Seaplane training!

[bLizZuE]

Today I took the adventerous trip to Winter Haven Florida. About a two hour drive from Vero beach, Winter Haven is located in central Florida. Located right next to the Winter Haven airfield, is Jack Brown's Seaplane Base. Here they operate a small seaplane flight school. The claim to have trained the most seaplane pilots in the world.




Leaving early this morning, we arrived around 8:30 am. After filling out some paperwork, we started with some ground instruction. They provided us with a packet of general information about the airplane, and seaplane operations. After about an hour discussion, we headed out to the aircraft.

We were given a guided walk-around of the airplane. What to look for in pre flight inspections, and more information about the plane itself. Once we completed the pre flight inspections, we were ready to hit the skies.







We climbed in, and started to taxi out onto the middle of the lake. After getting the basics of taxi, and the different methods used, we lined up for take off. Take is fairly straightforward in the Cub. Full aft stick, untill you get up on the floats. You release a little of the pressure, but hold most, untill the plane climbs off the water. You don't really 'rotate', as much as, you let the plane fly by itself.



Once we got up to altitude, we started with some basic Private pilot maneuvers. Steep turns and stalls was all we attemted today. We then started in with some touch and goes.

Landing the seaplane is fairly simple. There aren't a lot of checklists to worry about, or power settings that are complicated. Everything about this airplane is very simple. The plane flies extrememly well, but requires a lot of attention to wind correction. Due to it being extremely light, it is affected heavily by wind.



It was fun to fly around low all day, and land on some different lakes.



Tomorrow we return again, early in the morning. Tomorrow we have another lesson to finish up on some more items. Then if all is well, we have the checkride. We're hoping the weather stays nice enough for us to finish tomorrow. I should have more pictures from today, as well as from tomorrow.

Untill then...

[SeanD]

Sweet !! Looks like a lot of fun. Looking at those instruments Im going to assume its not IFR ready.

[Kingairer]

Great stuff! How many hours till you go for a checkride? I was all set to go to training when Something else came up and never have returned to try it...But maybe the time is coming...

How much is it?

[slushie]

I was all ready to go to Alaska to get seaplane training....now there is another contender...
Stinking beautiful! Great pictures!

Do they have any decent M.E.S. places around there?

[bLizZuE]

It's a two day course.

1.5 hours of ground school
5 hours of flight
checkride.

995.

[slushie]

Originally Posted by bLizZuE

It's a two day course.

1.5 hours of ground school
5 hours of flight
checkride.

995.

hmmm.

[Screaming_Emu]

so you take a plane with hardly any balls on it at all...and strap two huge metal things on it? May I ask what the cruise speed is on that thing? ;-)

None the less, looks like a whole lot of fun.

[bLizZuE]

Originally Posted by slushie

hmmm.

cheaper than anywhere else in the state of florida

[bLizZuE]

Originally Posted by Screaming_Emu

so you take a plane with hardly any balls on it at all...and strap two huge metal things on it? May I ask what the cruise speed is on that thing? ;-)

None the less, looks like a whole lot of fun.

100 hp isn't too bad.

cruise speed...hrmmm...we don't really look at airspeed, but i'd say around 60mph

[Stone Cold]

Good write-ups and pics. Thanks for the info...some time soon...

[johns13b]

have a friend who lives close to there, flew with the browns. i think i might go for a commercial down there.

[PanJet]

Originally Posted by Screaming_Emu

so you take a plane with hardly any balls on it at all...and strap two huge metal things on it? May I ask what the cruise speed is on that thing? ;-)

None the less, looks like a whole lot of fun.

It's funny, I was with a group that visited Kenmore Air in Seattle, where they mostly use Beavers and Otters, but they have a few 185's. The guy told us that a standard 172 could fairly easily outpace a 185 with floats. They used a couple Super Cubs for training, and we even saw a 150 with floats on it sitting there. (Although we later found out it was privately owned). Talk about slow.

[Screaming_Emu]

Originally Posted by PanJet

It's funny, I was with a group that visited Kenmore Air in Seattle, where they mostly use Beavers and Otters, but they have a few 185's. The guy told us that a standard 172 could fairly easily outpace a 185 with floats. They used a couple Super Cubs for training, and we even saw a 150 with floats on it sitting there. (Although we later found out it was privately owned). Talk about slow.

should put jato rockets on those for cruise ;-)

[Ramsey]

We just had 3 guy from our aero club go to Chuck's for training and check rides.

They had nothing but good things to say about the whole experience.

[Ian J]

What do those things rent for per hour?

[LostComm]

Any idea what an add on SES ATP would run?
-LC

[Cheechako]

I did my seaplane rating in an old Taylorcraft F-19. It was a dog on floats. I think it had a 90hp Continental on it. Not much for wheels, and even less with those big floats hanging out there!

It's interesting, those with not much power, you just kind of get it up on step, then wait for it to fly out of the water. When you get into something with more power, say a 185 or 206, you actually use the flaps and "yank" a float out of the water. Take a look at my "Flying in Alaska Summer Part II" video below and you'll see a good example of that in a 180.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by ChinookDriver

What do those things rent for per hour?

My understanding is you generally can't rent seaplanes solo like you can airplanes. So, the rating is cool, but not very useful unless you buy one (and then I bet insurance would kill you until you have 50+ hours in it).

[slushie]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

(and then I bet insurance would kill you until you have 50+ hours in it).

Yeah, combine the risks of an airplane and a boat, and the insurers don't see it very well.

[bLizZuE]

Went back today to finish up, and for the checkride.

It now says: Airplane single engine land and sea

[slushie]

Originally Posted by bLizZuE

Went back today to finish up, and for the checkride.

It now says: Airplane single engine land and sea

Sweet! go you.