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Never been on a seaplane, anything i should know?

R

Rifter

Lifer
Im going to be getting on a seaplane tommorow for the first time. Its a small 6 passanger DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver.

Im not scared of flying anymore as i got over a previous fear of flying brought on by a horrible experience on a Northwest plane 13 years ago. But i have never been in a seaplane so im a little nervous.

Is taking off and landing in such a small plane on the water going to be nearly as scary as i think its going to be?

Also should i take a parachute for my carry on?(yes i own a parachute and am jump certified, its how i got over my fear of flying by forcing myself to spend time in planes and jumping out of them)
 
Not that big of a deal. Do you deal well with small planes on the land? If so, you're probably fine. If not, then the seaplane may scare the shit out of you
 
AmdEmAll said:
What happen on the Northwest flight?

Oh and good luck! You'll need it
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I was on a plane about to leave for vancouver from minneapolis when the pilot announced as we were moving from the terminal to the runway that there was an issue with the planes pressurization system and that we would have to return to the terminal so they could take a look at it. I was sitting in the row at the wing in the window seat. When we got back to the terminal they did not allow us to leave the plane and a maintenance guy approched the plane with a ladder climbed up onto the wing and started fucking with the window i was sitting at, literally less than 2 feet from my head. The window was loose and i guess it was the cause of the pressure problem. The guy then proceeded to use what looked like a rivet gun to fix the window and reattach it to the plane. The pilot then told us the problem was solved and we would be takig off soon.

That was enough to scare me off flying for over 5 years after that untill i forced myself to learn how to skydive to overcome my fear of flying.

I hope to god in the last 15 years maintenance practices have improved and they would not allow something like that to happen today as it really really scrared me and the people sitting near me, im still in contact with the gentlemen that was sitting beside me we meet up every few months for coffe and to this day are still freinds. He has never flown again since and thinks im out of my mind for going skydiving lol.

EDIT to add, i was in a sheer state of panic/terror the whole flight untill i was on the ground in vancouver.
 
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Rifter said:
I was on a plane about to leave for vancouver from minneapolis when the pilot announced as we were moving from the terminal to the runway that there was an issue with the planes pressurization system and that we would have to return to the terminal so they could take a look at it. I was sitting in the row at the wing in the window seat. When we got back to the terminal they did not allow us to leave the plane and a maintenance guy approched the plane with a ladder climbed up onto the wing and started fucking with the window i was sitting at, literally less than 2 feet from my head. The window was loose and i guess it was the cause of the pressure problem. The guy then proceeded to use what looked like a rivet gun to fix the window and reattach it to the plane. The pilot then told us the problem was solved and we would be takig off soon.

That was enough to scare me off flying for over 5 years after that untill i forced myself to learn how to skydive to overcome my fear of flying.

I hope to god in the last 15 years maintenance practices have improved and they would not allow something like that to happen today as it really really scrared me and the people sitting near me, im still in contact with the gentlemen that was sitting beside me we meet up every few months for coffe and to this day are still freinds. He has never flown again since and thinks im out of my mind for going skydiving lol.

EDIT to add, i was in a sheer state of panic/terror the whole flight untill i was on the ground in vancouver.
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OK, that story doesn't sound so bad. sounds routine to me...
 
The company has a good safty record i checked. Im just nervous cause ive never been on a seaplane let alone a tiny one. Its only a half hour flight so it shoudnt be too bad.
 
Rifter said:
thanks! I was hopeing you would respond as i know you know what you are talking about when it comes to planes.
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No problem. They are a little noisy but you are probably used to that from the jump planes. Everything happens at about 70 in those things, and cruise is not much more than 100 MPH in a piston powered Beaver. They are truly a remarkable aircraft, nothing has been built since that can touch them for utility and reliability. I can't think of a nicer ride to take low and slow among the islands.
Where are you going?
 
Going from vancouver to nanaimo. The ferry crash today at duke point screwed up my planned ferry trip so instead i decided to say screw it and fly. Didnt want to deal with going to west vancouver and leaving on the other ferry to nanaimo that will be severly overloaded due to duke point being closed.
 
I've flown on a Kenmore Air Turbo Otter, seats about 12 total, from Seattle to Orcas Island. The only remarkable difference was upon landing, when the plane settled and pitched upward. Felt like the tail was going to go under for a second, lol. That could just be a trait of that plane however. Great fun, got to ride up front on the way back to Seattle, stopping at three different San Juan islands along the way.

The Beaver is a great aircraft, one of my favorites.
 
You'll have a good time, weather has been good for flying lately.
My seaplane instructor basically carved a job for himself flying Beavers for well-to-do folks here in Seattle. The people would partner up, two or three owners per plane, and hire Scott to fly them out to the islands and nice spots up in BC. Scott got it going and added some of his friends to keep it working.
The plane you are taking is nice, but nothing like these ones. They were totally refurbed and done up with fancy avionics and interior treatments, you name it. Beautiful paint jobs, some had amphib floats, it was a good gig.
 
Rifter said:
Im going to be getting on a seaplane tommorow for the first time. Its a small 6 passanger DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver.

Im not scared of flying anymore as i got over a previous fear of flying brought on by a horrible experience on a Northwest plane 13 years ago. But i have never been in a seaplane so im a little nervous.

Is taking off and landing in such a small plane on the water going to be nearly as scary as i think its going to be?

Also should i take a parachute for my carry on?(yes i own a parachute and am jump certified, its how i got over my fear of flying by forcing myself to spend time in planes and jumping out of them)
Click to expand...

No, no and no, and stop being a cup cake.

Seriously, having flown a ton of times in sea planes, it's no better or worse than flying in a jet.

Edit: For the record, a parachute won't help you at te height you will be flying at.

297390_942876202181_81001681_45968067_5868984_n.jpg


That's about as high as you will ever get.
 
RbSX said:
No, no and no, and stop being a cup cake.

Seriously, having flown a ton of times in sea planes, it's no better or worse than flying in a jet.
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I just dont want to die! 🙂 j/k

I think it would freak them out more than i'll be freaked out though if i show up with a parachute wearing jump boots 🙂
 
I watched those planes fly in and out of the victoria bc harbor, it was nuts! that harbor is very busy with boat and sea plane traffic.
 
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