Hello, i just put a pair of floats on my cessna 182, and i have never flown a plane with floats on it, i just need to know how. Is there any difference between flying on and off of a runway. And i need some tips, please respond back!!! Thanx []

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Somewhere in this thread, I wote a bit on how to set up and fly float planes..

I don't remember what page it is on, so you are on your own.....

Mostly the difference is if you dead-stick you can't walk over and pick up your airplane.

Whenever the motor is running, the plane will be moving. Whenever the motor is NOT running, the plane will be moving. (Usually away from you, but that is because of Murphy's Law. )

Some guys will tell you that you need water rudders to taxi in the wind. They help a little, up to a point. You DO have to learn how to turn your plane 'cause it will want to point into the wind at idle, or if you go to fast idle it will want to point doownwind...In between is a magic place that will allow you to turn crosswind, but beware! the wind can take your upwind wingtip and lift it and force your downwind wingtip into the water. This can flip your plane over on its back faster than you can say all those punctuation markes that Sgt Snorkel says to Beetle Bailey.

Take off: Low idle: The plane will point into the wind. Full up, add power. The plane will climb over the bow wave and level out. Neutralize elevator, let the plane gain speed, then breathe a little back pressure on the stick and you're flying.

Landing: Set up from downwind, coming toward you. Keep a little power on in the final to flatten out the glide. Watch for the reflection of he plane on the water. Judge your height with the reflection. Pull back the power and let it settle in a full stall landing just like on wheels. Just land as gently as possible. It's a thing of beauty. If you land too fast it can skip. The second landing is steeper and wetter if you don't do anything to correct.

THANX FOR YOUR HELP!!!! ill NEED IT

Welcome and have fun!!!

two things I want to point out...

1 on takeoff, be sure to keep your wings level. If one float dips more than the other it will lead to a lot of drag and a turn to that side. Using rudder to correct the turn could make it worse and cause the deep pontoon to dig into the water causing an abrupt end to the flight.

2 On landing, I like to add 1 or 2 clicks of power just a second or two before the plane sets down, just to give it a little more pull to overcome the drag of the water

My $.02--All the above, and I tend to "lean" on the elevator just a tad on takeoff to keep the nose up just enough that the float tips stay out of the water and it gets on plane a bit quicker (on 'step'). I found water takeoffs and landings a lot easier than I had thought they would be. For landings, I took a lesson from the Mallards that frequent the shoreline near where we fly. If you ever see any, (ducks in general) watch the 'nose high' attitude they establish on their approach to bleed off airspeed and keep it in mind that you want your plane to do similar to keep from burying a float tip when you touch down, and what J Casey said about full stall landing is important, or you'll have enough airspeed to bounce and fly again.

Watching those ducks was cool; I just can't seem to get my Cub's wings to flap when I need them to