FLOATPLANE

HANDBOOK
CONTENTS
Introduction .................................. 3
The Anatomy of a Floatplane ........... 5
Determining the Wind Direction ....... 6
Moving on Water ........................... 7
Taking Off ................................... 12
Flying ......................................... 15
Landing ...................................... 15
Flying an Amphibian ..................... 20
Emergencies ............................... 21
The Seaplane Rating ..................... 22
Suggested Reading ...................... 22
Index .......................................... 23

Floatplane Handbook | 2
INTRODUCTION
If you’re looking for a new flying challenge, A floatplane is a type of seaplane—an
you’ll find it behind the controls of a airplane that can land on and take off
floatplane. Because floatplane pilots typi- from water—and is supported on the
cally operate beyond the runways, control water by pontoons, called “floats” (an-
towers, and navigation aids of airports, other type of seaplane, a flying boat,
they are, by necessity, more self-sufficient has a fuselage with a boat-shaped bottom
than their land-based counterparts. that sits in the water). Seaplanes that
Approaching a high mountain lake in the have retractable wheels are known as
middle of the wilderness in a floatplane, it’s amphibians, and can land on and take
up to you to determine where the wind is off from both water and runways.
coming from, where to land, and what to
do if something goes wrong.

Real-world Cessna Caravan Amphibian The Cessna Caravan Amphibian in Flight Simulator 2002.

Floatplane Handbook | 3
INTRODUCTION
The floatplane in Flight Simulator 2002 is
For a list of seaplane bases and airports with water
a Cessna Caravan Amphibian: the largest
runways in Flight Simulator 2002, type “water
single-engine floatplane currently manu- runways” in the Help index.
factured, and a versatile aircraft for both
passenger and cargo operations.
This Handbook is an introduction to
floatplane flying in general. For specific
information about the Cessna Caravan
Amphibian in Flight Simulator 2002, see
the Aircraft Handbook in the Flight
Simulator 2002 Library & Help section.
To learn more about other kinds of
seaplanes, see the “Suggested Reading”
section at the end of this document.

Floatplane Handbook | 4
THE ANATOMY OF A FLOATPLANE
Floatplanes look like landplanes, except handle in the cockpit that retracts and
that instead of wheels, they have floats extends the water rudders (they should
(or floats and wheels, in the case of an always be “up” for takeoff and landing).
amphibian like the Cessna Caravan). The Using the water rudders, you can steer the
floats support the airplane by displacing floatplane on the water quite effectively.
water, just as a boat does. The floats are
Amphibians such as the Cessna Caravan
made of either aluminum or fiberglass,
also have retractable wheels — two on
and each has at least four watertight
each float. The bow wheels fold up, and
compartments. Even so, most floats leak
the wheels just behind the step recess
a bit, and before each flight, a real-world
into the floats. Amphibious floats are
floatplane pilot needs to inspect and
much heavier than “straight” floats,
pump any water out of the floats. Most
which don’t have wheels.
floats have a V-shaped bottom to cushion
landings and cut through waves, as well
as “spray rails” on the inboard sides of
the floats to deflect water spray away
from the propeller (thus improving the
pilot’s vision and protecting the prop from
pitting and corrosion). The floats are
attached to the aircraft by streamlined
struts and held apart from each other by
spreader bars.
Each float has a water rudder hanging off
its aft (rear) end. The water rudders are
attached to cables that go to the rudder
pedals in the cockpit. Another set of
cables runs from the water rudders to a
The Cessna Caravan Amphibian on approach to a runway.

Floatplane Handbook | 5
DETERMINING THE WIND DIRECTION
An important part of floatplane opera- If you’re on the water, let the floatplane
tions (especially on the water) is knowing weathercock into the wind (see the
what direction the wind is blowing from. “Moving on the water” section).
In the real world, there are many ways
Press SHIFT+Z once to display the
to determine wind direction: you can look
aircraft position, altitude, wind
at the surface of the water, at trees
direction and speed (for example,
along the shoreline, at smoke from
“130/15” means the wind is coming
nearby buildings or fires, or at sailboats.
from 130 degrees at 15 knots) at the
In Flight Simulator 2002, you don’t have
aircraft’s current position.
as many options:
If you’re at a seaplane base, there
may be a windsock.
Listen to a nearby airport’s ATIS,
AWOS, or ASOS broadcast.

