Seaplane Post-Landing Procedures (ASES, AMES)

This is the ASES/AMES version. The Area XIV note says the evaluator must select Task A (ASEL, AMEL) or Task B (ASES, AMES) — so on a seaplane CFI ride this Task is mandatory and Task A is not selected.

But the two are not disjoint. Skill S5 requires you to secure the seaplane considering the effect of wind, waves, and changes in water level, or comply with applicable after landing, parking, and securing procedures if operating an amphibious airplane on land (AI.XIV.B.S5). In an amphibian you may end up teaching both — a water securing on one lesson and the landplane shutdown flow of Task XIV.A on the next.

The objective is that you understand anchoring, docking, mooring, and ramping/beaching, can apply that knowledge, manage risks, demonstrate the skills, and provide effective instruction (Area XIV objective). You are teaching a student to secure a boat that has a propeller on it.

"After landing, lower the water rudders and complete the after-landing checklist. The flaps are usually raised after landing, both to provide better visibility and to reduce the effects of wind while taxiing. It is a good practice to remain at least 50 feet from any other vessel during the taxi" (8083-23, 6-8).

Then the purpose of what follows, in the handbook's own framing: "after landing, secure the seaplane to allow safe unloading, as well as to keep winds and currents from moving it around." Give your student that sentence early — every technique in this Task is downstream of those two goals, and a student who knows the goal chooses better when the dock is crowded.

Four knowledge elements, but five terms — K4 covers beaching and ramping, and the handbook defines them separately. All five are testable (8083-23, 6-8):

• Anchoring — uses a heavy hook connected to the seaplane by a line or cable. The anchor digs into the bottom due to tension on the line and keeps the seaplane from drifting.
• Mooring — tying the seaplane to a fixed structure on the surface: a floating buoy, a pier, or a floating raft.
• Docking — for this discussion, securing the seaplane to a permanent structure fixed to the shore.
• Beaching — pulling the seaplane 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; a ramp is "a sloping platform extending well under the surface of the water" (8083-23, 6-10).

Teach the definitions on the whiteboard before the first water lesson. The words appear on the checkride and in every conversation with a dockhand.

Site selection first — "the area selected should be out of the way of moving vessels, and in water deep enough that the seaplane will not be left aground during low tide," and "the holding characteristics of the bottom are important in selecting an appropriate anchorage" (8083-23, 6-9).

Then the number: "the length of the anchor line should be about seven times the depth of the water."

Then the technique: "after dropping the anchor with the seaplane headed into the wind, allow the seaplane to drift backward to set the anchor."

Two more site decisions students forget: think about what happens 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, since "they can interfere with the seaplane's ability to respond to wind shifts."

With a range, and it's a beautiful teaching moment because it costs nothing and it's visual. "To be sure the anchor is holding, 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" (8083-23, 6-9).

"The nautical term for when two objects appear directly in line, one behind the other, is 'in range,' and the two objects are called a range."

Have the student pick the range and call it out loud, then watch it for a minute. The habit transfers: it is the same relative-motion skill they'll use to judge whether they're being set toward a dock.

Use a heavier anchor, and comply with maritime regulations for showing an anchor light or daytime visual signals when required (8083-23, 6-9). And secure the controls with the elevator down and rudder neutral — 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 (8083-23, 6-9).

That last one is the card an evaluator likes. A student who can explain why elevator-down is correct on an anchored seaplane — and why it is not the same answer as a landplane's gust lock — has understood the difference between a machine that weathervanes and one that is tied to the ground.

"Approach a mooring at a very low speed and straight into the wind. To keep from overrunning the mooring, shut down the engine early and let the seaplane coast to the mooring. If necessary, the engine can be started again for better positioning" (8083-23, 6-9).

The hard prohibition: "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. Initial contact is usually made with a boat hook or a person standing on the deck of one float.

Sequence for the person on the float:

1. Secure one end of a short line to the bottom of a float strut first (if one is not there already).
2. Taxi right or left of the mooring so the float they're standing on comes directly alongside the buoy.
3. Pass the free end to the mooring.

The mooring's advantage over anchoring, in one line: it eliminates the problem of the anchor dragging (8083-23, 6-9).

This is the killer item on this Task. "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" (8083-23, 6-9 to 6-10).

Read that geometry again: the walkway your helper is standing on passes through and beyond the propeller arc. A person doing exactly what they were asked to do can walk into it.

The brief, given before the engine is ever started:

• Nobody leaves the cabin until the engine is stopped and you say so.
• Nobody walks forward on a float with the engine running.
• The line is secured to the rear float strut, so the job is done aft of the arc.
• If you need repositioning, everyone comes back inside first.

Then you enforce it, every single time, including when a helpful stranger on the dock reaches for your float.

