"Jay Beckman" wrote in message
news:nJjlf.22$6N2.3@fed1read06...
[...]
That's why I was wondering about this. Seems to me that if you were to
break through the ice while you are between taxi speed but not yet "on
step" it could ruin your whole day.

Breaking through the ice certainly could, whether or not you are on the
step. At a minimum, you could easily bend or break something, even if you
don't tear the float skin. Even if there's nothing solid in the water, just
big waves, it's possible to crack a structural rib or something (been there,
done that). Put something solid like ice in the water, and all bets are
off.

Of course, the greatest risk is at the greatest speed, just before liftoff
(or just after touchdown, if landing). But there's always risk, regardless.

Of course (#2 ), in the video it appears that the airplane doesn't so
much get up on the step as it does ride up onto the ice as if up a ramp.
That could happen at a very slow speed, far below anything that might cause
significant damage. So as long as the float stayed on top of the ice after
that point (a big "if"), things would probably be okay.

Dunno. It's hard to tell anything concrete from the video, with respect to
what actually happened.

Pete