Floatplane Handbook | 6
MOVING ON WATER
There are four ways to move a floatplane As you taxi, keep the yoke all the way
on water: back (toward you). This technique keeps
Displacement taxi the propeller out of the spray, the water
rudders in the water, and prevents the
Plowing taxi bows of the floats from diving into the
Step taxi water. The only exception to this proce-
dure is if you’re taxiing with a strong wind
Sailing behind you. In that case, keep the yoke
all the way forward (away from you) so
that the wind striking the elevator pushes
The displacement taxi the tail of the plane down, thereby raising
The displacement taxi is the slowest the nose.
method of taxiing, and is so-named
because the floats displace additional
water when they move. The displacement
taxi should be used when approaching or
leaving a dock or ramp area or when
maneuvering in a crowded harbor. Bring
the throttle back to idle, and taxi at the
slowest speed possible, using the water
rudders to turn (press SHIFT+W to
raise/lower). Keep in mind that you need
to be moving for the rudders to be
effective. You’ll probably notice that the
aircraft turns faster to the left than to
the right. This is due to the left-turning
tendencies of the aircraft—something
that also affects it in flight, especially at The displacement taxi.
higher power settings.

Floatplane Handbook | 7
MOVING ON WATER
Since a floatplane is less stable on the The plowing taxi
water than a landplane is on land, it’s The plowing taxi is faster than the dis-
important that you keep the ailerons in placement taxi, and is used to turn the
the proper positions as you taxi, espe- plane from upwind to downwind in windy
cially if it’s windy. If you’re taxiing into the conditions. Add power, and hold the yoke
wind, turn the yoke into the wind. If you’re all the way back—the bows of the floats
taxiing away from the wind, turn the yoke lift out of the water, and the floats “plow”
away from the wind. Following these through the water much like a snowplow
simple rules prevents the wind from through snow. The aircraft’s pivot point
getting under the upwind wing and lifting moves farther back, making it easier to
it, which could capsize the floatplane. turn. Use both the air and water rudders
A floatplane has more vertical surface to turn. One way to make the turn even
behind its yaw axis than in front of it and, easier is first to initiate a slight turn in
therefore, has a tendency to weather- the opposite direction—the
cock (change direction into the wind), weathercocking tendency helps kick the
especially when the water rudders are aircraft around in the direction you want
up. This is an easy way to tell which way to go. Once the turn to downwind is
the wind is blowing. Once you’re clear of complete, reduce the power to idle,
obstructions, lift the water rudders, and and be careful not to let the wind catch
you’ll weathercock into the wind. You can one side more than the other, or you’ll
usually turn out of the wind in no- or low- weathercock back into the wind.
wind conditions by putting the water
rudders down and using some power.
If there’s a strong wind, however, you’ll
have to use a plowing taxi.

Floatplane Handbook | 8
MOVING ON WATER
quickly is to get more of the floats out of
the water. The technique used to accom-
plish this is called the “step taxi”:
1. Retract the water rudders (press
SHIFT+W to toggle).
2. Hold the yoke all the way back.
3. Add power until the floats begin to
come out of the water. This is called
the “hump” stage.
4. Slowly release the back pressure so
that the yoke is in a neutral position.
The floats will settle down on top of
The plowing taxi.
the water and “plane” on the back
part of the floats, called the “step.”
The step taxi During step taxiing, the air rudder can be
The step taxi is used to taxi at even used to make a “step turn.” Be careful
greater speeds than the displacement when making step turns, however—
taxi or plowing taxi allow. As the floats centrifugal force acts towards the outside
move through the water in a displace- of the turn and increases with speed. If
ment or plowing taxi, hydrodynamic you turn too quickly, the floatplane will tip
(relating to the mechanical properties of over. During a turn from upwind (into the
liquids) drag is created from the friction wind) to downwind (away from the wind),
between the floats and the water. The the force of the wind mostly cancels out
faster you taxi, the more drag there is, the centrifugal force. During a turn from
and if a fast displacement or plowing taxi downwind to upwind, both the wind and
is maintained for a long time, the engine centrifugal force act in the same direc-
may overheat. The solution to taxiing tion, making the aircraft unstable. The

