Sun-N-Fun

My wife and I made our annual pilgrimage to Sun-N-Fun, in Lakeland, Florida last week. This is a fly-in of significant proportions. They were expecting 170,000 aviation enthusiasts. I don't actually know the total for this year. There are literally thousands of airplanes that fly into the event which lasts almost a week. There are airplanes and airplane people as far as the eye can see. The weather was nearly perfect except for a wind that kept blowing our caps off, but kept things nice and cool in the Florida sun. For such a massive event it is amazingly well organized and pleasant. Everything is clean and the people you meet are very friendly. As you can imagine, we all have aviation in common, so the conversation is easy. We always end up running into people we know from home.

There is something for everyone who likes planes. There are warbirds, ultralights, helicopters, antiques (which most of our planes qualify), military, experimental, and of course seaplanes.

On Thursday they have a splash in at Fantasy of Flight about 20 miles northeast of the main fly-in. This really is a treat. There are seaplanes continually landing and taking off from the lake in front of hundreds of seaplane enthusiasts as well as plenty of planes to look at on the beach and amphibians in the field. We could have stayed there all day, but we had to head home to Birmingham.

We left out of Clearwater Airpark in our Piper Twin Comanche, loaded with four people and gear for the 2.5 hour trip home. It was a just about perfect and bump free flight. We even had a little tail wind.

Winter Seaplane Care

I try to be aware of the winter's effect on my plane. I always position the prop after a flight (mags off verified) vertically such that any water will drain from the spinner, rather than letting it freeze in the bottom. I pump my floats after each day's flight to avoid freeze damage. Floats are really expensive to repair.

It is important to allow proper warm- up time for the engine. It is very easy and tempting in a seaplane to take the engine for granted and just hop in, taxi clear of the dock, and blast into the crystal clear sky. This is very bad with cold oil thick as molases. Seals can be blown. Metal can be unprotected. I like to see a reasonable indication on the CHT even before run up..

Owning the Winter Lake

Even in December in Alabama we get days approaching 70 degrees. The wind is mild and the sun is shining, although low in the sky. Boats are off the lake. Leaves are off the trees. Enjoy this time! Our planes get to enjoy the extra performance of the denser air and the smoothness of a wake free lake. Even the water is clearer this time of year. Winter air is drier, so our views are undisturbed for up to a 100 miles at times. I especially enjoy being able to see into the woods through the bare trees, making all kinds of interesting places that are ours to explore once we spot them from the air.

Alabama Winter Seaplane Survival Guide

November 15th: I am still flying in short sleeves. The lake belongs almost exclusively to me. I can land nearly anywhere without boat wakes, and am unlikely to annoy anyone on the lake with my flying contraption. There is still an occassional pontoon boat or bass fisherman, but they are widely spread. The trees are in full color. The air is crystal clear and I can see for 50 miles in any direction. And my sunset flights don't conflict with dinner since the days are so short. Seaplane life is good on Lake Martin.



December 15th: Flying floats for the next few months can be really rewarding without the challenges of other lake users. You must plan a little more carefully for your cross countries. Fuel will be more scarce as fewer marinas are open and since lake levels are down there are fewer and more treacherous places to splash in. More importantly, you should use the extra power afforded by the cooler weather and lower density altitudes to carry the necessities for an unplanned emergency landing.



During the summer months shorts and light clothing are the norm, But in the winter, exposure could be an issue in a very short time. Carrying supplies, a first aid kit, and warm clothing and/or blankets for emergencies is more urgent for any cross-country flight. Chances of quick rescue are good during the summer months on a busy lake, not so on a deserted winter lake. Be safe, be prepared, and enjoy winter float flying.

Frosty Wings

Got frost on your wings? Taxi the plane out into the sun. This will start the melting process. If the temps are above freezing, you can help the air melt the wings by doing some step taxiing out in the sun. This puts more warm air over the wings. Usually you will see the water running off the back of the wings in a jiffy.

Winter Battery Maintenance

We depend on lots of batteries when we fly. First in importance is the airplane battery. It is critical in the winter months to keep all fluid at the proper levels, and that it's kept charged and as warm as possible. A quality trickle charger can mean the difference between a long, cold preflight concluding with a failed start, and a long, cold preflight followed by a wonderful winter flight.


Pilot accessories such as portable GPSs, ANR headsets, handheld VHF radios, and flashlights are particularly susceptible to the cold winter nights. I take all of my battery powered pilot toys into the house at night, rather than leave them in the plane or even in the car trunk. Batteries drain fast when they have to light up frozen components. As a side benefit, you are removing an incentive for someone to pry open your airplane door to steal your goodies. So take care of your batteries and keep 'em warm.

Fall Seaplane Flying in Alabama

This is really the best flying of the year. We can at last enjoy wake free lakes and relatively long days. Gone is much of the bumpiness and intense heat of summer afternoons. Our weather becomes consistent for days on end, for better or worse. From the air, the changing trees create unique patterns on the landscape as they explode into color.

Fall pilots enjoy the added bonus of actually getting more of the rated horsepower from the engine—pretty exciting after enduring high density altitudes all summer.This is also the time of year to get night current again (in your land plane), as well as getting comfortable with windier days following fronts. With the season's new flying pleasures, however, comes the need for alertness to different kinds of seasonal water hazards.

As lake levels fall (typical for this time of year), the risks of boat traffic are replaced with those from unmarked shallow areas. The receding water reveals new spots which were not marked with bouys during summer's higher water levels. Be sure to do a good flying survey of your prospective landing area before committing your floats to risk. The truly shallow areas can often be seen from a low pass. It's harder to see submerged logs and pilings, so be extra observant.

As days get cooler and the water gets calmer, it's really tempting to just fire up the engine and blast off. Be sure to taxi around long enough to allow the engine and oil to warm up to a reasonable operating temperature. Once in the air, enjoy the clear days and beauty of our great country. Most of all, appreciate the privilege and freedom of flight.