ASES - Definitions Flashcards
AMPHIBIAN
A seaplane with retractable wheel-type landing gear that can be extended to allow landings to be made on land.
ANCHOR
A heavy hook connected to the seaplane by a line or cable, intended to dig into the bottom and keep the seaplane from drifting.
AUXILIARY FIN
An additional vertical stabilizer installed on some float planes to offset the increased surface area of the floats in front of the center of gravity.
BEACHING
Pulling a seaplane up onto a suitable shore so that its weight is supported by relatively dry ground rather than water.
BEAUFORT WIND SCALE
A standardized scale ranging from 0-12 correlating the velocity of the wind with predictable surface features of the water.
BILGE
The lowest point inside a float, hull, or watertight compartment.
BILGE PUMP
A pump used to extract water that has leaked into the bilge of a float or flying boat.
BULKHEAD
A structural partition that divides a float or a flying boat hull into separate compartments and provides additional strength.
BUOYANCY
The tendency of a body to float or to rise when submerged in a fluid.
BUOYS
Floating objects moored to the bottom to mark a channel, waterway, or obstruction.
CAN BUOYS
Cylindrical buoys marking the left side of a channel for an inbound vessel. They have odd numbers which increase from seaward.
CAPSIZE
To overturn.
CAST OFF
To release or untie a vessel from its mooring point.
CENTER OF BUOYANCY
The average point of buoyancy in floating objects. Weight added above this point will cause the floating object to sit deeper in the water in a level attitude.
CHINE
The longitudinal seam joining the sides to the bottom of the float. The chines serve a structural purpose, transmitting loads from the bottoms to the sides of the floats. They also serve a hydrodynamic purpose, guiding water away from the float, reducing spray, and contributing to hydrodynamic lift.
CHOP
A roughened condition of the sea surface caused by local winds. It is characterized by its irregularity, short distance between crests, and whitecaps.
CREST
The top of a wave.
CURRENT
The horizontal movement of a body of water.
DAYBEACONS
Unlighted beacons.
DAYMARKS
Conspicuous markings or shapes that aid in making navigational aids readily visible and easy to identify against daylight viewing backgrounds.
DECK
The top of the float, which can serve as a step or walkway. Bilge pump openings, hand hole covers, and mooring cleats are typically located along the deck.
DISPLACEMENT POSITION
The attitude of the seaplane when its entire weight is supported by the buoyancy of the floats, as it is when at rest or during a slow taxi. Also called the idling position.
DOCK
To secure a seaplane to a permanent structure fixed to the shore. As a noun, the platform or structure to which the seaplane is secured.
DOWNSWELL
Motion in the same direction the swell is moving.
FETCH
An area where wind is generating waves on the water surface. Also the distance the waves have been driven by the wind blowing in a constant direction without obstruction.
FLOATPLANE
A seaplane equipped with separate floats to support the fuselage well above the water surface.
FLOATS
The components of a floatplane?s landing gear that provide the buoyancy to keep the airplane afloat.
GLASSY WATER
A calm water surface with no distinguishable surface features, with a glassy or mirror like appearance. Glassy water can deceive a pilot?s depth perception.
HEIGHT-TO-LENGTH RATIO
The ratio between the height of a swell to the length between two successive crests (swell length).
HYDRODYNAMIC FORCES
Forces relating to the motion of fluids and the effects of fluids acting on solid bodies in motion relative to them.
HYDRODYNAMIC LIFT
For seaplanes, the upward force generated by the motion of the hull or floats through the water. When the seaplane is at rest on the surface, there is no hydrodynamic lift, but as the seaplane moves faster, hydrodynamic lift begins to support more and more of the seaplane?s weight.
IDLING POSITION
The attitude of the seaplane when its entire weight is supported by the buoyancy of the floats, as it is when at rest or during a slow taxi. Also called the displacement position.