I haven't flown floats at all in the past few years, and next to nothing before that, but I will be doing some flying in a Pacer on floats this summer. I have a few books on flying floats at home, but I won't be able to get to them until after I do my training. I was wondering if any of you have favourite online resources to get your head back into the float world so I can prepare myself rather than figuring it all out again in the plane.

Seaplaneforum.com is pretty good

i bought something from Sporty's a few years ago - cant remember how practical it was - was called something like "so you want to fly floats"

You want to check that out.

garth

You might try and purchase De Remer's Water Flying Concepts. Its one of the best on float flying.
Jim

Free from Uncle Sam:

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/seaplane_handbook/

Edutainment:

wow zane - good find. although "slightly dated", all still very much relavent. Only thing i saw that was a little different than most pilots do is float inspection for water. I dont know of anyone that unscrews the inspection caps to inspect for water as opposed to pumping the floats.

good video

Also, here's a playlist I keep on the YouTube BCP channel:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD495A2A1159B756E&feature=plcp

Mostly entertainment.

"slightly dated"

Thanks. I love the music. It really fits my retro lifestyle. Now I'll just don my smoking jacket and relax. Ahhh...dream of floats and glassy water...ahhh...

I dont know of anyone that unscrews the inspection caps to inspect for water as opposed to pumping the floats.

If there are no pump out tubes I think you have to pull the inspection cover to pump the floats out, like the old 1320's.

-Levi

Levi wrote:

I dont know of anyone that unscrews the inspection caps to inspect for water as opposed to pumping the floats.

If there are no pump out tubes I think you have to pull the inspection cover to pump the floats out, like the old 1320's.

-Levi

Exactly, and the early EDO 2000's came without pump outs as well. Many have been updated with pump outs now, but....

And, I can show you a photo of a wrecked floatplane, where the pilot had "pumped" the floats using the pump outs, but the pick up tubes that go from the deck pump out fitting to the bottom of the floats were not connected to teh pumpouts. Hence, he was pumping from the TOPS of the float compartments. A quick look inside a float would have quickly been an eye opener, and prevented an accident. He got airborne, but hit a light pole about a mile from the float pond....couldn't climb. Looking inside floats every once in a while is a great idea.

I always kept a small wood dowel in my shed at the float pond as well. Pull the pump out plug, stick the dowel down the pump out tube, and see how deep the water line was....Quick and simple adjunct to pumping.

MTV

Yup agreed - if no pump out tubes, then inspection would be mandatory. First thing I do when I get to the plane is look at the water line on the floats and note how much fuel I have. After that, I can guess really close how much water is in the floats. If the water line is much higher than normal, it's a red flag

Garth

Zane it's pretty ironic you just posted this. I just watched that video for the first time the other night. Awesome.