Seaplanes and the A check
Pompey till I die
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Smart
I thought about the floats but wondered how you would get to the extremities of the wings. The seaplane I saw take off recently had a dock, but only one sided if you see what I mean. So you could A check one side, but not the other.
How on earth do you do the walk around ?
The longer answer is that the best way is before you launch the aircraft, while it is still on dry land. However, you will need a tall step ladder to check the ailerons.
If it is already in the water at a dock and you REALLY need to check the other wing, you can untie the aircraft and carefully swing it around to check the other wing and the tail. This should only be done in relatively calm conditions and most importantly - don't let go!
Most pilots work on the principle that "it was OK last time."
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This is a little like saying "the pilots door is on the right hand side - how does the pilot look at the other side".
He simply turns the aircraft around! Very easy to do unless there is a strong wind directly onto the jetty which means you have to put some effort into it.
And moe often than not you may need to turn the aircraft anyway to get a clear exit route.
He simply turns the aircraft around! Very easy to do unless there is a strong wind directly onto the jetty which means you have to put some effort into it.
And moe often than not you may need to turn the aircraft anyway to get a clear exit route.
Moderator
Yeah, the "it was OK last time" is pretty common, but can get you into trouble... From my stories...
One beautiful summer day, after dropping off the owner at his “cottage”, I was out puttering around in the Cessna 180 floatplane. I decided that some forced approaches, and touch and goes would be good practice. The shoreline waters of Georgian Bay, off Parry Sound would afford me the space and privacy, and the water conditions were perfect! As the story always goes, the first few were just fine…
After another decent landing, I put up the power, and reduced the flap setting from 40 degrees to 20 degrees, which would be my takeoff flap setting. The flap lever had an unusual feel to it as the flap position was reset. Oh well, I was on the step, with the power up, so I was going, and I took off.
Once safely (or so I thought) airborne, I selected the flaps to zero. The flap handle just would not move to a lower setting than 20, and I did not want any more than that! Nothing I could do would retract the flaps. After fussing for a while, I elected to just fly home that way.
I set up a 20 degree flap landing into the bay, and in I went. Once down on the water, I could see that the right flap was trailing at a funny position on the inboard side. I taxied in and tied up.
Examination revealed that the inboard flap track, which is riveted to the rear spar, and upper aft wing skin, had completely come loose. The flap and track were just hanging there….
How lucky was I that the flap had remained in a somewhat correct position for my flight home. If it had suddenly changed position, released, or retracted, the flight would have ended very differently. There is enough lift of a Cessna flap at 20 degrees, that it would be very hard to overcome more than a few degrees of asymmetry.
One beautiful summer day, after dropping off the owner at his “cottage”, I was out puttering around in the Cessna 180 floatplane. I decided that some forced approaches, and touch and goes would be good practice. The shoreline waters of Georgian Bay, off Parry Sound would afford me the space and privacy, and the water conditions were perfect! As the story always goes, the first few were just fine…
After another decent landing, I put up the power, and reduced the flap setting from 40 degrees to 20 degrees, which would be my takeoff flap setting. The flap lever had an unusual feel to it as the flap position was reset. Oh well, I was on the step, with the power up, so I was going, and I took off.
Once safely (or so I thought) airborne, I selected the flaps to zero. The flap handle just would not move to a lower setting than 20, and I did not want any more than that! Nothing I could do would retract the flaps. After fussing for a while, I elected to just fly home that way.
I set up a 20 degree flap landing into the bay, and in I went. Once down on the water, I could see that the right flap was trailing at a funny position on the inboard side. I taxied in and tied up.
Examination revealed that the inboard flap track, which is riveted to the rear spar, and upper aft wing skin, had completely come loose. The flap and track were just hanging there….
How lucky was I that the flap had remained in a somewhat correct position for my flight home. If it had suddenly changed position, released, or retracted, the flight would have ended very differently. There is enough lift of a Cessna flap at 20 degrees, that it would be very hard to overcome more than a few degrees of asymmetry.
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Power checks can be accomplished ""ploughing" through the water. You can get enough power on to do a mag check and cycle the prop, without getting up onto the step. these checks must be kept brief though, as the water will be splashing around, and it's really hard on the prop blades. Such a check is dependant upon having enough space ahead of you, in which you can operate without your full attention outside. if in doubt, the power check may have to be overlooked. The mag check can done with some effectivness at idle, and the aircraft is often operated this way (and with carb heat too, if so equipped) when desiring to taxi with the least possible power.