Floatplane Handbook | 9
MOVING ON WATER
downwind float could get buried underwa- Sailing
ter, and the aircraft could “trip” over itself In strong wind conditions, if you need to
and capsize. Therefore, in windy condi- move in any direction other than into the
tions, never make a step turn from wind, you can “sail.” Let the floatplane
downwind to upwind. Use a slow weathercock into the wind, then—with
displacement taxi instead. the engine at idle—let the wind blow
you backwards. If you want to sail
faster, lower the flaps to make a bigger
“sail” area.
To sail backwards to the left: Retract the
water rudders, press the right rudder
pedal, and move the yoke all the way to
the left.
To sail backwards to the right: Retract
the water rudders, press the left rudder
pedal, and move the yoke all the way to
the right.
To sail sideways across the wind: Use
slight engine power to prevent the
The step taxi. floatplane from drifting backward, and
then point the nose a few degrees in the
direction you want to go. The wind strikes
only one side of the fuselage and pushes
the plane sideways.
The secret to sailing a floatplane is a
simple one: Practice!

Floatplane Handbook | 10
MOVING ON WATER

Want to stop or move backwards? The Cessna

Caravan Amphibian in Flight Simulator 2002 has
a Beta (reversing) propeller, and you can take
advantage of this feature when taxiing on the water.
Press the F2 key repeatedly to move the power
lever past Idle into the Beta range—the angle of the
propeller blades reverses and pushes the aircraft
backwards. Use the rudder pedals to point the tail
of the aircraft in the direction you want to go. The
water rudders are designed to be most effective
when the floats are moving forward, so when in
Beta, move slowly.

Sailing.

To learn more about moving on the

water, such as how to start out from
a dock or ramp, see the books in the
“Suggested Reading” section at the end
of this Handbook.

Floatplane Handbook | 11
TAKING OFF
On land, pilots try to take off on the Perform the items on the
runway that is most closely aligned into pre-takeoff checklist
the wind. In a floatplane, because there Each aircraft has its own checklists that
are no marked runways, it’s up to you to can be found on the Flight Simulator
determine where your takeoff lane is. 2002 Kneeboard. To display the
Here’s how to get airborne. Kneeboard, press F10.

Verify the wind direction Scan the area for traffic

See the “Determining the wind If wind conditions permit, make a 360-
direction” section. degree turn to scan the area for traffic,
both on the water and in the sky.
Choose a takeoff lane
Whenever possible, take off directly into Lower the flaps
the wind. Sometimes, you’ll have no Some aircraft have a suggested flap
choice and will have to take off with a setting for takeoff (20 degrees for the
crosswind—just don’t let the wind lift the Caravan Amphibian). Consult the Check-
upwind wing, since the downwind float will list tab of the Kneeboard for the aircraft
get buried in the water and you could you’re flying.
capsize. In a light wind, you can make a
downwind takeoff if it’s more convenient.
In a strong wind, however, a downwind Request takeoff clearance/
takeoff is not recommended, since you’ll announce your intentions
have to go faster to get to rotation speed If you’re at an official seaplane base or
and subject the floats to more pounding near an airport, request takeoff clear-
along the way. Also, make sure there are ance or announce your takeoff intentions
no obstructions in the way and that you on the radio. To learn more, see the
have enough room, both on the water Air Traffic Control Handbook.
and to clear obstacles in your flight path.

Floatplane Handbook | 12
TAKING OFF
Raise the water rudders phase, so be ready to counter it with lots
Be sure to retract the water rudders of right rudder. As the nose rises, you
(press SHIFT+W to toggle) before you won’t be able to see much ahead—a
start the takeoff run. If you leave the good reason to take a careful look
water rudders down, they can get dam- before taking off.
aged or damage the floats.

Hold the yoke all the way back

Just as when taxiing, hold the yoke all the
way back to keep the propeller clear
of spray and the float tips out of the
water as you accelerate.

