Winter Float Flying
We are fortunate in Alabama to have moderate weather all winter, with the plus of having lakes and rivers almost exclusively to ourselves, free of wakes and personal watercraft. Enjoy how much of the land you can see through the bare trees!

Many lakes have a lower water level this time of year, so we must be careful to survey our take off and landing zones for newly shallow areas. This also means we can see all kinds of beach debris that is submerged other times of the year. The winter water is usually clearer, which helps with the underwater survey.

Noises on the lake seem to be louder in the winter, probably because everything is so quiet, but also because the denser air transmits sound more efficiently. You might keep this in mind when flying over the few areas that are actually populated in the winter. Read more about dealing with winter season pre-flight, taxi, run-up and post-flight
procedures as this article continues on our website.

Chuck's Quick Tip

Winter Battery Maintenance
We depend on lots of batteries when we fly. First in importance is the airplane battery. It is critical in the winter months to keep all fluid at the proper levels, and that it's kept charged and as warm as possible. A quality trickle charger can mean the difference between a long, cold preflight concluding with a failed start, and a long, cold preflight followed by a wonderful winter flight.

Pilot accessories such as portable GPSs, ANR headsets, handheld VHF radios, and flashlights are particularly susceptible to the cold winter nights. I take all of my battery powered pilot toys into the house at night, rather than leave them in the plane or even in the car trunk. Batteries drain fast when they have to light up frozen components. As a side benefit, you are removing an incentive for someone to pry open your airplane door to steal your goodies. So take care of your batteries and keep 'em warm.

Meet Gary Kiteley, the FAA examiner who represents the final step to getting your Water Wings. Gary's experience and impressive credentials span 35 years as an aviation educator, consultant, and researcher, taking him from Purdue University all the way to places as far-flung as West Africa. Read his full bio in pdf format.

U.S. Coast Guard Boating Rules & Regs: we've added some new links to the training guide on the website. Be sure to check them out, including an online water safety course. This is useful for learning how to play nicely and legally with other watercraft when you're sharing the waterways. This course is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, and is offered by Boat Ed, a private organization dedicated to providing boater safety courses, certification and the publishing of boater education materials.

Want to know what's in our training training guide? Get a jump start on Part One: The Airplane

Are you a CFI? Flight Instructors get a 10% discount on training at WaterWings.

Wanted! Water flying stories, interesting experiences, questions, and suggestions for content you'd like to see in this newsletter or on our website. Email editor@flyseaplanes.com We want to hear from you!