Watch out boaters. Just passed my seaplane check-ride this evening.

Congratulation I'm gonna get one too....someday

Congrats!!!

Just remember...
No brakes.
Poor steering.
And everything there is to run into is really, really expensive.

But damn it's fun flying!

Gump

Congrats to you!! Hope you get to use it more than I have, someday when I am rich and retired I will put the floats on "Charlie" and really get to explore Alaska.

Good job! Where did you get the rating? Steve

I received my rating from Adventure Seaplanes. They are located at Surfside Seaplane Base in Lino Lakes, MN, 8Y4. The base is about 45 minutes away from my home. (Hey, sometimes you get lucky where to live.) Started last fall, but got busy with life. Then the water turned from liquid to solid. Picked it up again in May. I trained in their 172s, one 160 hp and one 180 hp. They do have other options, but the plane I normally fly is also a 172. Matt was my instructor. Fun stuff!

http://www.adventureseaplanes.com/

I am heading up to Hayden Lake, ID when I get off work on the 27th to spend the week working on my SES. 100hp J-3 on floats I believe.

Had a chance to do a introductory flight over the winter up at Kenmore so I had to come back for more. Addicting!

DDB, you are in a great location, right on the edge of lake country. The landing possibilites in that area and on north, are endless. I spend a couple of days with Brian and Matt in Florida one winter, training in their Skywagon, prior to putting floats on the 185 that spring. Nice location for a winter break and good people to work with.

Fern_hopper, nice to put a trip out of Kenmore in your logbook. They are world famous. Good luck on your future rating. Steve

Gongratulations!!! Flying floats here in MN is one of the best types of flying I have experienced. I've flown over a hundred hrs. in the last couple of years and have had a blast!! Nearly unlimited areas to land up here in the north country. Fly safe and have fun.
WW

Matt,
Mike Kincaid is a great instructor and you will have a great time at Hayden Lake, I'm sure. You should ask to buy copies of his fiction books about Alaska State Troopers. Fun reads.

Matt 7GCBC wrote:Matt,
Mike Kincaid is a great instructor and you will have a great time at Hayden Lake, I'm sure. You should ask to buy copies of his fiction books about Alaska State Troopers. Fun reads.

I am looking forward to meeting him. I have heard good things, not to mention his prices seemed pretty fair
Had a chance to read his book over the winter. It was a pretty enjoyable.

Congratulations. Now you can forget that nasty tailwheel and really enjoy flying.

Congrats! I'm taking my checkride this Tuesday in a Citabria.
Any last minute tips from anyone?
Thanks

Always wear an inflatable life vest.

Period.

MTV

Ditto that life vest comment. The majority of the seaplane pilots I see don't have them on. I sure hope they never need them. Get one with a few pockets on it and throw some first aid stuff in there too.

What brands do you guys like for the life vests. I would like to get a non bulkie one IE no orange cube of a life vest

Tom

I have the Stearns vest that has the manual inflation and CO2 cartridge. It has several pockets to stash other items. I keep a compass, small GPS, munchies, SPOT, knife and a few other First Aid/survival essentials in the pockets. You can find them for around $100.
I actually would have preferred the one that is made of Nomex but found the ones I have in the Bargain barn at Cabels for $75 so I had a hard time passing it up. I also carry a spare for the passenger but it is the "suspender" type also of the manual type.
WW

Do a google search. I found a nice stearns CO2 cartridge inflatable, a few nice pockets, for about $120. I also have the orange Nomex one from Prepared Pilot, and an older style stearns that I really like with lots of big pockets, has both CO2 inflatable and manual inflatable, but I can't seem to find this kind anymore so maybe they quit making it. Both the newer stearns and the one from prepared pilot have a few small pockets, are somewhat breathable, and fairly comfortable. I'm still looking for the ultimate one and haven't found it yet. Even just the Sospenders kind will work. main thing is to have it AND WEAR IT. If you get injured flipping the plane in the water you may not be able to swim.

I went flying with Rhyppa and he made Erin and me wear his PFD's. They weren't bothersome at all and I forgot I was wearing the thing after 5 minutes. If I was a dedicated float flyer I'd have a nice light one like that.

The Stearns or Mustang vests are fine, or if you prefer, the SOSpenders work fine as well. The vest, as noted, offers the opportunity to carry a little survival gear on your person---like a PLB, a good knife, and not much else. Nevertheless, that PLB and the floatation will save lives.

MTV