Apply takeoff power

Apply takeoff power (1900 RPM for the
Caravan Amphibian). The floats start
pushing through the water, and as the
hydrodynamic pressure increases, the
bows lift out of the water, moving the The hump phase.
propeller out of the spray. This nose-up
part of the takeoff roll is called the “hump
phase” because the floatplane looks like Release the back pressure
it’s climbing over a hump. As the As the floatplane reaches its maximum
floatplane speeds up, the hydrodynamic nose-high attitude and more of its weight
pressure on the floats builds, more of the is supported by the hydrodynamic pres-
floats lift out of the water, and the center sure on the floats, relax the back pres-
of hydrodynamic support moves farther sure on the yoke to return it to a neutral
aft toward the step. The left-turning position. The floatplane pitches forward
tendency is greatest during this hump and begins to plane across the surface of

Floatplane Handbook | 13
TAKING OFF
the water on the step. With only part of yoke, and the aircraft will fly off the water.
the floats now touching the water, there Don’t rotate too much, or you’ll drag the
is considerably less drag, and the tails of the floats in the water!
floatplane can accelerate to rotation
speed (Vr—see the Reference tab of the
Kneeboard for the aircraft you’re flying). Lower the nose slightly
Once the floatplane is on the step, you After takeoff, lower the nose some (not
can easily use the air rudder to change too much, or you’ll put the tips of the
direction. See the cautions noted in the floats into the water) to build speed.
previous section on step taxiing.
Raise the flaps
Once you’ve established a positive rate of
climb (and 90 KIAS for the Caravan
Amphibian), raise the flaps if you’ve
extended them.

On the step.

At Vr, pull back slightly on the yoke. When

you reach rotation speed (50-60 knots
for the Caravan Amphibian), you’ll sense
a slight acceleration as the hydrodynamic
drag disappears. Pull back gently on the Airborne!

Floatplane Handbook | 14
FLYING
In general, once a floatplane is in the air, Make coordinated turns
it flies much like a landplane. There are, Because the floats add vertical surfaces
however, two things to consider. to the front of the floatplane (forward
of the aircraft’s yaw axis), a floatplane
has less “directional stability” than a
Don’t expect to get anywhere as
landplane and is slower to recover from
quickly as in a landplane a skid. Most manufacturers add extra
Because of the drag created by the floats, vertical surfaces to the tails of
their struts, and the associated hardware, floatplanes to counteract this tendency,
floatplanes climb and cruise slower than but it’s still a good idea to keep bank
their land-based counterparts. angles shallow and to make coordinated
turns with the ball in the center of the
turn-and-bank indicator.

LANDING
Landing a floatplane is a lot like landing a Determine the wind direction
nose-wheel landplane. Here’s how to do it. See the “Determining the wind
direction” section.
Request landing clearance/
announce your intentions Inspect the destination
If you’re landing at an official seaplane Before you land, fly over your destination
base or near an airport, request landing to create a mental map of where things
clearance or announce your landing are—it’s much harder to see things once
intentions on the radio. To learn more, you’re on the water. Remember: A
see the Air Traffic Control Handbook. floatplane has no brakes (although the
Caravan Amphibian has a reversible
propeller), so take as much time as you
need to plan your approach and taxi from

Floatplane Handbook | 15
LANDING
the air. Make sure the body of water is
big enough for both landings and takeoffs
(for the Caravan Amphibian, you’ll need at
least 1,045 feet for landing and 1,920
feet for taking off). There’s nothing worse
than having your brand-new floatplane
trapped on a majestic mountain lake
forever. Also, be sure to check the water
conditions and look for boats, buoys, trees,
power lines, and other potential obstacles.

Choose a landing lane

At some seaplane bases, there are
designated landing lanes, but in general, Choose a landing lane.
you choose your own. As when taking off,
it’s best to land into the wind if possible.
Touch down so that you’ll come to a stop In Flight Simulator 2002, landing a floatplane is
easier in Virtual Cockpit view (because you can
close to your destination. With practice, see the water to the left of the instrument panel).
you’ll learn how much distance your Press S to cycle views.
floatplane needs to stop and how to judge
that distance from the air.
Fly a standard traffic pattern
Unless the surrounding terrain prohibits
it, fly a standard traffic pattern, just as
in a landplane.