The difference of float flying is obviously the takoff surface. In some cases, it's useable length will be much greater than the runway you might have operated as a wheel plane. This can be very reassuring, as you can get airborne, without having given up the opportunity to land straight ahead for a longer time. This can make one a bit more bold in being a "test pilot" with an aircraft of lesser known condition. I'll leave it to someone else to speculate on the aircraft charactristic which is most often "tested" this way!
Pilot DAR
The difference of float flying is obviously the takoff surface. In some cases, it's useable length will be much greater than the runway you might have operated as a wheel plane. This can be very reassuring, as you can get airborne, without having given up the opportunity to land straight ahead for a longer time. This can make one a bit more bold in being a "test pilot" with an aircraft of lesser known condition. I'll leave it to someone else to speculate on the aircraft charactristic which is most often "tested" this way!
Pilot DAR
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This can make one a bit more bold in being a "test pilot" with an aircraft of lesser known condition. I'll leave it to someone else to speculate on the aircraft charactristic which is most often "tested" this way!
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Power checks can also be done in the step taxi-less spray,less prop erosion,better cooling and visibility.Personally,I would not get airborne on the basis that'it was ok last time'especially as most low speed taxi ing on water is below 1000 rpm-ideal for plug fouling.
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Though step taxiing does offer a good high power engine checking opportunity, It offers dangers (loss of control) as well. Many operators will not permit step taxiing, because of numerous accidents in that phase of "flight". If you are step taxiing, it's best to have most of your attention outside. The engine checks by feel and ear are okay, but if you have to look for the engine controls, and indications, you might be too distracted from the task of safely step taxiing.
As for canoes, yup, it can be test flying. Toward safer external loads, Transport Canada is now requiring a design approval for external loads on fixed wing aircraft. There are tricks to making canoe flying safer. It's the other stuff which is carried externally which has Transport Canada's attention. Years ago, a set of antlers as an external load prevented a safe flight in a PA18. The resulting fatal accident, was a catalyst for more regulation.
Pilot DAR
As for canoes, yup, it can be test flying. Toward safer external loads, Transport Canada is now requiring a design approval for external loads on fixed wing aircraft. There are tricks to making canoe flying safer. It's the other stuff which is carried externally which has Transport Canada's attention. Years ago, a set of antlers as an external load prevented a safe flight in a PA18. The resulting fatal accident, was a catalyst for more regulation.
Pilot DAR
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When I last flew a floatplane (a Cub), it had a length of wire rope running between the toes of the floats. The idea, said the instructor, was that you shuffled across the wire rope (using the prop as a handhold) in order to get to look at the other wing (presumably fuel tank and top surfaces only) ...
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Ah Pronto that should get Pilot DAR going!
Transport Canada periodically have a 'purge' on this one. Notionally the wire is an uncertified mod... and you can guess where that goes.
Having said that it is very useful.
On Cessna's the full set of handles also allow pretty free access to the fillers and wing upper surfaces. It is surprsing how proficient you become at 'spreading the load' to avoid dinging the panels.
Transport Canada periodically have a 'purge' on this one. Notionally the wire is an uncertified mod... and you can guess where that goes.
Having said that it is very useful.
On Cessna's the full set of handles also allow pretty free access to the fillers and wing upper surfaces. It is surprsing how proficient you become at 'spreading the load' to avoid dinging the panels.
Moderator
Ok, I'll play....
The walking cable can be a vital, if unapproved, mod to a set of floats. i asked for one to be installed on a new Husky I ferried back once. It made all the difference when I had to drift into dock in very tight quarters.
That said, sometimes these useful, unapproved installations are not attached properly to plates under the cleats on the decks of the floats. We get approvals for mod to assure they are safe. So is it unsafe when the walking wire on a fairly new Cessna 206 rips off a cleat under the weight of the generously proportioned pilot owner, and the plane drifts out of control, with the pilot now hanging on to the rear spreader bar? It wasn't me, and both the plane and pilot were safely recovered. That paticular C206 later had that really cool little copilot's door STC installed!
The walking cable can be a vital, if unapproved, mod to a set of floats. i asked for one to be installed on a new Husky I ferried back once. It made all the difference when I had to drift into dock in very tight quarters.
That said, sometimes these useful, unapproved installations are not attached properly to plates under the cleats on the decks of the floats. We get approvals for mod to assure they are safe. So is it unsafe when the walking wire on a fairly new Cessna 206 rips off a cleat under the weight of the generously proportioned pilot owner, and the plane drifts out of control, with the pilot now hanging on to the rear spreader bar? It wasn't me, and both the plane and pilot were safely recovered. That paticular C206 later had that really cool little copilot's door STC installed!
