Seaplane

[cosworth211]

Hi,

Does anyone know of any seaplane training providers in South East England?

I have tried the search function but to no avail....

Any ideas on hire prices and hours instruction needed? I am a 60 hour PPL (currently) and fancy a new challenge.

Thanks.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

There's one in Scotland (Caledonian Seaplanes). Most people go to BC or possibly Alaska.

Costs are, oh, upwards of twice the price of landplanes. Hours for a UK seaplane rating are not-very-many, plus a seamanship exam, details in LASORS.

Finding someone to let you fly solo in their seaplane round here will not be easy (solo is not required for the UK rating - it is however required for the Canadian rating, so if you succeed in getting the rating in Canada this includes five circuits solo).

[VP8]

There is one on the East Coast just starting up using anAmphib Maule but cannot recall website at the mo but I have posted it on a similar thread a while back

VEEPS

[PH-UKU]

Can thoroughly recommend learning floats in Scotland. There's nothing to beat the scenery, the hundreds of lochs, the mountains, the hotels that you can moor at for lunch ..... and the general wow-ness of it all !! As well as plenty of things (for you
and the family) to do if the weather takes a turn for the worse.

www.caledonianseaplanes.co.uk

There is one operator just started in England, I believe that is the Maule that was mentioned ... try ....

www.the-amphib-flyingclub.co.uk

You are right that it is near to impossible to rent a floatplane in the UK ... insurance requirements are pretty stringent .. however ... the other way round it is to buy a share .......

If anyone is interested - I have put a group together around a 210HP Reims Rocket. We are in the process of getting a set of amphibs certificated, and we aim to base her at Glasgow Airport (handy for all parts of the UK thanks to budget airlines etc..), and we have shares for sale.

As a shareholder, you will of course (subject to checkout) be avble to fly solo, and more importantly take your pals for lochside lunches

[RTOagain]

Marilyn McDonald runs Caledonian Seaplanes - you can contact her on 07981 224798. I did 30 minutes air experience flight in her Cub last autumn from Loch Earn (the Drummond Hotel) and had a great time.

[MLS-12D]

I would be confident of receiving good instruction in Alaska or Minnesota, but not Florida (naming no names).

Most people go to BC or possibly Alaska.

There's no need to go all the way to BC, unless one particularly wants saltwater experience. Expereinced instructors are also available in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

[LN-ATC]

Stavanger/Sola in SW Norway is an option. Not quite SE England, but closer than BC and Alaska anyway.

Sola Flying Club is providing sea plane ratings. Prices are ca £190/£250 per hour on C206/(amph.)C185. If interested, PM me for contact info.

[FlyingForFun]

I would be confident of receiving good instruction in Alaska or Minnesota, but not Florida (naming no names).

Depends what you're trying to achieve.

I got my FAA float-plane rating in Florida. I have to admit the training wasn't perfect, and I probably wouldn't have been a very safe float-plane pilot the day after I passed my test. I passed with exactly the minimum hours. The course was a fixed price regardless of the hours taken, and the examiner was an employee of the school, so it was in everyone's interests for me to pass.

However..... I actually had no intention of keeping current on floats after getting the rating. I had a fantastic time flying on floats, learnt lots - and I have something on my license to show for it. Now, 18 months on, I'm probably no less safe than the next float-plane pilot who is 18 months out of currency! So, in the grand scheme of things, the fact that my training was not the most thorough has made no difference. Had I been intending to walk away from the school, buy a float-plane and fly it, I would have insisted on more training, but that's not why I did the course.

FFF
---------------

[MLS-12D]

Yes, fair enough. Many - perhaps most - people only desire a fun time, with the bonus of an additional line on their license ... there is nothing wrong with that, and a 'rating mill' should be perfectly able to provide that experience.

My comment was directed at those few pilots who actually aspire to fly a floatplane post-rating, and who need to acquire the necessary skills.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

those few pilots who actually aspire to fly a floatplane post-rating

Ho hum. I've been told my best bet is:

(a) save up $1m
(b) buy my own Beaver (because you can't buy lessons on someone else's)
(c) hire an instructor to teach me to fly it

but if I tried that on any of the bits of water round here I rather suspect that some bye-laws would rapidly get invented to ban it, so I'd have to move house as well.

(My AME has a mate in the US who has a floatplane on the lake at the bottom of his garden, so he gets a few hours a year that way. Maybe I've just got the wrong friends.)

[MLS-12D]

Hi Gertrude,

Obviously a Beaver would be best, but you don't have to resign yourself to never flying floats just because you can't afford a DHC-2. Perhaps you could buy a share in a C172 floatplane, or similar?

It doesn't take much to purchase a float-equipped Champ, Chief, J-3 or PA-11; in decent though not pristine condition, such aircraft sell for no more than C$50,000 (about £22,000, at current exchange rates). And a small airplane like that is cheap to run, too!

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Nah, gotta be a Beaver ... (in my dreams!)

Actually someone did throw over the control column and let me steer a chartered Beaver for a few minutes once ... I didn't ask whether he was rated to instruct on the thing and I certainly didn't ask what it wasn't insured for. So I didn't log the time

In real life it's going to be a few hours dual in something like a PA12 once every few years for me, just like it is for many other people.

[cosworth211]

I have just found a company in pilot's "where to fly" guide of recent called "SeaWings Instruction Services"

They fly a "Lake LA-4-200" @ £190 an hour

Has anyone heard of these people or this craft?

Appratently its based at Headcorn and Medway Marine in Kent.

In response to the above I am going through an experimental stage, I love experiencing different types of flight and aircraft, I do not plan to take it too far!

[MLS-12D]

I didn't log the time

Good thinking.

In real life it's going to be a few hours dual in something like a PA12 once every few years for me, just like it is for many other people.

You could do a lot worse!

cosworth211: The Lake 'Buccaneer' is a popular type of amphibious flying boat, originally developed from the Colonial 'Skimmer'. They are fairly common around here. They are not rugged enough to work in the bush (nor are they configured for it, with those two clamshell doors), but they are great for private owners who want to transport themselves and their families to and from Muskoka every weekend. If you'd like to see photos, go here.

[butterbox]

Ever thought of Australia

several float plane schools in aussie much cheaper than eu you could prob have a holiday out here and get your endorsment and still not spend as much worth a thought try seaching australia on net for float plane endorsment Good luck try for one http://www.skylines.com.au/index.php...ing&type=float

[Hold27Left]

Do you know of any schools for floatplane training in Sydney?

[Cusco]

Seaplanes

If you want to go east rather then west, how about considering the Aero club de Como on Lake Como in Italy.

I had a very pleasant hour with an instructor in a Float equipped 172 (I-SAAB) several years ago and they also had a couple of Lake amphibians (Though IIRC one finished up at the bottom of Lake Como.)

Dunno the website but you could Google it.

Peter