Floatplane Handbook | 16
LANDING
Verify that the water rudders
In the Caravan Amphibian, when the flaps are set
are up to 20 degrees, a voice will remind you of the
As you complete the pre-landing checklist, landing gear’s current postion.
make sure the water rudders are re-
tracted (press SHIFT+W to toggle) so
they don’t get damaged when they con- Trim
tact the water. Once you’re stabilized on final approach,
trim to maintain the published final ap-
proach speed (75-85 KIAS with 30 de-
Verify that the landing gear is up grees of flaps for the Caravan Amphibian).
(on amphibians)
If you’re flying the Cessna Caravan or
another amphibian, make sure the Look around
landing gear is retracted (press G to On final approach, don’t fixate on the
toggle). This bears repeating: When water directly in front of you. Look at the
landing on water, make sure the landing shoreline in front or to either side so you
gear is up! If you land on the water with can accurately judge your height above
the wheels down, the aircraft will capsize. the surface. You can land with the power
on or at idle. Because it’s often difficult to
judge your height above the water, a
Set the flaps power-on landing is the easier method,
Just as when landing a landplane, you since you have better control over the
want to touch down at the slowest descent rate.
possible speed, so use the maximum flap
setting allowed for your aircraft (30
degrees for the Caravan Amphibian). Flare
At 10-15 feet above the water, flare and
add a little power to maintain the landing
attitude. Hold the floats just above the
water. The correct landing attitude in a
floatplane is similar to that in a nose-

Floatplane Handbook | 17
LANDING
wheel landplane. You can fly along like Touchdown
this, a few feet or inches above the When you’re ready to touch down, simply
water, for as long as you want to in reduce power. As soon as the floats
order to avoid boat wakes or get closer contact the water (hopefully right on the
to your destination. step), reduce the power to idle, unless you
plan to step taxi. Remember, a floatplane
has no brakes!

When touching down in a turboprop floatplane like

the Caravan Amphibian, you can move the throttle
into the Beta range (press and hold the F2 key) to
slow down more quickly.

The flare.

Floatplane Handbook | 18
LANDING
Gently pull back on the yoke
As soon as the floats contact the water,
they create drag, and the floatplane
pitches forward. The faster your touch-
down speed, the greater the drag and
the greater the tendency to pitch for-
ward, so touch down as slowly as pos-
sible. Gently pull back on the yoke a bit to
counteract the forward-pitching tendency.
When the floatplane drops off the step
and slows to taxiing speed, you can pull
the yoke fully back and taxi, as described
in the section on taxiing. If you’re flying a
turboprop like the Caravan Amphibian,
Touchdown!
you can put the prop into Beta to slow
down more quickly (from Idle, press
the F2 key).

Floatplane Handbook | 19
FLYING AN AMPHIBIAN
Amphibians like the Cessna Caravan in tails of the floats on the runway. Just
Flight Simulator 2002 let you experience make a gradual descent in the landing
the best of both worlds. You can enjoy all attitude. As soon as the main wheels
the thrills of a floatplane but also land on touch down, gently lower the nose. In a
runways! In the air and on the water, crosswind, use the wing-low method, just
there’s not much difference between as with a landplane.
an amphibian and a regular floatplane.
There are, however, a few things to
keep in mind. Taxiing in the water
Taxiing an amphibian in the water is no
different from taxiing a seaplane with
Landing on water straight floats—but be aware that the
As mentioned previously, when landing on landing gear makes the bows of the floats
water, make sure the landing gear is up. heavier, so it’s important to always keep
Making a water landing with the gear the yoke fully back when taxiing.
down will result in the plane capsizing.
Taxiing on land
Landing on land The main thing to know about taxiing an
Although it’s possible to land a floatplane amphibian on land is that in a strong
on grass, snow, or even concrete (those wind, there may be a tendency to weath-
floats are tough), if you’re flying an ercock away from the wind. The vertical
amphibian, you might as well use the surfaces in front of the amphibian’s yaw
wheels. Especially if you plan on taxiing axis (the floats) catch more wind than the
anywhere after you land! Wheel landings vertical surfaces behind the aircraft’s yaw
should be made as power-on landings. axis (the tail), and thus the aircraft tends
Don’t flare too much, or you’ll bang the to yaw away from the wind.

