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Seaplane Skiplane Flying Menu > Seaplane Operations ? Landings >Landing
>Emergency Landing
Emergency situations occurring within gliding
distance of water usually present no landing difficulty. Although
there is some leeway in landing attitude, it is important to
select the correct type of landing for the water conditions.
If the landing was due to an engine failure, an anchor and paddle
are useful after the landing is completed.
Should the emergency occur over land, it is
usually possible to land a floatplane with minimal damage in
a smooth field. Snow covered ground is ideal if there are no
obstructions. The landing should be at a slightly flatter attitude
than normal, a bit fast, and directly into the wind. If engine
power is available, landing with a small amount of power helps
maintain the flatter attitude. Just before skidding to a stop,
the tail will begin to rise, but the long front portions of
the floats stop the rise and keep the seaplane from flipping
over.
only in an emergency. They can be extremely
dangerous due to the difficulty of seeing objects in the water,
judging surface conditions, and avoiding large waves or swell.
If it becomes necessary to land at night in a seaplane, seriously
consider landing at a lighted airport. An emergency landing
can be made on a runway in seaplanes with little or no damage
to the floats or hull. Touchdown is made with the keel of the
floats or hull as nearly parallel to the surface as possible.
After touchdown, apply full back elevator and additional power
to lessen the rapid deceleration and nose-over tendency. Do
not worry about getting stopped with additional power applied
after touchdown. It will stop! The reason for applying power
is to provide additional airflow over the elevator to help keep
the tail down.
In any emergency landing on water, be as prepared
as possible well before the landing. Passengers and crew should
put on their flotation gear and adjust it properly. People sitting
near doors should hold the liferafts or other emergency equipment
in their laps, so no one will need to try to locate or pick
it up in the scramble to exit the seaplane. Unlatch all the
doors prior to touchdown, so they do not become jammed due to
distortion of the airframe. Brief the passengers thoroughly
on what to do during and after the landing. These instructions
should include how to exit the seaplane even if they cannot
see, how to get to the surface, and how to use any rescue aids.
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