waterline and you’ve got some serious problems. Rough water, where the winds are over 15 knots, is very rough on the instruments and the plane itself. A seaplane is very rigid and has no cushioning that tires provide. Water may be soft, but can be as hard as asphalt. A hard landing can easily damage a seaplane. Many firewalls have buckled from a hard landing. Glassy water landings can be tough because you see shoreline and cloud reflections in the water. It’s difficult to know how high you are before you touch down, so we have a technique one learns and uses to make a smooth landing. It is very similar to a soft-field landing. The takeoff can be equally tricky because the water surface tension wants to keep the floats for itself and not let them go unless we use a technique we learned in training. It sounds difficult, but it’s not. Eight to 10 hours of flying is usually enough to get you through the flight portion of the practical test; the oral is more about common sense and risk management. Advanced seaplane training reinforces the basic training. So, really, what’s the hardest part about learning to fly a seaplane? Learning to fly low and slow over the tops of the trees. There’s a saying among seaplane pilots that we get nosebleeds and hypoxic when we are flying over a thousand feet AGL (Above Ground Level).
ADS-B
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Travel Destinations Aplenty! Where can you go with a seaplane? With some exceptions (as listed under each state on the Seaplane Pilots Association website), most any lake, reservoir, or river can be our destination and our playground. Whether it’s to do splash and goes, dock at a nearby cabin or fly to Canada, the list is endless. For Minnesota and Wisconsin, you can start by searching the Minnesota Seaplane Pilots Association website: www.mnseaplanes.com/destinations.php. There are about 50 fly-in locations listed. The criteria to be listed is that it must have seaplane suitable facilities, seaplane friendly staff and owners, good food, and recreation and lodging opportunities. While too numerous to print here, I’ve selected a few seaplane destinations to whet your appetite that either I have visited or have heard quite a bit about. If you want a truly great experience flying in Ontario, Canada with its 250,000 lakes, The Old Post Lodge is first rate. About two hours north of Crane Lake, Minnesota (KCDD), you’re bound to see moose. Here is what their website, www.oldpost.com, says: “Set on remote Lake St. Joseph, Old Post Lodge is northern Ontario's finest fishing resort and best-kept secret. What began as a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post was rediscovered and transformed by the passion and vision of the Grace family. Through their pioneering conservation efforts, this piece of Canadian heritage teams with walleye and trophy northern pike, earning Old Post Lodge its reputation as the northern fishing experience of a lifetime.” Old Post Lodge has a nice beach
with adequate tie-down facilities for seaplanes. The cabins are first rate and the food and hospitality are even better. Did I mention evening bon fires on the beach? Adventure Seaplanes, located at Surfside Seaplane Base in
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HOST OF THE ANNUAL HARBOR VIEW FLOAT - IN HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH PRICE COUNTY AIRSHOW - JUNE 30 & JULY 1, 2017 Dinner & Refreshments Immediately Following Friday Night Air Show, June 30 Breakfast Prior To 11:00 A.M. Air Show On Saturday, July 1 - 8:30-11:30 A.M. Lunch Following Air Show Lake Rattle & Roll – Live Band, Saturday, July 1 (8:00 pm to Midnight) Come For The Day Camp At The Airport or Stay At A Resort or Hotel www.pricecountywi.net • 800-269-4505 JUNE/JULY 2017 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE 41