Pilot_DAR wrote:
In the mean time, we are so fortunate to be able to fly, why on earth (or water) dramatically increase the risks by placing a wheel plane in contact with the water?
Perhaps some people want to step-taxi?
Many thanks for your great post, pilot_dar. My best wishes for your continued recovery.
mh wrote:
Perhaps some people want to step taxi
Ah, no problem, use a plane which has a hull step for exactly that purpose.
Flying rented planes over Utah. The pics are from a Pa28. There were a few thousands of feet of canyon walls above the Desolation Canyon pics.
“https://www.flickr.com/photos/27183900@N04/
The videos are from a C172.
Pilot_DAR wrote:
In the mean time, we are so fortunate to be able to fly, why on earth (or water) dramatically increase the risks by placing a wheel plane in contact with the water?
So “dramatically” that the NTSB database has not a single accident involving a qualified pilot hydroplaning a bushplane. 
Would that the same were true of floatplanes – insurance would be a lot cheaper.
As for “why”, it’s a simple matter of Newtonian mechanics. A properly equipped bushplane will typically hydroplane at less than half its full-flap stalling speed, so the ground roll required in still air is reduced by more than 75%. It is, without doubt, the safest way to land on a small sand or gravel bar. But even if you’ve never used a bushplane as the manufacturer intended, and have no desire to do so, taxiing with the tail up on water is a fine way to practice elevator and throttle control before adding use of the brakes to lift the tail over obstacles on land.
Perhaps some people want to step-taxi?
Ah, no problem, use a plane which has a hull step for exactly that purpose.
If you think that taxiing on bushwheels with the tail up on water is remotely comparable to a floatplane on the step, it’s clear that you haven’t even thought about the former, let alone actually done it. I don’t know what caused your floatplane accident, but none of the common causes apply to hydroplaning on pneumatic tyres because they have so little resistance to movement in any direction, and because a hydroplaning tail-dragger is in stable equilibrium. It’s all explained in TN D-2056, which is well worth reading, unless you’re way smarter than NASA’s engineers.
Pilot_DAR is a highly experienced pilot. He does a lot of seaplane flying in Canada, and loads of other stuff including being a DAR (similar to a US DER) who does design and certification of mods. It would be great to hear more, one day, about what happened.
Jacko wrote:
So “dramatically” that the NTSB database has not a single accident involving a qualified pilot hydroplaning a bushplane.
Polish ULC almost does. Person known for regular hydroplaning. After accident swam to nearest boat, got to shore, ran away “in shock”, so the Police were unable to find him for next 2 das (guess why). Official report says a bag pack in the rear seat blocked his stick and forced the plane into the lake (yeah, right).
Jacko wrote:
If you think that taxiing on bushwheels with the tail up on water is remotely comparable to a floatplane on the step, it’s clear that you haven’t even thought about the former, let alone actually done it.
Yes, I have done it, on one day only, when the risk to the two aircraft would have been greater leaving them, than flying them out, wheels on water for the latter part of the takeoff – oh, and it was at night too. It was a dumb move on my part, but not as dumb as seeing two 185s otherwise likely destroyed by mother nature. Yes, I’m familiar with US military experimentation with hydroplaning, right up to Otter sized aircraft, I know it can be done.
The fact that something can be done in an aircraft does not mean it should be, nor does it give license to go ahead and do it. Should pilots be out there looping or rolling a 172, because it is possible? I own two taildragger amphibians, everyone can be assured that if I’m bringing those aircraft into contact with water, the wheels will be retracted. I would otherwise have no excuse to present to my peers, and my insurer, as to why rubber met water. Yes, I’m sure that my taildraggers could be hydroplaned – but no one will know as long as I own them.
But, more to my point, preparedness. One would presume that if a pilot goes out to fly aerobatics, or pilot a jump plane, they wear a parachute, which they have been trained to use. I had to wear one while flying jumpers, and although I felt very uncomfortable wearing it, after reading a few accident reports, I know why I was wearing it. I hope that similarly, pilots who go out water flying, have been trained, and practiced the use of a lifejacket, are wearing it, and have taken an underwater egress course (so they understand that there is no way they will ever find and don it once inverted in the water). I always wear my lifejacket for water flying, and I have used it. Unhappily, my underwater egress training was not used, I was ejected from the aircraft. My not drowning, and lifejacket training certainly was used though, and that was the life or death difference. Honestly, with 19 broken bones, including two compound fractures, you’re not really too mobile, to try to then don a lifejacket, nor keep yourself afloat without it.
This is the aircraft whose owner I was training. The main gear was extended for lifting, it was properly retracted when the owner landed. His landing was just fine, it’s what happened after the landing which was undesirable. The landing had been on the lake in the background, in identical conditions. I was in my forth day of induced coma, in ICU, when this photo was taken.
So, going back to my theme, I will land land planes on land, water planes on water, ski planes on snow, and fly my aerobatics, in aerobatic intended aircraft. I am very lucky to be able to fly, so I can be very content flying the aircraft as its manufacturer intended. But, that’s just me, based upon my experience – pilots flying their own aircraft must make their own decisions.
Maoraigh, that looks like a nice trip! I rented a 172 from the flying school in Moab in 2010 and did something similar. Highly recommend Utah, especially for the canyons and the mountain biking.
Pilot_DAR, that looks like a very terrible wreck, glad you were not killed. A very sober reminder…
Of course flying is wonderful, I love many aspects, but the ramifications of small mistakes can be very severe.
The pilot who checked me out in my Champ on floats died shortly after. He was checking someone out in a 172 on floats and they caught a big wind shift around an island, apparently the crosswind gust caused the wing to hit the water whilst they were flaring and it cartwheeled. Only one of them got out of the upside down aircraft.
