Seaplane Post-Landing Procedures (ASES, AMES)

The handbook gives each a specific meaning, and the examiner picks at least one of these procedures to evaluate (ACS Task XI.B note):

• Anchoring — "uses a heavy hook connected to the seaplane by a line or cable. This anchor digs into the bottom due to tension on the line, and keeps the seaplane from drifting."
• Mooring — "to tie the seaplane to a fixed structure on the surface": a floating buoy, a pier, or a floating raft.
• Docking — securing the seaplane to a permanent structure fixed to the shore.
• Beaching — pulling it up onto a suitable shore surface "so that its weight is supported by relatively dry ground rather than water."
• Ramping — using a ramp to get the seaplane out of the water and onto the shore.

(FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)

I lower the water rudders and complete the after-landing checklist. Flaps are usually raised after landing "both to provide better visibility and to reduce the effects of wind while taxiing." And the taxi discipline: "it is a good practice to remain at least 50 feet from any other vessel during the taxi" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

You've now traded brakes for planning. Everything from here is decided far enough upwind that you still have options — the handbook's phrase for the docking case is to check the water rudders "while still well clear of the dock area," and "if control seems marginal, turn away and plan an alternative method of reaching the dock."

"The length of the anchor line should be about seven times the depth of the water." Drop the anchor with the seaplane headed into the wind, then allow it to drift backward to set the anchor.

To verify it's holding, use a range: "watch two fixed points somewhere to the side of the seaplane, one farther away than the other, that are aligned with each other, such as a tree on the shore and a mountain in the distance. If they do not remain aligned, it means that the seaplane is drifting and dragging its anchor along the bottom" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

Four considerations, and they map directly onto the ACS skill wording (movement, depth, tide, wind, weather changes):

• Out of the way of moving vessels
• Deep enough that the seaplane will not be left aground during low tide
• Holding characteristics of the bottom — "important in selecting an appropriate anchorage"
• Swing room — "think about what will happen if the wind shifts. Allow enough room so that the seaplane can swing around the anchor without striking nearby obstacles or other anchored vessels"

And "be certain the water rudders are retracted, as they can interfere with the seaplane's ability to respond to wind shifts" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

• Use a heavier anchor for overnight or longer periods
• Comply with maritime regulations for showing an anchor light or daytime visual signals when required — this is a marine rule set, not an FAA one, and it applies to you
• Secure the controls with the elevator down and rudder neutral. The reasoning is elegant: "since the seaplane can rotate so that it always faces into the wind, this forces the nose down and reduces the angle of attack, keeping lift and wind resistance at a minimum"

(FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)

1. Approach at a very low speed and straight into the wind
2. Shut down the engine early and let the seaplane coast to the buoy — "to keep from overrunning the mooring." If needed, the engine can be started again for better positioning
3. Never straddle a buoy with a twin-float installation. "Always approach while keeping the buoy to the outside of the float to avoid damage to the propeller and underside of the fuselage"
4. Initial contact is made with a boat hook or a person standing on the deck of one float
5. The person on the float secures one end of a short line to the bottom of a float strut; taxi right or left so that float comes directly alongside the buoy; secure the free end to the mooring

(FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)

Helpers have been struck by the propeller — it's the one place the handbook raises its voice: "Exercise extreme caution whenever a person is assisting in securing the seaplane. There have been many instances of helpers being struck by the propeller. On most floatplanes, the floats extend well in front of the propeller arc. Eager to do a good job, an inexperienced helper might forget the spinning propeller while walking forward along the float" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

Which is why the engine is shut down early and the seaplane coasts in — the technique and the prop-strike mitigation are the same action. Nobody goes forward on a float with an engine running, however competent they claim to be.

"The procedure for docking is essentially the same as for mooring, except that approaching directly into the wind may not be an option." The keys are "proper planning of the approach to the dock, compensating for the existing environmental conditions, and skill in handling the seaplane in congested areas. Bear in mind that a seaplane is fragile and hitting an obstruction can result in extensive damage."

