Seaplane Rating-advice please

[BabyBear]

I am beginning to get the notion for having a go at this, thank's to that Chuck fella talking it up. I am glad you offered the advice, Chuck, and didn't just say xxx is a great school.

I would imagine it's possible to do a seaplane without having a land plane licence, so wouldn't think land plane time is essential. But heh, thats just my logic rather than knowledge.

[englishal]

I did it this summer in a PA12-S. The SESEA is the most fun I've had for years, not particularly difficult and certainly improves the stick and rudder skills. Helps if you have a good general handling background but anyone who is half competent should be able to do it.

[XXPLOD]

I'm 'up north' with work in May and thought I'd look at doing some seaplane flying and maybe the rating. Neil's Seaplanes looked good but the website seems to be broken, the landline number seems to be no longer available and the mobile number goes to voicemail. Does anyone know if Neil is still in business?
Ta!

[neilgeddes]

Try Hamish at Scotia Seaplanes - Scotland on Floats

[fisbangwollop]

I second tht give Hamish a call

[XXPLOD]

Disregard my last - spoke to Neil today. Thanks for the tip chaps will look in to it.

[S-Works]

I did mine out in the US at Jack Browns the year before last and added it as Commercial to both my FAA and JAA licences. With flights and training it still worked out cheaper than doing it in Europe!!!

[Marchettiman]

Logically speaking

If you think about it logically, you already know how to fly an aeroplane and floatplanes behave like any other kind of flying machine with only minor differences. But unless you are already a boat owner it's operating on water that is the main set of skills you need to master and gain experience of. So go and do a motorboat skipper's course first, preferably on a single engine type, learn about mooring in side winds, and all the other stuff involved with operating on water then, and only then go to a seaplane flying school. The RYA are the best source of schools for the marine side.
I did my FAA Commercial (single and multi-engine) at Jack Browns in Florida, but now fly with the aeroclub at Como Italy. The small overall extra cost of the Italian school is so well worth it for the ambience, scenery, food (not to mention the women) in this beautiful part of Italy. I was already a boat owner so the water handling came naturally and must have cut down on the time it took me to get the rating.

[S-Works]

Very good advice. If you have boat handling skills the water handling on floats will be quickly assimilated. I have taught RYA Power Boat and Yacht Master courses for years and found that the water experience was a real benefit for the float training. Not to mention the theory exams when adding it to my JAA licences.

[Fuji Abound]

I hope you do some float flying.

Sadly you will find the opportunities in the UK to use the rating are very limited. People like Neil own thier own aircraft, they only have one and understandably even if you have the rating are reluctant to allow self fly hire. Moroever I think float flying is even more of a rating to learn than a PPL. With a PPL you should be safe enough to go off solo straight after qualifying. With a float rating, particularly in some of the more hostile areas where floats are typically used there are plenty of opportunities for coming unstuck with the costs involved recovering the aircraft often being significant.

I am really not wishing to put you off, just worth going into with eyes wide open.

Edited to add - I would agree with Bose, yachting skills will stand you in very good stead, perhaps even more especially dinghy sailing and racing. If you have raced a dinghy on lakes you will know that the wind might be coming in one direction in the forecast and quite another on the lake, you will understand what can cause the wind to bend and you will know the signs to look out for that enable you to identify whether a gust is coming through and you are about to be headed. You will also have a feel for the effect the wind will have on the aircraft when it becomes just like a rudderless dinghy. I reckon a windsurfer or a Fireball sailor would make a very good float pilot, at least when it comes to landing and coming ashore. Anyone remember the Bose in the earlier days of skiffs and 505s at Felixstow Ferry.