Book Summary

Beautifully illustrated with historic photos and original drawings, covering all aspects of water flying to open up new destinations and bring more exotic places within a pilot's reach! Seaplane Operations is a comprehensive text on basic and advanced techniques for floatplanes, amphibians and flying boats from around the world, featuring museum-quality photographs and illustrations. It is co-authored by Dale DeRemer and Cesare Baj. Mr. Baj is a science writer, editorial consultant, and dedicated seaplane pilot with worldwide water flying experience. Dr. DeRemer is professor emeritus of aviation, gold seal flight instructor and ATP-qualified pilot, has logged nearly 20,000 hours of flight time in all types of general aviation aircraft, and is a field director for the Seaplane Pilots Association. He was named Seaplane Pilot of the Year in 1998 and inducted into the CFI Hall of Fame in 1999. This book covers natural elements, seamanship, water aerodromes and seaplane bases, ground and water operations, high speed (step) taxiing, takeoff, seaplane flight and navigation, landing, docking, ramping and buoying, operations with amphibians, flying multi-engine seaplanes, weight and balance, advanced techniques and a variety of special operations, mechanics of water flying, seaplane flight planning, aircraft choices, and water flying in the world. There are historical and contemporary photographs and explanatory illustrations on every page of the main text, and a rich mixture of watercolor and black-and-white drawing illustrations, maps, line drawings, tables and graphs decorate and explain the concepts throughout this elaborately illustrated volume. No other seaplane book is like it in its extensive record of many types of seaplanes and flying boats. It is the only source of information for many of the floatplanes, amphibians, and flying boats in use throughout the world today, as well as historical information on little-known seaplane types throughout aviation history. Softcover 6-1/2 x 9-1/2" format, indexed, 404 pages.
 
 

                             TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Author ………………………………………………………………………………… ix
Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………………..… x
Foreword ………………………………………………………………………………………….. xi
Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………….… xiii

Section I Getting Started

1 Qualifying for the Seaplane Rating ……………………………………………………….……… 3
How is the Seaplane Rating Obtained? • Private or Commercial Sea Rating?
What Standards Will You be Held To? • How Much Flying is Required?

2 Resources and Information ………………………………………………………….…………… 7
Books • Other Books by this Author • Practical Test Standards

3 Choosing a Flight Instructor or Flight School …………………………………………………… 15
Ask the Prospective Instructor Some Questions • Check Other Resources •
Evaluate Your Flight Instructor After Every Lesson • Your Responsibility as Part of the Crew •
Seaplane Flight Schools

Section II Preflight Procedures

4 Preflight Inspection …………………………………………………………………….………… 21
Sumping • Fuel Quantity • Propeller • Airframe • Tail Section • Floats •
Operational & Overnight Water •
Water Rudders • Paddles • Checklist • Review

5 Cockpit Management and Passenger Safety …………………………………………....………... 29
Human Resources • Loose Items in the Cockpit/Cabin • Cockpit Organization •
Use of Checklists • Passenger Briefing • Underwater Egress • Hypothermia •
Emergency Equipment • It’s Not Over Until It’s Over! • Review

6 Engine Starting ………………………………………………………………………....………… 41
Before Starting • Passenger Security •Departure from Dock or Beach •
Briefing the Dock Handler •
Hand Propping • Review

7 Taxiing …………………………………………………………………………………….....…… 59
Displacement Taxi or Idle Taxi • Turns • Turning in Wind • Inertia Turn •
Hump or Plow Taxi • Plowing Turn • Step Taxi • Step Turns • Taxi without Rudders • Review

8 Sailing …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 75
Power-Off Sailing • Power Sailing or Tacking • Parking the Seaplane • Review

9 The Pre Takeoff Check ……………………..………………………………………………..…… 85
Checklist Differences • Checklist Timing • The Pretakeoff Check in Detail • Review