"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 to successful docking are proper planning of the approach, 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" (8083-23, 6-10).

The procedure, with the go/no-go built in:

• Plan the approach to keep the wind on the seaplane's nose as much as possible.
• While still well clear of the dock area, check the responsiveness of the water rudders and be sure the seaplane can maneuver in the existing wind and current. If control seems marginal, turn away and plan an alternative method of reaching the dock.
• While approaching, the person who will jump out takes off seatbelts and unlatches the door.
• "When it is clear that the seaplane will just make it to the dock, shut down the engine and let it coast the remaining distance to encounter the dock as gently as possible."
• That person steps out onto the float, picks up the mooring line attached to the rear float strut, and steps onto the dock as the seaplane stops; the line is secured to a mooring cleat.
• Use additional mooring lines if the seaplane will be left unattended.
• Finish the checklist and double-check that the mixture, magnetos, and master switch are in the off positions.

Teach the abort as a normal outcome, not a failure. "Turn away and plan an alternative" is in the book — say it in the preflight brief so the student has permission to use it.

Success in beaching depends primarily on the type and firmness of the shoreline (8083-23, 6-10). Inspect the beach carefully before using it; if that's impossible, approach at an oblique angle so the seaplane can be turned out into deeper water if the beach turns out to be unsatisfactory.

What to read in the surface:

• "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.

Technique: water rudders up before entering the shallow water near a beach, to protect them — sand is abrasive and erodes any protective coatings on the bottoms of the floats. And 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.

No. This is the risk element that separates seaplane securing from landplane tie-down:

• "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 (8083-23, 6-10).
• 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 it is beached well out of their reach.
• Flying boat pilots should clear the main gear wells of sand or debris before departing.
• Overnight or higher winds expected: use portable tiedowns or stakes driven into firm ground and tie it down like a landplane. If severe winds are expected, 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."

The teaching frame: on land you secure against wind. On water you secure against wind, waves, and current — and a water level that is going to change while you're at lunch.

"Water rudders should be down for directional control while approaching the ramp, but raised after the seaplane hits the ramp" (8083-23, 6-10). If the ramp is wood, 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.

Now the part students get backwards. With the wind 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. 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, or at least need to be taxied out for another try."

The mechanism to teach: at the right speed, the bow wave of the float cushions the impact with the ramp; if the seaplane is too slow or decelerating, the bow wave moves farther back along the float and the impact 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. And hold the elevator control all the way back throughout the ramping.

When it stops: shut down and complete the appropriate checklist (AI.XIV.B.S3).

"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" (8083-23, 6-11).

The recommended method: taxi directly downwind until near the ramp, then close the throttle at the right point to allow weathervaning to place the seaplane on the ramp in the proper position, then apply power to pull the seaplane up the ramp and clear of the water. Approach the ramp from the upwind side (8083-23, figure 6-10).

The refusal criteria are explicit: "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."

And the honest alternative: "Experience and proficiency are necessary for ramping in strong winds. In many instances, the safest procedure is to taxi upwind to the ramp 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."

Teach that last option as a decision, not a defeat. Students who believe every arrival must be flown to completion are the ones who bend floats.

"Ideally, the seaplane should be 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" (8083-23, 6-11).

And a hazard that has nothing to do with flying: "Ramps are usually quite slippery, so pilot and passengers must be very cautious of their footing when walking on the ramp." Pair that with the ACS risk element on disembarking passengers safely and monitoring passenger movement (AI.XIV.B.R3) — on a wet ramp, in float shoes, next to an airplane that may not be fully secured yet, "watch your step" is a briefing item, not a courtesy.

This phase has more moving parts than any landplane taxi-in, and every one of them competes for the instructor's attention:

• A cabin exit while you're still maneuvering. The handbook's own docking procedure has the person who will jump out taking off seatbelts and unlatching the door during the approach (8083-23, 6-10). That is a normal, published step — and it is also a person unsecured in a moving aircraft. Brief exactly when it happens and what they touch.
• The helper. "Exercise extreme caution whenever a person is assisting… there have been many instances of helpers being struck by the propeller" (8083-23, 6-9 to 6-10). A dockhand you have never met, acting helpfully, is a distraction that can kill.
• Traffic on the surface. "It is a good practice to remain at least 50 feet from any other vessel" (8083-23, 6-8) — boats do not hold short and do not answer on your frequency.
• The clock and the crowded dock. Congested areas are named in the handbook as one of the three keys to docking, and the published out is "turn away and plan an alternative method of reaching the dock" (8083-23, 6-10).
• Passengers on a slippery ramp with the seaplane not yet secured (8083-23, 6-11).

The instructor rule that resolves most of it: the pilot flying does not also handle lines. Assign every out-of-cabin job to a named person before the approach begins, and say out loud that the plan can be abandoned at any point.

