geish

Just out of curiousity, are seaplanes in general easier or harder to land than planes made for the strip.

Flyfalcons

I'd say about the same, although you have to worry about wave size and flipping in light winds.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

True, although seaplanes offer one advantage...

If your lake is big enough, you never have to land in a cross wind.

Carlos Murphy

My Feedback: (72)

After you've done it a couple of times you'll find it easier to land (water?) a seaplane,under normal conditions anyway. You have a much bigger "runway" and can land in from any direction, most of the time. Choppy conditions will test both you and your plane.

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

You will find that your "wheel" landings are much improved after you work on your water landings a while. A good water landing is when the plane is flying and then begins leaving a wake in the water without appearing to have had any impact. Judge the altitude of the plane by its reflection in the surface. When the two images touch, you're down.

All Thumbs

From the newbie perspective: After a grand total of ten landings, my impression is that water landings are basically easy. I haven't been tested yet in any wild conditions, but my plane seems to settle down as nice as any tricycle gear land plane. I still need to get used to flying slow with these floats though. I've had a couple of skips but I was still slow enough that they amounted to nothing. I'm still a little in the knee-knock stage and worried about stalling until I gain more experience...but so far the landings aren't bad at all.

Now, if I can just smooth out my takeoffs!

Goinstraightup

My Feedback: (26)

Yeah, the above posts are great. I also feel that when everything is set up properly, water landings and take offs are no more difficult than ground operations. It's just that water operations are soooooo cool! What a blast...

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

Everybody seems to think that if you are not just perfect with a water landing, the floats will catch and make you cartwheel. What happen with a bad landing is the plane bounces, just like on any other surface. I have even skimmed a wingtip on landing without incident. 9 of the last 6 seaplanes that I have seen on their back were caught by a crosswind gust getting under the wing.

Flyfalcons

A side load, though, can get you in trouble pretty quick.

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

>>A side load, though, can get you in trouble pretty quick. <<

Yep. Learn to land gently, and the vertical loads go away, as do the side loads. Conversely, plop it in hard crosswind, and you may get to go for a boat ride.

I can't understand it, but I have known lots of guys who can't tell which way the wind is blowing. These guys are better off if they take up roller blading or knitting. Airplanes need to land and take off into the wind.