NSW Waterborne-endorsed Instructors

[damoski]

Hi all,

 

I think I may have posted this before... but I'm looking for somewhere to get my Waterborne endorsement. I guess the key thing is an endorsed examiner, and a plane. Can anyone suggest anywhere - ideally within driving distance from Sydney? The RAA site only lists 2.

 

Thanks!

 

Damian

 

 

[Tomo]

Gettin' ready for the big flood Damo?

 

Actually something I'd like to add to my skill level someday too, but don't think I'll use it enough though to warrant it at this stage. (unless of course it floods every year..!)

 

PS. I'm not sure of any examiners either sorry.

 

 

[damoski]

Thanks Tomo - yeah - our airfield was in that awkward state recently between being dry enough to land on, or wet enough to float on. Any wetter, and floats would have helped.

 

I've been told Eugene Reid instructs on a waterborne in Tasmania (his site doesn't say what), but am ideally looking for something closer to home!

 

 

[spacesailor]

Could ask "Sydney Seaplanes.com"

 

 

[damoski]

Hmm :-) Given they operate Beavers and Caravans out of VERY controlled airspace, I suspect they might not be too involved in Recreational :-)

 

Just saw they have a daily service to Newcastle - that is rather a cool commute!

 

 

[shags_j]

I've been looking for a qld one...

 

 

[damoski]

Yeah, the only one the RAA list are in Port Macquarie (Guru aviation).

 

There must be waterborne-endorsed flyers here; if you read this, how did you get endorsed?

 

 

[octave]

Try Moruya Aero Club

 

 

[damoski]

Thanks! Sheldon is going to call me back on that.

 

 

[damoski]

Thanks! Have mailed them! I'm thinking of just getting an RAA endorsement, which I'm hoping would be around $1000-1500, so Alaska is a bit out of my reach :-)

 

 

[shags_j]

I can't believe it's so hard to get training in it.

 

 

[kaz3g]

The school at Tooradin used to do float ratings in RA aircraft but that now seems to have gone from their list of options

 

kaz

 

 

[damoski]

I did call a school down there, and they said they were focused on GA but could do an RAA endorsement.... If I bought my own plane.

 

In fact, that seems to be about the size of it - getting the endorsement doesn't really enable you very much, as it will be float or floating-hull specific, the aircraft are different enough in handling that getting type-trained requires almost as much time as getting an endorsement from scratch, and you'll have a tough time finding one to rent or share.

 

About half the instructors I found (ie 2 of 3 or 4) are also aircraft importers and maintain the rating in order to enable buyers to be ble to fly their new toy.

 

In short, it seems the best way to get experience on a waterborne aircraft is to buy one...