Note the ACS wording: "if applicable" (AI.XIV.B.R2). Many seaplane bases are a dock and a mooring field with no fence, no gate, and nobody watching — so the honest instructor answer is that you find out what the facility actually has and brief that, rather than reciting airport procedures that do not exist here.

What you teach regardless:

• An unattended seaplane is a boat that can leave. Securing is the security measure — "do not leave the seaplane unattended unless at least a tail line is fastened to some solid object ashore" (8083-23, 6-10), and use additional mooring lines if it will be left unattended at a dock (8083-23, 6-10).
• Control locks, cabin locked, keys and documents out of the airplane — the same securing logic as Task XIV.A, applied where the airplane is reachable from any boat.
• Where the facility does have procedures — a gated ramp, an FBO, an airport-adjacent amphibian operation — read them and brief them, and treat an amphibian arriving on land as Task XIV.A: "comply with applicable after landing, parking, and securing procedures if operating an amphibious airplane on land" (AI.XIV.B.S5).
• Your own federal obligation is the same on water as on land: establish citizenship before giving flight training — keep proof for 5 years or make the AC 61-65 A.14 endorsement (49 CFR 1552.15(c)).

These are the water-specific additions beyond the landplane postflight:

• 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" (8083-23, 6-11). Not the floats — the entire seaplane.
• Float compartments. Sand, abrasion damage to the keels and protective coatings from beaching, and water in the compartments to be pumped.
• Water rudders — retraction and extension mechanism, especially after a beaching or ramping where they were near the bottom.
• Amphibian gear — flying boat pilots clear the main gear wells of sand or debris before departing (8083-23, 6-10).

The landplane postflight items still apply underneath these — cowling and breather for oil, tank areas for fuel stains, cowling inlets for obstructions, oil brought to AFM/POH levels, fuel added based on immediate use. (That list is AFH 2-23, carried over from Task XIV.A; the AFH is not among this Task's ACS references, which are FAA-H-8083-2, -9, -23, -25 and the POH/AFM. Good content, but cite it as a carry-over, not as a Task B source.)

Documentation follows the same rule as the landplane Task: write it where the operator's system lives, with enough detail to be diagnosable, and remember that "maintenance deferrals are not used for inflight discrepancies" (PHAK 9-9). A hangar-rash-equivalent on a float — a gouged keel, a dented chine — is a structural item on a hull that has to stay watertight. It gets written up, not mentioned.

• Water rudders left down — into shallow water at a beach, or while anchored where they interfere with the seaplane's ability to respond to wind shifts (8083-23, 6-9, 6-10).
• Cutting power too early on the ramp, losing the cushioning bow wave and weathervaning into a sideways or backward contact (8083-23, 6-10).
• Elevator not held full aft during ramping (8083-23, 6-10).
• Approaching the mooring too fast, or straddling the buoy with twin floats (8083-23, 6-9).
• Anchor line too short — the standard is about seven times the water depth (8083-23, 6-9).
• No allowance for swing room if the wind shifts while anchored.
• Beaching nose-first instead of sailing backward when backing is available (8083-23, 6-10).
• Leaving a beached seaplane with no tail line to a solid object ashore (8083-23, 6-10).
• No tide plan — securing for the water level that exists right now.
• Letting a helper walk forward on a float with the engine running.
• Skipping the fresh-water flush after salt water.

The S6 standard is analyze and correct, which means more than spotting it: name the error, state the mechanism, give the corrective action, and have the student restate it. On the water most of these errors are expensive on the first occurrence, so several of them are best corrected in the preflight brief and at the dock — not by letting the student fly into them.

Brief it like a maneuver, because it is one. The demonstration-performance method has five phases — explanation, demonstration, learner performance, instructor supervision, and evaluation (AIH 5-21) — and for this Task the explanation carries unusual weight, since a badly executed docking damages an airframe in a way a badly executed steep turn does not.

Cover, in order:

1. The definitions — anchor, moor, dock, beach, ramp.
2. Today's environment — wind direction and forecast, current, tide state and direction of change, water depth, bottom type, traffic.
3. The plan and the abort — where you'll go if control is marginal, stated out loud before you commit.
4. Who is going outside the cabin, when, and what they will touch.
5. The engine-off rule.

Then debrief it with the four Rs — Replay, Reconstruct, Reflect, Redirect — the same collaborative structure used everywhere else in the guide (AIH 6-5 to 6-6), and get the written note into the training record (AIH 9-12). The Reflect question that pays off on a seaplane ride: how did your performance compare to the standards in the ACS — because the ACS skill wording ("considering water depth, tide, current, and wind," AI.XIV.B.S2) is itself a decent debrief checklist.

Then the logbook entry and any endorsement earned, per 61.51(h)(2) and 61.189 — covered in detail under Task XIV.A.