Misc. Reading

Question 1

What are Seaplanes typically used for?

Answer 1

Fire fighting operations, policing operations, wildlife operations, surveying, operations, and remote transportation.

Question 2

Seaplane versus boat

Answer 2

Seaplanes are more environmentally friendly, cleaner fuel above water surface Less wake under water. Minimal noise compared to boats. Rarely operated at night due to poor lighting of waterways.

Question 3

Why do boater have the right away over seaplanes

Answer 3

Seaplane pilots are required to be licensed therefore they have more knowledge of the rules and regulations. And they also have the advantage of seeing more up above than a boat would down below.

Question 4

Once Start the engine?

Answer 4

The parking brake does not work, the tow brakes do not work, the airplane is a ship in motion.

Question 5

Seaplane taxi types? RMP, Kts, Elevator, water rudder position?

Answer 5

Idle Taxi: low rpm, 6-7kts, elevator full aft for reduced spray, water rudders dow. Plow Taxi: higher rmp, elevator full back, water rudders retracted. Transition from Idle to Step, Buoyancy shifts back, stern sinks, heavy spray, danger of overheating Step Taxi: highest rmp, slowly reducing back pressure, then power 65-70% “sweet spot”, water rudders retracted. “plaining position” - Hydrodynamic lift occurs rather than buoyancy, raising the rear of the floats, reducing drag.

Question 6

While taxiing, stay?

Answer 6

Try to stay out of the waterways for landing or taking off traffic.

Question 7

Dragging is?

Answer 7

When the nose is too far forward on the step and the bow of the floats contacts the water. Creating more drag, slowing the airplane.

Question 8

Never step taxi in?

Answer 8

Shallow water or over wakes. Sudden drag will flip the airplane

Question 9

When slowing, caution for?

Answer 9

Increased drag can causing a sudden nose over. I

Question 10

How can we reduce our take off distance?

Answer 10

Step taxi turn “sling shot” Caution for your wake

Question 11

What direction should we make turns?

Answer 11

Left for the added P factor and torque.

Question 12

How should we taxi? And why?

Answer 12

Taxi at Idle or Step Taxi. It is not proper to taxi in between “plow taxi” To avoid prop damage and engine overheating.

Question 13

How can we set up better for a Glassy Water Take-off? And why?

Answer 13

Circle around and rough up the water surface. Helps decrease illusions and unstick the floats.

Question 14

Wetted Area is?

Answer 14

The surface area of the float below the waterline is called the wetted area, and it varies depending on the seaplane’s weight. An empty seaplane has less wetted area than when it is fully loaded. Wetted area is a major factor in the cre­ation of drag as the seaplane moves through the water

Question 15

In rivers or tidal flows, make crosswind or calm wind takeoffs in what direction?

Answer 15

in the same direction as the current. This reduces the water forces on the floats. Suppose the seaplane lifts off at 50 knots and the current is 3 knots. If winds are calm, the seaplane needs a water speed of 47 knots to take off downstream, but must accelerate to a water speed of 53 knots to become airborne against the current. This dif­ference of 6 knots requires a longer time on the water and generates more stress on the floats

Question 16

In most situations, take off in

Answer 16

take off into the wind if the speed of the wind is greater than the current.

Question 17

What is a power turn used for? Why?

Answer 17

Upwind to Downwind

Centrifugal force is used to overcome the setting effects of the crosswind.

Question 18

A step taxi turn helps to?

Answer 18

Accelerate to lift-off speed

Question 19

How to correct porpoising?

Answer 19

Increased elevator control and reduce power smoothly to idle.

Question 20

Glassy Water Risks?

Answer 20

Deceptive.

Hard to judge where the surface is making it difficult to judge when to round out or flare.

So many pilots flare too high or dive into the water.

Uses a lot of landing distance.

Question 21

How to minimize glassy water risks?

Answer 21

Land closer to the shoreline.

Landing somewhere with better visual references.

Question 22

Careful on Glassy Water Takeoffs for?

Answer 22

Settling the nose too soon and returning to the water.

Question 23

Glassy water set up steps?

Answer 23

Establish takeoff pitch attitude.

Airspeed 10 knots above stall.

Rate of descent at 100 FPM.

Constant Attitude & Power Setting.

Question 24

Land into the wind or into the current? Why?

Answer 24

Calm wind, into the current because it will shorten our landing distance.

Caution as your impact into the water will be at an increased speed as this is like a head-on collision with the water.

With wind, into the wind because it is safer and will shorten our landing distance

Question 25

Rough water landing technique?

Answer 25

Land at minimal airspeed.

Question 26

Avoid during landing?

Answer 26

Boat wakes, so touchdown beyond it.

Water Logs

All can cause damage to the floats.

Question 27

Approach the beach at?

Answer 27

Slowest possible airspeed and raise water rudders.

Turn tail onto the beach.

Question 28

What is the “Sweet Spot”?

Answer 28

The sweet spot on the step that provides the least amount of hydrodynamic drag and allows for the quickest acceleration.

Question 29

When landing, if you use power after landing attitude is set…

Answer 29

DO NOT reduce to idle until ON the water

Question 30

In stronger winds, weathervaning forces may make it difficult to turn?

Answer 30

downwind.

Question 31

Overcome weathervaning by? and Why?

Answer 31

Often a short burst of power provides sufficient air over the rudder to overcome weathervaning.

Short bursts of power are preferable to a longer, continuous power application. With continuous power, the seaplane accelerates, increasing the turn radius.

Question 32

During a high speed taxiing turn…

Answer 32

centrifugal force tends to tip the seaplane toward the outside of the turn.

Question 33

When turning from an upwind heading to a downwind heading?

