Newsletter- Water Wings Seaplane School, Lake Martin, Alabama

On The Step by Charles Welden, CFI

Seaplane Passenger Briefing
Many of my first-time passengers are nervous about flying in a small plane—especially a seaplane. This is usually exacerbated during the pre-flight briefing when I mention the unlikely chance that we could be involved in an accident on the water; but it's also an opportunity to ease that tension with practical information and mention seaplanes' excellent record in off-airport landings.

The briefing should cover the necessary topics while emphasizing the safety benefits of seaplane flying. On the positive side, seaplanes have several distinct safety advantages over land planes. To begin with, we have 44,000 acres of runway in front of us, and almost the entire flight will be over this runway.

We have the option of landing on water or land without serious danger. Because the floats have very strong keels, seaplanes can be landed on grass safely without damage, or even on a concrete runway if necessary with minimal risk to the plane or occupants.

Seaplanes also have structural enhancements to withstand the rigors of the water. The floats provide extra strength in front of and below the cockpit, which protects the occupants in the event of a landing accident.

The most serious issue is getting out of a sinking airplane. This is why pre-flight briefing is crucial. Passengers must be prepared for that unlikely event—they must be shown how to find and release seat belts, door, and window latches while upside-down, and feel free to kick out anything needed for egress. Finally they must know how and when to inflate life jackets.

The life jacket and the briefing—knowing what do and when in an emergency— should actually be a comfort to the wary first-time passenger, giving him/her a sense of security in the face of a new and exciting experience.

Density Altitude and Seaplanes
Summer is arriving in Alabama. With humidity like warm butter and temperatures heading into the 90s, the AWOSs are now forced to tell us what the density altitude is in the remarks section.

Any airplane will have to contend with loss of cool dense air to burn in the engine and to use for lift and thrust. Planes will continue to fly off the runway with about the same indicated airspeed as a 10 degree winter day, but the ground speed and true airspeed will be considerably higher as the density altitude increases. The engine will produce less horsepower, the prop will be less efficient, and the wings will have to work harder to fly in the less dense air.

Seaplanes usually have the option of taking off directly into the wind,
plus the luxury of a nearly unending runway.However, there is the added penalty of water drag, which increases at the square of speed. At some specific density altitude, no amount of runway will allow a seaplane at a specific weight to take off. That altitude will be significantly less than the comparable land plane, because the land plane does not have to contend with water drag.

Chuck's Quick Tip: On a calm day the water is much stickier than on
a day with some wave action. Bubbles from waves under the pontoons reduce drag. Stirring up the water by step taxiing in the take off area can help. Taking off earlier in the day can help even more. The only things that you can control in the heat of a still day are weight reduction and the amount of time you spend swimming and relaxing by the cool lake water.

WaterWings is now a dealer for Stormy Seas inflatable life jackets.
We did this in the interest of providing a safety service for seaplane pilots. In the event of a seaplane accident in the water, the first critical action is to get everyone out of the airplane. A standard bulky life jacket can be a killer if it inhibits exit from the upside down and sinking plane. And they do little good in the airplane if not worn.

Inflatable vests are lightweight and comfortable in the already tight and sometimes warm cockpit, and their comfort encourages wear. They can be inflated manually once clear of the sinking craft. This can save lives in the water. WaterWings provides a Stormy Seas inflatable vest for students to use while receiving our instruction.

Pilots need to be aware that the President plans to travel almost every day in support of his tax proposal, so pay attention to the news. If the president is going to be anywhere near your proposed flight path, ask briefers specifically about temporary flight restrictions in that area.

For 4th of July travelers, words to the wise from the FAA ...flying and fireworks don't mix. We southerners do love our fireworks, and because of widespread sales in the region, the FAA sent hazardous-materials agents out to fireworks retailers in the southeast to distribute educational brochures and posters explaning the dangers of fireworks aboard aircraft. The entire community outreach program is titled: "Fireworks Don't Fly", and has reached millions of people throughout the country. Penalties for carrying these items onto aircraft range from $30,000 to $500,000 plus prison terms.

Here's this month's installment of the training guide- Part Four: Taxi. We're re-working the TG into a .pdf file for the best printout/study tool. Still working on the PowerPoint, plus delving into video training clips. Stay tuned...

The Seaplane Pilots Association is offering a special 6 month trial membership to WaterWings students, which includes 3 issues of Water Flying magazine. When you come for your instruction, ask Charles to put you on the sign up sheet.