Lake Winnepausaukee

Actually, kayakers are quite easy to spot when landing. Being above
the lake gives one an excellent perspective and allows you to see very
small boats that may be tough to see from another boat (as a kayaker
myself, I'm far more worried about drunk powerboaters who aren't
looking out or can't see me because of the structure of their boats
than I am about seaplanes - I also know that the pilots really, really
don't want to hit anybody or anything because the aircraft structure is
light enough that it's going to come out the definite loser). Keep in
mind that there is no voodoo to being "above" something, you don't
suddenly become blind, you actually have a better perspective. It's
like the lifeguard at the beach on the elevated platform, she or he can
see the swimming area far more effectively than at or close to water
level. On landing I can also see the kids in the inner tubes or
floats, right on the surface of the water, or swimmers who have decided
to swim across the lake, that I would have a heck of a time seeing from
a boat sitting on the surface. (That's why ships used to have a crow's
nest, so the lookout could things that couldn't be seen from the deck.)

"Close" is an opinion. For example, I will land a seaplane at a right
angle fairly "close" behind a powerboat that is going away from me to
my left or right, because his distance from me is increasing and even
if he stops, we still have adequate separation. If the boat is
converging with my course, I'm going to stay a long ways away, because
the boat may very well be faster than my airplane. As to a kayak or
canoe, "close" is looked at in two ways - 1) I do not want to land
close enough to the kayak or canoe that my wake (even though it is
pretty small) will cause a problem or that I will scare the boater, so
I'm going to establish a path that lets the boater predict where I'm
going and that I'm not a threat to him and 2) far enough away that even
if the boater starts paddling for all he or she is worth, the boat
can't possibly get close enough to me that there is any risk of
collision. An onlooker, hampered by the foreshortening of distance
from the surface, may come to the conclusion that the airplane and the
boat are far closer than they actually are. It's like watching the
horse teams or drill teams from the perspective of the viewing stand,
the people or horses pass each other with plenty of distance for
safety, but the angle of the viewer makes it look much closer than it
is.

"Skylune" wrote in message
lkaboutaviation.com...

It hasn't become a major issue yet (despite the seaplane that flipped over
on the lake a few weeks back -- i think the NTSB blamed it on a wake), but
I have witnessed some seaplanes coming uncomfortably close to powerboaters
and even kayakers. How on earth can a pilot see if there is a kayaker
where he/she intends to land??

Its hard enough to see these kayakers when you on the water (although my
trusty Furuno usually picks them up), so i don't see how a landing plane
can possibly see them.


Well, if that's the case, then it's in the best interest of the kayaker to
move out of the way of the seaplane, right-of-way be damned.

By the way, it's Winnipesaukee, not Winnepausaukee.

Its hard enough to see these kayakers when you on the water (although my
trusty Furuno usually picks them up), so i don't see how a landing plane
can possibly see them.


Well, if that's the case, then it's in the best interest of the kayaker to
move out of the way of the seaplane, right-of-way be damned.

Hell, the planes just run over them, if you are in one of them. You are the
one that wanted to see a plane crash, aren't you?

By the way, since you will not fly in light aircraft, (not you, Stephen) and
this group is about piloting, and you are interested in neither of these,
your welcome is wearing out. Why don't you get the frick out of here?
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

Hell, the planes just run over them, if you are in one of them. You are
the
one that wanted to see a plane crash, aren't you?


No.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote

No.

I know you aren't the one wanting to see a crash. I put in there, a (not
you Stephen), because the only way I see this other poster, is when someone
(you) replies to his post. He is a loon of loons.
--
Jim in NC

"Right of way be damned." That pretty much sums it up.

When you are in your little TPA, i hope you have the same attitude when
some 70 year old pilot just barges right in, or when some slow C-150 is
doing a super wide pattern and creates havoc.

Steven P. McNicoll wrote:

By the way, it's Winnipesaukee, not Winnepausaukee.

Isn't that where the Blues Brothers played?

you sure it was not your wake?

"Skylune" wrote in message
lkaboutaviation.com...
It hasn't become a major issue yet (despite the seaplane that flipped over
on the lake a few weeks back -- i think the NTSB blamed it on a wake),

On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 13:18:33 -0700, "Bob Gardner"
wrote:

It's only when a floatplane is taxiing on the water that the
maritime rules make sense.

Much as is the case with airships, gliders, and powered aircraft, the
maritime rules of the road provide that the least maneuverable ship
has the right of way. From what I have seen of floatplanes, that would
be the floatplane!


-- all the best, Dan Ford

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