Answer 33

heading, the wind force acts in opposition to centrifugal force, helping stabilize the seaplane.

Question 34

When turning from downwind to upwind?

Answer 34

The wind force against the fuselage and the underside of the wing increases the tendency for the seaplane to lean to the outside of the turn, forcing the downwind float deeper into the water.

Question 35

When making a turn into the wind from a crosswind condition…

Answer 35

often all that is necessary to complete the turn is to neutralize the air rudder and allow the seaplane
to weathervane into the wind.

Question 36

The plow turn is one technique for…

And why?

Answer 36

turning downwind when other methods are inadequate,

Stronger winds may make turns from upwind to downwind
more difficult.

Question 37

Why does the plow turn make it easier to turn downwind

Answer 37

In the plowing attitude, the front portion of each float comes out of the water, presenting a large vertical surface for the wind to act upon. This tends to neutralize the weathervaning force, allowing the turn to proceed. At the same time, the center of buoyancy shifts back.

Question 38

To execute a plow turn?

Answer 38

Begin with a turn to the right,
then use the weathervaning force combined with full left rudder

to turn back to the left. As the seaplane passes its original upwind heading, add enough power
to place it into the plow position,

continuing the turn with the rudder.

As the seaplane comes to the down wind heading, reduce power and return to an idle taxi.

Question 39

Floatplanes are least stable when…

Answer 39

in the plowing attitude, and are very susceptible to capsizing.

Question 40

As the rate of turn increases,

Answer 40

the floats are being forced to move somewhat sideways through the water, and they resist this sideways motion with drag, much like an airplane fuselage in a skidding turn. More power is required to overcome this drag and maintain planing speed. This skidding force also tends to roll the seaplane toward the outside of the turn, driving the outside float deeper into the water and adding more drag on that side.

To prevent this, use aileron into the turn to keep the outside wing from dropping. Once full aileron into the step turn is applied, any further roll to the outside can only be stopped by reducing the rate of turn.

Question 41

the seaplane automatically aligns itself so the…

Answer 41

nose points into the wind, sailing in a seaplane usually means moving backward.

Question 42

To sail left…

Answer 42

Right Rudder
and Right Aileron Down,

Seaplane
Moves Downwind
to the Left

lift the water rudders, since their action is counter to what is desired.

Question 43

To sail right?

Answer 43

With Left Rudder and Left
Aileron Down,

Seaplane
Moves Downwind to the Right

lift the water rudders, since their action is counter to what is desired.

Question 44

Why do crosswinds present special difficulties for seaplane pilots.

Answer 44

The same force that acts to lift the upwind wing also increases the weight on the downwind float, forcing it deeper into the water and increasing drag on that side. It tends to push the seaplane sideways across the takeoff path, which imposes side loads on the landing gear. In addition, wind pressure on the vertical tail causes the seaplane to try to weathervane into the wind.

The sideways drifting force, acting through the sea plane’s center of gravity, is opposed by the resistance of the water against the side area of the floats. This creates a force that tends to tip the seaplane sideways, pushing the downwind float deeper into the water and lifting the upwind wing.

Question 45

During a takeoff in stiff crosswinds, weathervaning forces can cause an uncontrolled turn to begin. As the turn develops…?

Answer 45

the addition of centrifugal force acting outward from the turn aggravates the problem. The keels of the floats resist the sideways force, and the upwind wing tends to lift. If strong enough, the combination of the wind and centrifugal force may tip the seaplane to the point where the downwind float submerges and subsequently the wingtip may strike the water.

This is known as a waterloop, and the dynamics are similar to a groundloop on land.

Question 46

In light winds, it is easy to counteract the weathervaning tendency during the early part of the takeoff run by?

Answer 46

Prior to adding takeoff power, use the water rudders to set up
a heading somewhat downwind of the aim point.

Question 47

When should we use a downwind take off?

Answer 47

Obstacles at the upwind side

Noise Abatement

Current favors the downwind:

Keep in mind that
overcoming the current creates far more drag than
accelerating a few extra knots downwind with the current.

Question 48

Why is a downwind takeoff longer?

Answer 48

the takeoff run is longer
because the wings must first be accelerated to the speed
of the wind, then accelerated to the correct airspeed to
generate the lift required for takeoff.

in addition, a downwind takeoff
run in a seaplane is further lengthened by the factor of
float drag. The speed of the floats in the water corresponds
to the higher groundspeed required in a landplane, but the
drag of the floats increases as the square of their speed.

Question 49

How can you unstick an airplane during takeoff if you are not accelerating to takeoff speed?

Answer 49

the pilot applies enough aileron pressure to lift one float just out of the water and allows the seaplane
to continue to accelerate on the step of the other float until lift-off.

Question 50

The relationship of the spacing of the waves to the length of the floats is very important?

Answer 50

If the wavelength is less than half the length of the floats, the seaplane is always supported by at least two waves at a time If the wavelength is longer than the floats, only one wave at a time supports the seaplane. This creates dangerous pitching motions, and takeoff should not be attempted in this situation.

Question 51

If the current is moving at 10 knots and the wind is blowing
the opposite direction at 15 knots, the relative velocity
between the water and the wind is??

Answer 51

25 knots, and the
waves will be as high as those produced in still water
by a wind of 25 knots.

Question 52

As a general rule, if the height of the
waves from trough to crest is more than _________

takeoffs should not be attempted

Answer 52

if the height of the waves from trough to crest is more than half the height of the floats from keel to deck

Question 53

Section 91.107

Seatbelt difference is

Answer 53

A person pushing off or mooring a seaplane is authorized to move around while the seaplane is in motion.

Question 54

Why get a seaplane rating?

Answer 54

Makes me a better pilot!

More knowledgeable.

Safer.

More hireable