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AviationWater and seaplane characteristics, seaplane bases and maritime rules
On the ground, you show the examiner how to read the water for a seaplane flight, find and use seaplane bases, follow the maritime right-of-way rules and recognize the marine navigation aids. It is Task I of Area I, Preflight Preparation, 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
- Assess the water surface for the proposed flight.
- Identify the restrictions at local seaplane bases.
- Identify the marine navigation aids.
- Describe the right-of-way, steering and sailing rules.
- Explain how float and hull construction affect seaplane performance.
- Describe how to correct porpoising and skipping.
Safety rules that stop the station
- Failing to exercise risk management is unsatisfactory.
- If you do not use sound aeronautical decision-making, including single-pilot resource management, the examiner marks the task as failed.
To pass
- The water assessed, the bases and aids identified and the right-of-way, float and porpoising questions answered correctly.
- Know how size, protection, wind, current, debris, sandbars, vessel traffic, wakes and waves change a water surface, float and hull construction, what causes porpoising and skipping, how to find seaplane bases on charts and in directories with their restrictions, buoys, beacons, lights, sound signals and range markers, naval vessel protection zones and no wake zones.
- 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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