So far in my discussion you have very likely seen my hint at the first big rule in float flying. It's the same as in land plane flying - DON'T HURRY! It starts with pre-flighting the aircraft and floats. You must remember that once you've committed yourself to start the engine, you must have everything completed. That includes not only a thorough preflight of your equipment using a checklist, but also just where the aircraft is going to go once the engine is started. Remember that movement is immediate. Don't hurry. Think over things such as wind, other planes, boats, people, etc.

Prospective seaplane pilots are always amazed that water spray can seriously damage a propeller. I have seen a perfectly good propeller ruined beyond repair in just 15 minutes of improper handling. But even more important and serious is the number of seaplanes that have capsized due to the same improper techniques. Both conditions can be avoided if the second rule is put into practice. NEVER EXCEED 1,000 RPM unless you wish to STEP TAXI, STEP TURN or TAKE OFF. In other words, the only time you should go above 1,000 RPM is when you want to go to full power.

There is some misunderstanding about the effective use of ailerons while idle taxiing. I see people terribly concerned with up ailerons and down ailerons. I always remember to think about only of down ailerons. That cuts my remembering problem by one-half. The down aileron is deflected much farther from the horizontal plane than is the up aileron. It may not look that way but just try it. Turn your control wheel until the underside of the aileron is parallel to the surface of the lake and just see how far up it is from neutral. You very likely remember your flight instructors stressing the importance of aileron and elevator positions during windy days while taxiing on the airport. The elevator, however, should normally be held in the up position.

Here is just one more word about that second big rule - the 1,000 RPM limit. It is the combination of excess speed and power while attempting to taxi in a quartering tailwind situation that sets up the classic capsizing problem. If you limit yourself to the 1,000 RPM rule, the plane will weathercock before you can get into a capsizing situation. Unless there is a gale blowing, the airplane will not capsize while pointing into the wind. So, if you are taxiing along with a quartering tailwind and find that you are no longer able to hold your bearing, that is, you are starting to weathercock - close your power - let it head into the wind and then make other plans. Your plans will not have to be - "How do I get out of this cockpit while I'm upside down?"

Sometime during the flight test I ask the applicant to shut down the engine and sail to a predetermined spot such as a buoy, dock, or beach. Not uncommonly I see a great deal of insecurity at this point. The flaps come down and the rudder is pushed and the ailerons are whipped up and down. Let's think a moment about what we are trying to do. We are merely trying, to the best of the aircraft's capabilities, to change our sailing direction from straight downwind to either side. Let's just prove that the down aileron position is an effective sail area. With the engine shut down and water rudders and flaps up, neutralize the air rudder - put both feet on the floor, then turn the control wheel or stick to the right. You will notice that the left aileron is down and that the left wing will move back. That is the way it should be when you sail to the right. Then try it to the left - the right aileron comes down and the right wing goes back. That is the way it should be when you want to sail to the left. Then with the wheel to the left - push your right rudder and see the nose move farther to the right. Now you have the combination for sailing. The way I remember to sail, when the going gets grim, is - TURN THE WHEEL OR MOVE THE STICK IN THE DIRECTION YOU WISH TO SAIL AND PUSH THE OTHER RUDDER - and then have faith. It is much easier for me to remember it that way from one float season to another than to remember such things as "Point the tail where you want to go" or "When you want to sail to the left, push the right rudder and use the opposite aileron".

Some manuals mention the use of flaps in aiding your sailing. Think about it. Flaps provide more surface for the wind to act on resulting in more added speed. Since both flaps must be lowered, the flap on the upwind side is providing more drag - just what we don't want. In addition to that, remember the rudder and ailerons are much more responsive when the airplane's speed is the slowest in relation to the wind's speed. It naturally follows then that by lowering the flaps we are taking away exactly what we want - controllability. I also find it extremely difficult to see where I'm sailing when some of those big flaps are lowered. However if I wish only to sail directly backward in the swiftest manner possible, I will lower the flaps and open the doors. If I wish to sail using my power I certainly will use the flaps and even open the doors to control my movement over the water. Whenever you have a problem coming up that will require sailing, think it over very carefully, considering the wind, as it will affect your aircraft. If the problem is a grim one, mentally prepare yourself either to start the engine or get a little wet in making the aircraft go where you want it. A good float plane pilot puts his aircraft's safety ahead of his own comfort.

