten, and this still goes on in the "real world", maybe now with the departure of JD this nonsense can be changed to reflect reality!

There was nothing reckless about that takeoff. Can't see what the issue was there.

This is a non-event. IMHO:bored:

Yes isn't the hypocrisy breathtaking?

Out here in the rain forest TC had a Beaver on amphibs, they finally got rid of it because their inspectors kept landing it on the water with the gear down and flipping it over.

Did Merlin find a nice position for him so he can double dip in his old age?

Chuck, TC in Montreal had an unsafe/half extended gear on an Amphibious Beaver, rather than land on the grass or hardtop our boy decided to land in the river! , it floated upside down in the Back River until it grounded on some rocks, at least they are consistent with their foul ups!

Agree 100%. Except the general public sees it differently :eek:

In Aus, late 80's, early 90's is when I reckon it really started to get a hold and the by late 90's it was full bore.

Risk aversion, protect the kids from getting scrapes, cuts and bruises,
H&S rules and regs, can't offend anyone, soft c#@ks all round, lefty agendas, ........

I am not a pilot but have done or been in aircraft numerous times that have done far worse
- before H&S rules took over.

That's a good line... :ok:

Made me laugh.

Yes please, let's return to the day when employers could poison their workers at will and/or push them into doing dangerous tasks without protective equipment.

The thing that's supposed to make humans superior beings is our ability to adapt and change (well at least some humans). :rolleyes: