
Notes of a
Seaplane Instructor
by Burke Mees
Notes of a Seaplane Instructor is a distillation of all the tips, techniques and procedures of a veteran flyer and teacher, in an accessible and informative format. Author Burke Mees has an affinity for the "feel of the floats on the water" and how to communicate it in writing, as well as a sensible, professional approach which lends a truly "one-on-one" aspect to reading his book.
All the seaplane maneuvers are covered, starting with preflight, proceeding through taxiing, takeoff, landing, and postflight procedures; also operating in various water conditions, stability of the aircraft on the water, step-taxi and -turn, and much more. Many illustrations, taken from and inspired by the author's own original flight instruction notebook sketches, help to further explain the concepts. In this new Second Edition, Burke provides even more notes on technique and performance particular to the world of floatplanes, with a special emphasis on safety and the best kind of pilot decisionmaking processes that keep seaplanes flying. The Second Edition also features an added chapter on multi-engine seaplane flying, and an appendix with notes on "pumping the floats" and "ropes and splicing."
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Preflight
- Taxi
- Takeoff
- normal takeoff
- variations of the takeoff
- Flying Characteristics
- drag
- yaw stability
- Before Landings
- Landings
- normal landing
- waterspeed
- rough water
- glassy water
- short field
- crosswind
- engine failure
- night landing
- Yaw stability
- Water Handling
- step taxi and step turns
- plow concepts
- sailing maneuver
- Postflight Procedures
- docking
- beaching
- ramping
- Advanced Topics
- seaplanes and restricted terrain
- density altitude and takeoff performance
- weight and balance and takeoff performance
- current
- Amphibious Float planes
- correct gear selection
- amphibious operations
- Cold Weather Operations
- airframe icing
- salt vs fresh water
- the effect on other components
- Conclusion
- List of Terms Used in Seaplane Operations
From the Introduction:
What it's like to fly single engine float planes? How do pilots develop and hone water flying skills? The answers to these questions comprise a unique approach to seaplane flying in a book that reveals what floatplane mastery is all about. In these pages you will learn: how seaplane preflights differ from those in land planes normal, glassy, and rough water takeoff techniques flight characteristics of seaplanes landing skills in a variety of water conditions water handling and sailing techniques advanced operations operating amphibious floatplanes.
RELATED LINKS:
- ...from the 'VFR skills' Category
- > Handling In-Flight Emergencies
- > Seaplane Pilot
- > Anatomy of a Spin
- > Beyond The Checkride
- > Visualized Flight Maneuvers - High Wing
- > Things My Flight Instructor Never Told Me
- > Tips to Fly By
- > Mountain Flying Bible
- > Conventional Gear
- > Making Perfect Landings in Light Airplanes
Training
- Pilot Ratings
- sport
- private
- instrument
- commercial
- flight instructor
- multi-engine
- helicopter
- ATP
- JAA PPL (private)
- JAA ATPL (commercial)
- standard pilot kits
- Flying Skills
- basics
- VFR skills
- IFR & navigation
- communications
- sport flying
- aircraft operation
- avionics training
- flight safety
- Pilot Supplies
- logbooks
- planning / plotters / E6Bs
- cockpit organization
- hoods / fuel testers
- flightbags & cases
Management
- ICAO
- convention annexes
- air traffic management
- airports
- communications
- dangerous goods
- meteorology
- search & rescue
- others