The third big rule to remember is - ALWAYS HAVE MINIMUM RPM AND WATER SPEED WHEN TURNING, INTENTIONALLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY, INTO THE WIND. This rule is no less important than the other two. It is often broken with dire consequences. There are so many circumstances that the pilot can get into where he does not recognize that the rule is being broken. Quite commonly, when I have asked the applicant to show me a left cross wind landing, I will ask him, while we are on final approach, "If I were to ask you to stay on the step after this landing and make a turn - which way would you turn - left or right"? All to often the answer is "left". That is the wrong answer. It should be "right". When centrifugal force and wind force point in the same direction, a powerful capsizing force goes to work. Yet this kind of accident happens. It happens also when taxiing downwind with a quartering tailwind - the pilot attempts to hold a bearing by increasing his power - over 1,000 RPM - the wind is too much - the plane begins to weathercock (this is an unintentional turn but a turn never the less) into the wind. The powerful capsizing force is at work and power must be reduced. Remember, anytime a turn, intentional or unintentional, is happening - when the airplane is turning into the wind, no matter how slight the turn, no power and minimum water speed are the order of the day.

I have been in many bull sessions when the discussion turns to the previous rule. The comment always arises - "If the wind is light, isn't it safe to make such a turn"? My only response is, "What do you think is a light wind"? I've had answers ranging all the way from one knot to eight knots. It is one of the variables that, if ignored, forces the new seaplane pilot to make a decision based on experience - experience that he really doesn't have. I've seen an eight-knot wind on one of our local lakes churn the water surface to prominent white caps and two-foot troughs. I have seen fifteen-knot winds barely make a three-inch wave. Much of that depends on the shape, size and depth of the lake and the wind direction. There are so many variables that my rule number three stands as it is. I can't quote the source but someone once said, "There's nothing that teaches a person a better lesson than having a good scare". True - true, but often those scares take their toll.

I think step taxi and step turns are mainly a training maneuver. I say that because you should be able to fly floats for years without ever having to do any step work. Think of the risks involved. First, we should always think of our landing and take-off areas as being unimproved airports. Increasingly there seems to be more debris on and in the lakes and rivers. If you hit a half-filled beer can at step speeds you can damage your floats, hit a plank or something heavier and the chance of damage really increases. Secondly, the lakes are also becoming more crowded with fisherman, pleasure boats and water skiers. We must always watch out for these people. They tend to feel that what we consider a perfectly safe operation can be nothing but carelessness. There are several good reasons then, to use speeds above idle taxi for take-off and landings only.

However, if we are to do step taxi and step turns let us remember the fourth big rule. IF YOU ARE GOING TO INCREASE YOUR RPM ABOVE 1,000, ALWAYS BE HEADED INTO THE WIND. Let's assume that you are going to make a crosswind take-off. After you have full power and the nose of the aircraft is at it's highest pitch, begin your turn to the crosswind bearing. Don't establish a step taxi condition before you make the turn to a crosswind bearing. If you are going to make a step turn to the downwind, start your turn when the nose of the aircraft is at its highest pitch. Be sure that you do not turn to more than the exact downwind position.

I always ask the applicant for a simulated high density altitude, maximum gross weight take off. Normally, much of the training has been done at less than the maximum allowable gross weight conditions. We simulate this by not allowing full power for the take off sequence. I feel it's a valuable demonstration since all float plane pilots must, at times, abort a take off. They should, at some time in their training, have that experience. It's the attitude that every attempt at take-off must result in becoming safely airborne that causes seaplane pilots to, at times, end up in the trees.

Continued...