The sequence:

1. Plan to keep the wind on the nose as much as possible
2. Well clear, check water rudder responsiveness — if control seems marginal, turn away
3. The person securing the seaplane takes off seatbelts and unlatches the door on the approach
4. When it's clear you'll just make it, shut down and coast
5. That person steps onto the float, picks up the mooring line attached to the rear float strut, and steps onto the dock as the seaplane stops

Extra lines if it will be left unattended (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

"Be sure to complete any remaining items on the checklist, and to double-check that the mixture, magnetos, and master switch are in the off positions" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

That double-check exists because a seaplane shutdown is out of sequence by design — you killed the engine early to coast in, mid-flow, with a dock and people arriving. Flows get interrupted; the written checklist catches what the interruption dropped. Same logic as CA.XI.A.S3 on the land side.

"Success in beaching depends primarily on the type and firmness of the shoreline. Inspect the beach carefully before using it. If this is impossible, approach the beach at an oblique angle so the seaplane can be turned out into deeper water if the beach is unsatisfactory."

What you're reading for:

• "The hardest packed sand is usually near the water's edge and becomes softer where it is dry, further from the water's edge"
• "Rocky shorelines are likely to damage the floats, especially if significant waves are rolling in"
• "Mud bottoms are usually not desirable for beaching"

(FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)

Tail-first, when you can. "To protect them from damage, water rudders should be up before entering the shallow water near a beach. Sand is abrasive and erodes any protective coatings on the bottoms of the floats. If possible, beach the seaplane by sailing backward with the water rudders up. The aft bottoms of the floats do not dig into the sand as deeply as the forward bottoms, so backing onto a beach is not as hard on the floats as going in nose-first" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

Note this is the exact opposite of the ramping technique below — beaching protects the floats by arriving slowly and backward; ramping protects them by arriving with enough speed to ride the bow wave.

Fast enough to strand or float the seaplane within hours — "do not leave the seaplane unattended unless at least a tail line is fastened to some solid object ashore":

• "Moderate action of the water rapidly washes away the sand under the floats and lets the seaplane drift"
• "An incoming tide can float a beached seaplane in just a few minutes"
• "A receding tide may leave a seaplane stranded 30 or 40 feet from the water in a few hours"
• "Even small waves may alternately pick up and drop the seaplane, potentially causing serious damage, unless the seaplane is beached well out of their reach"

For overnight or higher winds: "use portable tiedowns or stakes driven into firm ground and tie it down like a landplane." For severe winds, "the compartments of the floats can be filled with water. This holds the seaplane in very high winds, but it is a lot of work to pump out the floats afterward." Flying boat pilots also "clear the main gear wells of any sand or debris" before departing (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

Counterintuitively, I carry speed downwind. "If the wind is blowing directly toward the shore, it is possible to approach the ramp downwind with enough speed to maintain control. Continue this speed until the seaplane actually contacts the ramp and slides up it."

The reason: "the bow wave of the float cushions the impact with the ramp, but if the seaplane is too slow or decelerating, the bow wave moves farther back along the float and the impact with the ramp may be harder. Many pilots apply a little power just prior to hitting the ramp, which raises the fronts of the floats and creates more of a cushioning bow wave. Be sure to hold the elevator control all the way back throughout the ramping."

"Many inexperienced pilots make the mistake of cutting the power before reaching the ramp for fear of hitting it too hard. This is more likely to result in problems, since the seaplane may weathervane and hit the ramp sideways or backward" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6).

• Water rudders down for directional control while approaching the ramp, raised after the seaplane hits the ramp
• The ramp is "a sloping platform extending well under the surface of the water." Wood ramps work — "the seaplane can be slid up or down it on the keels of the floats, provided the surface of the ramp above the water is wet." "Concrete boat ramps are generally not suitable for seaplanes."
• Stop it "far enough up the ramp that waves or swells will not lift the floats and work the seaplane back into the water, but not so far up the ramp that shoving off is difficult"

(FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)

"The most difficult approach is when the wind is blowing parallel to the shore, and strong enough to make control marginal. If the approach is made into the wind, it may not be possible to turn the seaplane crosswind toward the ramp without excessive speed."

