Float Planes on the Frontier
By Russell Slater
The unique state of Alaska offers unparalleled scenic beauty to its rugged population. But living in America’s frontier also comes at a cost. With only three major highways in a state a third the size of the entire continental US, modes of transportation can be radically different from “the norm” of the lower 48. That is especially true for the state’s members of the Civil Air Patrol.
Reaching the Unreachable
When it comes to saving lives, CAP’s Alaska Wing has to think outside the box. By utilizing craft outfitted with amphibious floats, members are able to reach isolated areas of the state that are otherwise inaccessible. Considering such a vast territory, accessibility during times of emergency can mean the difference between life and death. The wing’s float planes provide an invaluable asset in fulfilling search and rescue missions.
“With few roads in Alaska, and a low population, a lot of travel is done by plane,” explained Capt. Bryan Emerson, Public Affairs Officer for the wing. A float plane pilot since 2009, Emerson lives 45 miles from the nearest road and fully understands the challenges of Alaska living. “I take the plane to go get groceries.”
Expediency can also be a factor when choosing when to fly, he explained. “To get to the nearest airport, you’re looking at a 3.5-hour trip on a snowmobile, versus 20 minutes in the plane.” During winter months, skis replace the plane’s floats.
The wing has two amphibious planes, a Cessna 185 and a DHC-2 Beaver. They also install straight floats on other C-185s and DHC-2s, and during some years, a Cessna 172. The wing recently decided to retire the DHC-2, the oldest craft in their inventory, in favor of the Gippland GA-8 (which will also replace the amphibious version of the C-185).
Higher Risk
The difference between flying standard aircraft and float planes is immense, Emerson says. “There’s a bigger risk involved. There are no brakes, whereas you would have brakes on pavement. A float might flip on its nose. If that happens, you have to figure out how to exit and deploy your floatation device in 36-degree water. Floats are also heavier, and not as aerodynamic.
It takes time to get used to having the wind move you. It can be unsettling at times. Generally, if you’re not docked, you’re moving. You have to learn how to deal with the wind, let it push you to shore. Like anything in life, you have to build up experience. I have over 150 hours flying floats, and I still get nervous going in for a landing. Landing is not done until you’re stopped at the dock.”
Training
In order to pilot the wing’s various float planes, a certain amount of flight time must be accumulated with a certified instructor, in addition to several hours of on-the-ground schooling, followed by an examination. Additional requirements include a single engine seat rating, and a valid FAA certificate.
Lt. Col. Al Senese, the wing’s Director of Personnel, explained, “I have been flying in Alaska since the late 80’s, and joined CAP back in 2002. Up to the time I joined, I did not see the need to get a float rating as I did not have access to a float plane of my own. But soon after flying on floats as an observer, I decided to get qualified.
I learned that to fly on floats for CAP you need to first be a Mission Pilot and that there were many other experience requirements before I could hope to apply for a Form 5 check ride. Those requirements included a recommendation ride, which meant that two instructors had to agree before you would be allowed to fly those planes, as spelled out in the Alaska supplement to CAPR 60–1.”
Prior to a Form 5 check ride, pilots need 300 total flight hours, and 25 hours on float planes. Additional hours are need for amphibious craft.
“My first Form 5 was in a Cessna 172 on floats,” Senese said. “I flew that plane quite a bit on training and real RCC (rescue coordination center) missions to build up my experience. Later, I graduated to the C-206 and C-185 on floats, and later to their amphibious versions.”
Real World Application
At the beginning of September 2015, the wing was tasked with searching for a missing kayaker by the 11th Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. The search was conducted near the kayaker’s point of launch by Anchorage, and pilots were faced with many challenges. Crews in a C-185 and DHC-2 looked for clues along the tide line at an altitude of 1,000 feet, occasionally descending to 500 feet to verify certain objects.
In coordination with other pilots out of Anchorage’s Lake Hood seaplane base, the largest and busiest float plane base in the world, Senese participated in the search for the missing kayaker.
“In Alaska, a float plane usually gives you better options in case of an emergency, as there is a vast amount of lakes out there to put the airplane down.
One interesting note about the kayaker search was that President Obama was on an Alaska tour those days”, Senese recalled. “That made getting airborne in the Anchorage bowl a lot more challenging, due to the presidential TFRs (temporary flight restrictions) present at the time. With the help of RCC and ATC (air traffic control), it all worked out just fine.”
On the second day of the search, float-qualified pilots ran out of crew duty time, and so a C-206 on wheels was deployed. Despite their best search and rescue efforts, the missing kayaker’s body was discovered several days later.
THE ONLY WAY
When Alaskans find themselves lost or stranded, the 14 squadrons of the state’s wing stand ready to assist. In situations where standard aircraft are not an option, the wing’s float-qualified pilots are prepared to brave perilous conditions to help save those in need. They must utilize their training and experience while also putting themselves at Mother Nature’s mercy to get where only they can go.
Capt. Emerson put it simply, “When there’s an emergency, or when people go missing, sometimes the only way in or out is by float or ski plane.”
*Originally published in CAP Volunteer Magazine
