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Had my first seaplane instruction yesterday in a 1977 C-172N. Interesting experience and well worth the experience at the controls. I have been in seaplanes as a passenger in the past, so was familiar with the techniques to be used, but it was different once at the controls. It was also different from flying the Cherokee.
From a human factors standpoint, there were a number of habits and conditions that I needed to correct and master. One was the instrument layout of the panel. I’ve flown my 180D exclusively for the last 700 or so hours. While the 6-pack layout on the C-172 was the same, the engine gauges were located differently and of different design. The vacuum and oil pressure gauges in particular, along with the tachometer. I kept glancing at where those gauges were on the Cherokee. Distracting. Thankfully, the instructor handled the radios for me as I focused just on flying the plane, and I learned to reduce my in-cockpit scan and look outside. Because I’m a VFR pilot only, I was able to adapt readily to just looking out the screen and paying more attention to ‘feel’ than hard numbers.
One thing that really threw me were the flaps. For those familiar with Cessna 152/172, they are electric and the flap position is a little handle over by the copilot controls. The indicator on this particular 172 was very sensitive. I had to visually watch and reset the handle to get the proper settings, which are pretty critical for seaplane operation, all during the most critical part of landing and takeoff. My eye focus was distracted for several long seconds. Boy, I missed the Piper’s Johnson bar! They did have a bar in that location on the Cessna, except it is for raising or lowering the float rudders. Not a good thing for landing or takeoff. The instructor handled that and reminded me of it, as I’m pretty certain I would have forgotten about them. I also nearly got into trouble with retracting the flaps, as I just moved the lever up and the flaps quickly go from 30 degrees to zero in no time. Fortunately, I had adequate airspeed, but the pitch change was very pronounced and we lost some altitude. I did not repeat that mistake, but again, the distraction of having to visually monitor the flap position was disconcerting. Of note is that the flaps go to 45 degrees, but the STC for the floats restrict flap use to 30 degrees, otherwise at 45 the aircraft will not get up onto the step for takeoff.
The other major human factors adjustment I had to make was the airspeed. I was getting a little confused with the low green arc settings, which you want to avoid as to not stall the airplane onto the water. We did not go ober the POH as this was an introductory lesson. You need to set your power for a 100 ft. descent and not flare, but settle down onto the water. If your habit is to land at full stall and high angle of attack in a seaplane, you risk having the rear floats strike the water and the aircraft becomes unstable due to loss of directional control and the high drag effect.
I did well on the landings, getting kudos from the instructor for being a first timer, but it wasn’t until ¾ of the way through the instruction that I realized the airspeed was in knots! My 180D was certified with MPH and those speeds are what I was accustomed to flying! I kept seeing the green arc stop at 45, which is well below the Cherokee’s stalling speed were it in mph. Cognitive dissonance at its best! When I finally was able to persuade my mind otherwise, I trusted just the instrument color markings. It also helped when the instructor said to just keep the airspeed indicator needle horizontal on the gauge (which was about 75 knot). It was much easier to understand the horizontal position.
Contributing to the airspeed issue was the stall warning on the Cessna. It was a weak audible signal that I never heard but that my instructor said was sounding on occasion. I much prefer the visual light indicator of the Cherokee. I also have an AOA (AV-20), which is a visual indicator as well, so I wasn’t attuned to hearing the warning in the Cessna.
The last major adjustment, for those not familiar with seaplane operations, is that when you land, you DO NOT lower the nose (not unless you want to take a bath and exercis your insurance deductible)! Once you fly the seaplane onto the water, you pull back on the power AND pull all the way back on the elevator. You do not want to lower the nose, otherwise the front of the floats will dig into the water and over the top you go. How different it is from landing in a Cherokee where you want to get the weight on the wheels for braking and maneuvering, so you release the back pressure to allow the elevator controls to move forward. Not on a seaplane…it is the reverse! I was glad I did not have to concern myself with retracting the wheels on the floats (a major cause of seaplane accidents), as the C-172 was a straight float, no wheels.
