PA.I.I.S1
SkillAssess the water surface characteristics for the proposed flight.
From the FAA library
- CHARACTERISTICS OF WATER
CHARACTERISTICS OF WATER A competent seaplane pilot is knowledgeable in the characteristics of water and how they affect the seaplane. As a fluid, water seeks its own level, and forms a flat, glassy surface if undisturbed. Winds, currents, or objects ... traveling along its surface create waves and movements that change the surface characteristics. Just as airplanes encounter resistance in the form of drag as they move through the air, seaplane hulls and floats respond to drag forces as they move…
- LANDING › GLASSY WATER LANDING
GLASSY WATER LANDING Flat, calm, glassy water certainly looks inviting and may give the pilot a false sense of safety. By its nature, glassy water indicates no wind, so there are no concerns about which direction to land, no crosswind ... consider, no weathervaning, and obviously no rough water. Unfortunately, both the visual and the physical characteristics of glassy water hold potential hazards for complacent pilots. Consequently, this surface condition is frequently more dangerous than it appears for a landing seaplane…
- Chapter 7. Safety of Flight › Section 6. Potential Flight Hazards › 7-6-9. Seaplane Safety
Except for the far north, the available bodies of water are no longer the exclusive domain of the airman. Seaplane pilots must be vigilant for hazards such as electric power lines, power, sail and rowboats, rafts, mooring lines, water skiers ... Coast Guard’s (USCG) Navigation Rules, International-Inland, and 14 CFR section 91.115, Right-of-Way Rules; Water Operations. The navigation rules of the road are a set of collision avoidance rules as they apply to aircraft on the water…
- RULES OF THE SEA › INLAND AND INTERNATIONAL WATERS
Coast Guard (USCG) regulations, the definition of a vessel includes virtually anything capable of being used for transportation on water, including seaplanes on the water. Therefore, any time a seaplane is operating on the water, whether under power ... Printing Office. These rules apply to all public or private vessels navigating upon the high seas and certain inland waters. INLAND AND INTERNATIONAL WATERS Inland waters are divided visually from international waters by buoys in areas with frequent ocean traffic…
- SKIPPING › GLASSY WATER TAKEOFFS
GLASSY WATER TAKEOFFS Glassy water makes takeoff more difficult in two ways. The smoothness of the surface has the effect of increasing drag, making acceleration and lift-off more difficult. This can feel as if there is suction between ... water and the floats. A little surface roughness actually helps break the contact between the floats and the water by introducing turbulence and air bubbles between water and the float bottoms. The intermittent contact between floats and water…
- LANDING › ROUGH WATER LANDING
pilot can be certain that the landing configuration and 150 f.p.m. descent will be established well above the water’s surface, starting the final glide nearer the surface shortens the descent time and overall landing length. This technique usually produces ... long, shallow glide consumes considerable landing distance. Be certain there is sufficient room for the glide, touchdown, and water run. ROUGH WATER LANDING Rough is a very subjective and relative term. Water conditions that cause no difficulty for small boats…