10 Seaplane Base and Airport Operations …………………………………………………..……… 95
Communications Procedures • Seaplane Base • Alphabet Airspace • Review

Section III Flight Operations

11 Takeoff and Climb ……………………………………………………………………….....…… 103
Takeoffs in the PTS • V Speeds for Climb • Seaplane Takeoffs: An Overview •
Seaplane Takeoff Performance • Takeoff Area Assessment • The Normal Takeoff •
The Crosswind Takeoff • The Rough Water Takeoff • The Glassy Water Takeoff •
The Confined Area Takeoff • The Aborted Takeoff • Some Advanced Takeoff Techniques •
High Altitude Takeoff • Review

12 Landing Area Assessment ………………………………………………………......…………… 131
A Vital Part of Every Landing • The Procedure • Landing Area Assessment Configuration •
Assessment Hints • Gusts, Catspaws & Microbursts • Terrain Effects & Wind Currents • Review

13 Approaches, Landings, and Go-Arounds ……………………………………...………………… 145
The Normal Approach • Normal Landing • Crosswind Landing • Rough Water Landing •
Confined Area Landing • Glassy Water Approach and Landing • Go-Around • Review

14 Slow Flight, Steep Turns, and Stalls ……..……………………………….........………………… 167
Slow Flight • Steep Turns • Stalls • Spin Awareness • Review

15 Emergency Operations ………………………………………………...………………………… 179
Emergency Descents • Emergency Approach • Forced Landings in Floatplanes •
Systems and Equipment Malfunctions • Emergency Equipment and Survival Gear • Review

16 Postflight Procedures ..…………………………………………………….........………………… 198
After Landing • Anchoring • Docking and Mooring • Buoying • Beaching • Ramping •
Lines and a Few Important Knots • Review

17 Multi-Engine Operations …………………………………………………..........………………… 239
V Speeds and Definitions Table • Preflight Preparation • Preflight Procedures •
Airport and Seaplane Base Operations • Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds •
Performance and Limitations • Emergency Operations • Operation of Multi-Engine Systems •
Night Operations • Postflight Procedures • Review

Section IV Preflight and Checkride Preparation

18 Performance and Limitations……………………………………………………………....……… 261
Performance and Limitations • Weight and Balance • Overloading • Ballast •
Effects of CG, Weight, Wind, Temperature, Humidity • Performance Limitations • Review

19 Operation of Systems ………………………………………………………………….......……… 273
Water Rudders • Landing Gear—Amphibious Systems • Fuel Systems • Review

20 Minimum Equipment List ………………………………………………………........…………… 281
Dealing with Failed Instruments and Systems • The Pilot’s Problem •
Required Instruments for Day and Night VFR • Obtaining a Special Flight Permit • Review

21 Water and Seaplane Characteristics………………………………………………….…………… 289
Terms and Definitions • Characteristics of Water • Characteristics of Seaplanes •
Float Components & Design • Porpoising & Skipping • Review

22 Seaplane Bases, Maritime Rules, Aids to Marine Navigation………………………..…………… 307
Identifying and Locating Seaplane Bases on Charts and in Directories •
Seaplane Bases/Landing Areas and Operating Restrictions • Safety Rules for Seaplanes •
Maritime Rules • Navigation Aids • Review

23 Certificates, Documents and Checkride Preparation.......………………………..………………… 319
Pilot Documents • Aircraft Documents • Checkride Preparation • Checklist for the Checkride

24 What Now? ……………………………………………………………….……………………… 333
Maintain Proficiency • Recurrent Training • Advanced Training • Advanced Learning

Appendix 1 ……………………………………………….………………………….……………… 337
Private PTS for Airplane Single-Engine Sea

Appendix 2 …………………………………………………………………………..……………… 355
SEAWINGS, The seaplane pilot’s proficiency award program,
Seaplane Safety and Proficiency

Bibliography …………………………………………………………………………....…………… 369

Index ……………………………………………………………………………….....……………… 371

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