Thought I would post my experience on this site as an informational piece about human factors and how easily habits, developed with one airplane, can get you into trouble in a different make. I heartily endorse the seaplane experience or any change of aircraft make, as to challenge your capabilities and to keep your cognitive skills attuned.
From a human factors standpoint, there were a number of habits and conditions that I needed to correct and master. One was the instrument layout of the panel. I’ve flown my 180D exclusively for the last 700 or so hours. While the 6-pack layout on the C-172 was the same, the engine gauges were located differently and of different design. The vacuum and oil pressure gauges in particular, along with the tachometer. I kept glancing at where those gauges were on the Cherokee. Distracting. Thankfully, the instructor handled the radios for me as I focused just on flying the plane, and I learned to reduce my in-cockpit scan and look outside. Because I’m a VFR pilot only, I was able to adapt readily to just looking out the screen and paying more attention to ‘feel’ than hard numbers.
One thing that really threw me were the flaps. For those familiar with Cessna 152/172, they are electric and the flap position is a little handle over by the copilot controls. The indicator on this particular 172 was very sensitive. I had to visually watch and reset the handle to get the proper settings, which are pretty critical for seaplane operation, all during the most critical part of landing and takeoff. My eye focus was distracted for several long seconds. Boy, I missed the Piper’s Johnson bar! They did have a bar in that location on the Cessna, except it is for raising or lowering the float rudders. Not a good thing for landing or takeoff. The instructor handled that and reminded me of it, as I’m pretty certain I would have forgotten about them. I also nearly got into trouble with retracting the flaps, as I just moved the lever up and the flaps quickly go from 30 degrees to zero in no time. Fortunately, I had adequate airspeed, but the pitch change was very pronounced and we lost some altitude. I did not repeat that mistake, but again, the distraction of having to visually monitor the flap position was disconcerting. Of note is that the flaps go to 45 degrees, but the STC for the floats restrict flap use to 30 degrees, otherwise at 45 the aircraft will not get up onto the step for takeoff.
The other major human factors adjustment I had to make was the airspeed. I was getting a little confused with the low green arc settings, which you want to avoid as to not stall the airplane onto the water. We did not go ober the POH as this was an introductory lesson. You need to set your power for a 100 ft. descent and not flare, but settle down onto the water. If your habit is to land at full stall and high angle of attack in a seaplane, you risk having the rear floats strike the water and the aircraft becomes unstable due to loss of directional control and the high drag effect.
I did well on the landings, getting kudos from the instructor for being a first timer, but it wasn’t until ¾ of the way through the instruction that I realized the airspeed was in knots! My 180D was certified with MPH and those speeds are what I was accustomed to flying! I kept seeing the green arc stop at 45, which is well below the Cherokee’s stalling speed were it in mph. Cognitive dissonance at its best! When I finally was able to persuade my mind otherwise, I trusted just the instrument color markings. It also helped when the instructor said to just keep the airspeed indicator needle horizontal on the gauge (which was about 75 knot). It was much easier to understand the horizontal position.
Contributing to the airspeed issue was the stall warning on the Cessna. It was a weak audible signal that I never heard but that my instructor said was sounding on occasion. I much prefer the visual light indicator of the Cherokee. I also have an AOA (AV-20), which is a visual indicator as well, so I wasn’t attuned to hearing the warning in the Cessna.
The last major adjustment, for those not familiar with seaplane operations, is that when you land, you DO NOT lower the nose (not unless you want to take a bath and exercis your insurance deductible)! Once you fly the seaplane onto the water, you pull back on the power AND pull all the way back on the elevator. You do not want to lower the nose, otherwise the front of the floats will dig into the water and over the top you go. How different it is from landing in a Cherokee where you want to get the weight on the wheels for braking and maneuvering, so you release the back pressure to allow the elevator controls to move forward. Not on a seaplane…it is the reverse! I was glad I did not have to concern myself with retracting the wheels on the floats (a major cause of seaplane accidents), as the C-172 was a straight float, no wheels.
Thought I would post my experience on this site as an informational piece about human factors and how easily habits, developed with one airplane, can get you into trouble in a different make. I heartily endorse the seaplane experience or any change of aircraft make, as to challenge your capabilities and to keep your cognitive skills attuned.
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