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AviationGlassy water approach and landing
In a seaplane, onto water as smooth as a mirror where depth is hard to judge, you set a pitch attitude and a steady rate of descent with power and fly it until the floats touch. It is Task J of Area IV, Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds, in the FAA Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards, for the airplane classes listed below.
Free to startScenarios
- Airplane single-engine sea (ASES).
- Airplane multiengine sea (AMES).
The steps
- Complete the appropriate checklists.
- Make radio calls as appropriate.
- Scan the landing area for traffic and obstructions.
- Select a proper approach and landing path for the landing surface, the visual attitude references, the water depth and collision hazards.
- Set the recommended approach and landing configuration, airspeed and trim, and adjust pitch and power to keep a stabilized approach.
- Hold the manufacturer's published approach speed or, without one, no more than 1.3 VSO, +10/-5 knots.
- Use smooth, timely and correct power and control inputs to hold the right pitch attitude and rate of descent to touchdown.
- Touch the water at a proper pitch attitude and slow to idle taxi speed.
- Keep directional control through the approach and landing.
Safety rules that stop the station
- If there is no glassy water that day, the examiner has you simulate the task.
- Any action, or lack of action, that makes the examiner step in to keep the flight safe is unsatisfactory.
- Not clearing the area with a proper visual scan before and during the maneuver is unsatisfactory.
- Consistently exceeding the tolerances of the task, or not correcting promptly when you exceed them, is unsatisfactory.
To pass
- Approach speed +10/-5 knots, a steady attitude and rate of descent to touchdown, and the seaplane slowed to idle taxi.
- Know the stabilized approach and energy management, how the atmosphere and the wind change the approach and landing, when and why glassy water technique is used and how it is flown, and the risks of the approach path and touchdown area, the water surface, a go-around, collision, low-altitude stalls and spins, distractions and the gear position in an amphibian.
- Missing the standard on this task fails the task and its area of operation.
Official source
Federal · FAA Private Pilot ACS
Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-6C)
The FAA publishes the Private Pilot Airman Certification Standards free: every task of the checkride with its knowledge, risks and tolerances.
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