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Never been on a seaplane, anything i should know?

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Rifter said:
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 🙂
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Seriously, it wouldn't help. By the way, the beaver is dual engined if I recall correctly, one of the safer sea planes out their. Harbour Air sucks though 😛 So expensive.
 
RbSX said:
Seriously, it wouldn't help. By the way, the beaver is dual engined if I recall correctly, one of the safer sea planes out their. Harbour Air sucks though 😛 So expensive.
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Yeah the opperate the twin engines but i confirmed my flight is on the smaller single engine, 6 passanger plane. Im not that worried about it now but when i first booked it i was a little nervous. Its not that expensive though, cost me less than $50 fee's included.
 
OutHouse said:
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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thats actually one of the things that worries me the most is hitting a boat on landing. With a airplane its a non issue you have the whole runway to yourself, with a seaplane its more of a free for all.
 
Rifter said:
thats actually one of the things that worries me the most is hitting a boat on landing. With a airplane its a non issue you have the whole runway to yourself, with a seaplane its more of a free for all.
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Sea Planes have a designated area too, or at least they do in Vancouver. Stop looking for questions, sooner or later you'll find something you don't like and then you won't fly.
 
RbSX said:
Sea Planes have a designated area too, or at least they do in Vancouver. Stop looking for questions, sooner or later you'll find something you don't like and then you won't fly.
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Hehe!
Seriously, don't sweat that. One of the coolest things about flying floats (I have a commercial single engine sea rating) are the landings. I learned in Lake Union, essentially downtown Seattle. Boats are everywhere and it does not matter. You come in at 70 MPH, touch down on the step and pull back on the yoke. The plane pitches up, falls off the step, and slows down like it is in molasses! It will fit into the boat traffic without a problem.
 
I have flown on a seaplane a whole bunch of times. It just feels like a boat until it gets up in the air. Its no sweat and lots of fun, You will enjoy it 🙂
 
RbSX said:
Sea Planes have a designated area too, or at least they do in Vancouver. Stop looking for questions, sooner or later you'll find something you don't like and then you won't fly.
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heheh it looked like a free for all in Victoria. i sat on a bench for a hour or so and just watched the mayhem, Think NASCAR and waiting for a horrific crash.
 
I've flown on harbour air dozens of times, and have always enjoyed it.

I think they still have a bowl of disposable ear plugs on the counter when you check in, and you should grab a package as those beavers are loud.
 
Seaplanes are actually safer because they have the ability to land both on land and water, so if there is ever a engine failure, there is more options.
 
Im alive, had a nap as soon as i arrived since i worked last night and havent slept in over 24 hours.

Was actually not that bad EXCEPT the landing came out of nowhere. one min we are cruising along and the next second sail boat masts are whipping by the window. thats the only part that scared me other than that it was beautiful and a great experience and i would do it again.
 
Well I'm doing it again on Saturday, way less scared this time and since I now have a Samsung galaxy s2 which has a amazing camera for a phone ill snap some pics and post them here when I get home.
 
Some of my favourite shots I've taken from a seaplane.

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IIRC BC Floatplane Pilots have the most dangerous job in Canada. Those things crash and everyone dies all the time. GL
 
Flying is awesome! Totally do it. I've only been once (well 4 times technically but was for the same trip, 2 there 2 back). I wish I could do it more, but it's so expensive. There's a competitor airline here now though, so next time I need to travel I may consider flying as they have good deals under 1k.
 
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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is this you?
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I survived, here is the best two pics i got, unfortunatly you only fly directly over the lionsgate leaving vancouver not arriving but got the best pic i could from over stanly park, also got a good pic of departure bay and the ferry i would have been on if i wasnt on the plane.

lionsgate.jpg

departurebay.jpg
 
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