Floatplane Handbook | 20
EMERGENCIES
Emergency landings in a floatplane are no Whereas wheels tend to easily get
different from emergency landings in a caught on things, the floats will let you
landplane—but your chances of walking slide across a field, a glacier, even a
away scratch-free are better. parking lot or a road. Here’s how to do it:
1. Find the flattest, most obstacle-free
Landing on the water landing site you can.
Landing on the water without engine 2. Make a normal approach (preferably
power isn’t too hard, especially if the into the wind), and try to land on the
landing lane is long. Just trim the step in a fairly flat attitude so that you
floatplane for a maximum glide (depends don’t hit the tails of the floats first.
on aircraft weight—see the Reference
tab of the Kneeboard), and make a 3. Expect the nose to pitch down on
normal power-off landing, preferably impact due to the sudden drag, so
into the wind. pull the yoke all the way back as soon
as you touch down.

Landing on land In the event you can’t find a good, flat

In an amphibian, if you’re sure you can landing area, make the best approach
reach a runway, then by all means use you can, keep flying the airplane, and try
the wheels! If you must make an emer- to touch down in a flat attitude—the
gency landing in a floatplane or in an floats and struts will absorb much of the
amphibian away from an airport, impact. It won’t be pretty, but you’ll
however, you can land on the floats. probably walk away unscathed.

Floatplane Handbook | 21
THE SEAPLANE RATING
To get a Seaplane Rating added to their
Private Pilot certificate, real-world pilots
in the U.S. must complete 10-12 hours
of instruction and then pass an FAA
checkride. It’s also possible for a student
pilot to do his or her Private Pilot training
in a seaplane.

SUGGESTED READING
To learn more about flying the Cessna Faure, C. Marin. Flying a Floatplane.
Caravan Amphibian, see the Aircraft New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
Handbook in the Flight Simulator Library
De Remer, Dale and Cesare Baj.
& Help section. While you’re there, take
Seaplane Operations. Como: Edizioni
a look at these articles from the Aircraft
Newpress, 1998.
Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA):
Rock Me on the Water
Many Flight Simulator add-on aircraft are available
Postcards: Alaska by Air for download on the Web, often as shareware
or freeware. Amateur and professional software
Town and Country Caravan developers will undoubtedly create additional
seaplanes for use with Flight Simulator 2002.
Also, check out these books:
To find them, begin with the Microsoft Flight
Frey, J.J. How to Fly Floats. Simulator 2002 Web site: www.microsoft.com/
games/fs2002/sites. Please be advised that
College Pint, NY: Edo Float Corporation,
seaplanes created for Flight Simulator 2000
1972. and earlier versions will not function properly
in Flight Simulator 2002.

Floatplane Handbook | 22
INDEX
A F
amphibians floats 5
definition 3 flying 15
flying 20 flying boat 3
amphibious floats 5
ASOS 6 H
ATIS 6 hydrodynamic 9
AWOS 6
L
B landing 15
Beta 19 landing gear 17
Beta ranges 18 landing lane, choosing 16

C P
centrifugal force 9 plowing taxi 8
Cessna Caravan Amphibian 4 pontoons 3

D R
destinations, inspecting 15 ramps 11
wind direction 6 retractable wheels 3
displacement taxi 7 reversing propellers 11
docking 11
draging 9

E
emergencies 21

Floatplane Handbook | 23
INDEX
S V
sailing 10 Virtual Cockpit
Seaplane Rating 22 view 16
seaplanes 3
spray rails 5 W
step 9 water, moving on 7
step taxi 9 water rudders 5, 17
step turns 9 weathercocking, tendency to 8
straight floats 5 wind direction, determining 6
Suggested Reading list 22 winds 6
windy conditions, training in 8
T
takeoff lanes, choosing 12
taking off 12

Floatplane Handbook | 24