The published technique, approaching the ramp from the upwind side:

1. Taxi directly downwind until near the ramp
2. Close the throttle at the right point to let weathervaning place the seaplane on the ramp in the proper position
3. Apply power to pull it up the ramp and clear of the water

But the handbook attaches a hard limit: "this should not be attempted if the winds are high or the ramp is too slippery, since the seaplane could be blown sideways off the leeward side of the ramp." In strong winds, "in many instances the safest procedure is to taxi upwind to the ramp and near enough for a helper to attach a line to the floats. The seaplane may then be left floating, or pushed and pulled into a position where a vehicle can haul it up the ramp" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6). Knowing when to hand it to a line and a truck is the commercial answer.

Beyond everything in Task XI.A:

• Pump each watertight compartment. Floats are required to have at least four watertight compartments, and "the floats can support the seaplane with any two compartments flooded" (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 2). Pumping "a modest amount of water from each compartment" is normal, but "more than a quart or so may indicate a problem that should be checked by a qualified aircraft mechanic experienced in working on floats." If pumping removes no water, suspect a damaged bilge tube rather than a dry compartment
• Reseat the bilge pump openings — they're "typically closed with small rubber balls that push snugly into place"
• Aft bulkhead / transom — "susceptible to damage from the water rudder moving beyond its normal range of travel"; check the skin for pinholes
• Water rudder retraction and steering mechanism, cables, springs, and pulleys; remove water weeds and debris
• Freezing risk — "water expands as it freezes… a large amount of water expanding inside a float could cause seams to burst, but even a tiny amount of water freezing and expanding inside a seam can cause severe leakage problems"
• Salt water — "any time the seaplane has been operated in salt water, be sure to flush the entire seaplane with plenty of fresh water to minimize corrosion"

Document discrepancies and servicing needs exactly as on land (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 4, ch 6).

The propeller is stopped before anyone moves — which the docking and mooring procedures already give you, since the engine is shut down and the seaplane coasts in. From there:

• One person at a time, on the route you name, stepping where you say. Float decks have walkways and hatch covers; the wrong step goes through a cover or into the water
• The only person out early is the designated line handler, briefed to unlatch the door on the approach and step onto the dock as the seaplane stops — not before
• Ramps are the slip hazard: "ramps are usually quite slippery, so pilot and passengers must be very cautious of their footing when walking on the ramp"
• Then keep monitoring them. A seaplane base combines boat traffic, other seaplanes starting up, unfenced water, and no ramp markings

(FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)

Everything in Task XI.A. The ACS says it directly: secure the seaplane considering wind, waves, and changes in water level, "or comply with applicable after landing, parking, and securing procedures if operating an amphibious airplane on land" (CA.XI.B.S5).

So on the hard surface it's the land flow — park considering prop blast and the forecast wind, roll straight to center the nosewheel, AFM/POH shutdown, postflight walk-around, tie down or hangar. The gear-position discipline runs both directions and is verbalized every time: wheels down for pavement, wheels up for water.

The phase has a hazard the land side doesn't: you are often coasting with the engine shut down, out of options, while people move around outside the airplane.

• The helper on the float. The handbook's own warning — "there have been many instances of helpers being struck by the propeller," and on most floatplanes "the floats extend well in front of the propeller arc." Watching the dock while an eager helper walks forward is the classic fatal split of attention
• Committing before checking control. The fix is scripted: check the water rudders "while still well clear of the dock area," and "if control seems marginal, turn away and plan an alternative method of reaching the dock"
• Boat traffic and other seaplanes — hence "remain at least 50 feet from any other vessel" while taxiing
• An interrupted shutdown flow. You killed the engine mid-flow to coast in, so finish with the written checklist and "double-check that the mixture, magnetos, and master switch are in the off positions"

(FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)

"If applicable" is doing real work in this element — many seaplane bases are unstaffed, unfenced, and reachable from the water by anyone, so there may be no published program to follow and you say so rather than inventing one.

Where procedures do exist, comply with the base or FBO's rules the same way you would on a land ramp (Task XI.A, CA.XI.A.R3), and secure what the water environment leaves exposed:

• Lock the cabin and take the keys; control locks and anti-theft security locks in place (AFH 2-23)
• A seaplane left anchored or moored is unattended and unwatched — leave it that way only with adequate lines, and use extra lines when it will be left unattended (FAA-H-8083-23 ch. 6)
• Know who to call at that specific base — many have no on-site staff after hours