Hi Folks

Is there such thing as a rating to fly sea planes? If so how many hours does it take, can you get it on a PPL? I'd love to do it.

Thanks in advance

DQ

There are quite a few places that offer a seaplane rating to add to the PPL. Caledonian Seaplanes (I think) is one in the UK, Google should find it.
Otherwise it's off to the US or Canada where it's cheaper but with the associated paperwork and red tape. Have a look in the back of Pilot or Flyer for the schools, I can reccomend Jack Brown's.
Good luck,
GA

Just looked at the sites:
Caledonian Seaplanes

There's also a good article in this months Pilot with some good gen in it.
GA

Thanks GA - did a seaplane search on google and found places in USA, Canada. Thats where I'll do it I'm thinking. The reason I asked was because yesterday I saw a seaplane (G reg) parked in a Dublin airfield. Strange that.......

No probs,
I saw a Cessna Grand Caravan with floats parke on the line at Cranfield once, found that a bit odd too!

After all this rain it will probably become more common... especially at places like Sywell, which seem to become submerged quite regularly
There's a place in Canada I've got my eye on for doing a seaplane and mountain flying course. One day when I'm rich

If you want the rating combine it with a holiday in British Columbia Canada, I did mine with Cooper Air in Victoria on a C185

I also did a few hours in a freinds Beaver which really is the Daddy of all bush planes

It was fantastic! go in the summer the scenery is stunning and a floatplane is the only sensible vehicle for seeing it from check out their site at.

http://www.cooperair.com/

you get a temporary Canadian License issued from transport Canada first do the Canadian rating then come back to UK and sit a "seamanship" exam with the CAA pass that and you get the SEP (SEA) added to your license.

saving my pennies for a return trip this summer!

Wunper

So, will many places let you take an aircraft off solo once you have the rating? Most places I've looked at before say no solo's - these were all in the States I think.

The Cooper Air website says that you must do '5 take offs and landings with you as the sole occupant of the aircraft' to get the rating, so I assume you can? What's the general rule? Seems pointless to get the rating if you can't rent (unless you can afford your own a/c of course).

And how many places are there in the UK that you could use the rating? In south-east England???

FFF
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Watching all the floatplanes coming in and out of Vancouver harbour a couple of years ago is one (out of many) of the motivations for getting my PPL. It looks fantastic fun, and once I've finished the PPL and got a bit more experience I definitely intend to get some seaplane flying in (either in Scotland or British Columbia).

As for FFF's point about how many places can you use the rating in the UK - I don't know - does anybody know? Can you simply drop in on Windemere or Rutland water etc.? I am guessing not !!!

Mr.W

Looking out of the window I'd say almost anywhere in the UK would be OK for a splashdown.

I flew a J3 Cub with floats at Jack Browns, Florida.
Absolutely wonderful. (even better with the door off)

After experiencing the Cub I gave up tricycles and crossed over to the dark side………taildraggers.

Wonderful experience, but was told you can'y hire Floats solo in the US because of insurance probs.

CC

This float plane looks fun http://millenniumaircrew.users.btopenworld.com/fighteronfloats.jpg

A site that you might find helpful: www.canadianseaplane.com/index.htm

Some places in Canada will rent solo , some will not. Currently it's about 50/50, which is certainly better than the USA. Anyway, it's best to expressly confirm a prospective school's policy before commiting.

FFF, looking at the 1/2 mill on the wall in front of me, there is a airfield on the Dungesss Peninsula, about 1/2 inch left from Lydd called 'Scotney Ct Water AD'.

The ring on the map denoting an airfield is around a small lake, so I'm assuming that this is a seaplane/flostplane base.

Anyone know anything about it?