Seaplane Skiplane Flying Menu > Performance >Performance Considerations For Takeoff,Climb,Course,And Landing

Since many pilots are accustomed to a certain level of performance from a specific make and model of land airplane, the changes in performance when that same airplane is equipped with floats can lead to trouble for a careless or complacent pilot. Floats weigh somewhat more than the wheeled landing gear they replace, but floats are designed to produce aerodynamic lift to offset some of the weight penalty. Generating lift inevitably creates induced drag, which imposes a small reduction in overall performance. By far the greatest impact on performance comes from the parasitic drag of the floats.