ASES, Is it worth the time and trouble. How many have & don't use?

A1Topgun

A1Topgun

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Ron
Thinking of adding a ASES rating. But, looking at the cost of a ASES aircraft, I wonder if I will ever have a real need for the ASES rating after I get it. Not many FBOs will rent a ASES. One of the reasons I considered this is I won't need a flight review this year.
How many pilots out there got a ASES and then never really use it?
 
I think it comes down to: 1) It would be fun and educational to do; 2) You could avoid the flight review by completing the rating; 3) Floatplanes will be very difficult to find as rentals, so you likely won't use it much; 4) But ... if you DO find yourself with access to a floatplane or seaplane later, you will just need a checkout, not the rating.... I guess it would depend on how much it will cost, in your case, for the ASES rating vs prepping for and doing the Flight Review.

I owned a Bellanca Scout on floats for 25 years (Southcentral Alaska). Some of the absolute most fun you can have in an airplane, IMO. I recommend doing it.
 
Friend of mine did. At one point he wanted to get a Goose or Albatross. I think he's thought better of it.
 
I began my flight training in Juneau on floats. Several thousand logged hours since then and I still have 32 hours of ASES from way back when. IMHO it was the thing to do at the time because I could walk from my apartment to the small boat harbor and I had no way of getting to JNU or any knowledge of flight training availability there. I did get the sea rating in Seattle after getting my private ticket on wheels there. So it was fun but the only game in town for me.
 
5.5 hours and a rating 25 or 26 years ago. Got to learn some stuff, got to fly with an examiner that I respected highly in his “real” job, and learned more from him. No regrets.
 
I don't think we're going to tell you anything you don't already know. Unless you have the time, money, and inclination to buy a seaplane to park at your summer lake house, you'll probably never use it again. That being said, it's a super fun if more-expensive-than-a-flight-review way to learn a thing or two about a new type of airplane and a new type of flying.

I got my ASES shortly after my IR, and it was a nice cure to the head-inside habits that build up during those lessons. Seaplane flying is all about reading the trees and smoke and ripples on the water, and being very much "in contact" with the ground. I'm under no illusions that I'll use it much in the future, but I liked it enough that someday after I get commercial, I'll probably upgrade the ASES too. And who knows, maybe someday I'll retire to a lake house...
 
We've got several amphibs on our field and used to have one straight seaplane as well. There's a boat ramp you can dolly the seaplanes up out of as well.
 
I did it for the fun - didn’t even need the flight review. With lodging etc it probably cost me around $2500, but I flew a few different types and we weren’t merely working towards the checkride.

Even if I never use it, it was worth every penny!
 
For most people, you can't look at the ASES rating as a "practical" rating. Yes, for some people seaplane flying will turn into a career, but for most, it's a weekend getaway learning some unique and interesting new things. In that sense, then, typically it's not economically worthwhile. But whether the intangibles of learning something new, gaining a new perspective, doing something unusual and gaining a new experience are worthwhile to YOU, only you can say. Of course the expense enters into that equation differently for each person.

Personally, I think it would be very worthwhile, and plan to do it someday.
 
Were I going to do something like that I'd do tailwheel instruction. Way, way more likely to be useful.
 
Well, I spent my morning doing splash and dash training. A lot more prep time to pre-flight and I learned that when you pump the floats, don't **** in the wind.
 
mcmanigle said:
... Unless you have the time, money, and inclination to buy a seaplane to park at your summer lake house, you'll probably never use it again. ...
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That was my dream. An amphib to hangar in the city and park in front of our lake house. But eventually I figured out that float planes are so slow that they are not useful for the kind of cross country that I wanted to do. End of dream.
 
airdale said:
That was my dream. An amphib to hangar in the city and park in front of our lake house. But eventually I figured out that float planes are so slow that they are not useful for the kind of cross country that I wanted to do. End of dream.
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Same here. It was actually about 1 hour longer than it takes to drive. For a heck of a lot more money not to mention insurance costs. I think getting the rating in Florida or Arizona say in January or February would be a hoot plus get you out (in my case) the cold.
 
You live in CENTRAL MAINE!!! If I lived up there, no one could keep me off floats. There are places in Maine that'll rent you a float plane. Join the Seaplane Pilots' Association to get the list. Get on floats and visit a dozen otherwise inaccessible camps. Do that more than 2 or 3 times and you'll be selling that T-tail to make room for the float plane.

As for this:
steingar said:
Were I going to do something like that I'd do tailwheel instruction. Way, way more likely to be useful.
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I disagree. Nothing in tailwheel training will teach you to understand the wind like sailing backwards with the power off, just as an example. Also, a tailwheel endorsement doesn't get the OP out of a BFR, which seems to be a contributing motive.
 
OneCharlieTango said:
Nothing in tailwheel training will teach you to understand the wind like sailing backwards with the power off, just as an example.
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Grandfathered in on the tailwheel. Did some power off sailing today, a whole new understanding of wind (lift/drag) on control surfaces. Nice to have a C172 with a rear window, makes it a little easier to see where you are going when you are in reverse
.
 
I'm going to be doing mine this fall. My rational is that a Dehavilland Beaver is my dream plane and most are on floats. If ever given the opportunity to fly one I don't ever want to be unable to log it or fly it.
 
Basically unless you’re going to do it professionally or buy one, it would just be a fun thing to do/bypass a BFR. It really isn’t practical.
 
Not everything can be measured in dollars or need.
I got my rating years ago in a Cessna 180 on Aqua floats. I never intended to buy or rent a float plane, I have other priorities and you only have so much time and money to spend in life.
They are a ton of fun, combining flying and water, and I see peoples lifelong interest in them. The rating is fun and I'm glad I have the rating in my back pocket.
Here's one that stopped in at the local seaplane base just one mile from my home in Minnesota.

IMG_9850 (1024x599).jpg
 
Well I did it! Although I still can not walk on water, the FAA says I am certified to take off and land on water. The new Category/Class add on was well worth the time, effort an $$. A whole new understanding of wind and aerodynamic forces. You think you know a lot about aerodynamics until you find out how much you do not know. When there is no rubber on the tarmac the wind, no matter how slight will have it's way with you.
Most of the training was on "glassy water" and the wind was up today. Had to simulate the "glassy water", but the sailing and docking was a real challenge!
 
Cool. Way late to this but...

It’s also a fun way to reset the FR clock. New rating.
 
wsuffa said:
Friend of mine did. At one point he wanted to get a Goose or Albatross. I think he's thought better of it.
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I want a Widgeon. That's been my dream plane since I started flying. Though I think it might get replaced by the Gweduck if they ever actually start "real" production/sales on it. They've had the prototype/demo plane for a while now and started work on Serial number 001 this year but its been slow going.

I got my CSES last summer and it was a blast. Worth every penny for the sheer fun of it. Just wish I had more access to a seaplane. There's a club out in Lakeland that will rent a searey solo but last time I checked it was a $4500 commitment to get checked out to solo ($1200 in dues and $3300 in flight hours w/instructor) and there was talk about the prices going up as they were planning to allow salt-water landings which would increase maintenance costs...

If Lakeland were a bit closer to me, I'd absolutely go for it but its 45 miles/45 minutes away on a good day on I-4 and well there just aren't many of those days (notwithstanding the reduced COVID-19 traffic levels particularly around Disney)
 
apr911 said:
I want a Widgeon. That's been my dream plane since I started flying. Though I think it might get replaced by the Gweduck if they ever actually start "real" production/sales on it. They've had the prototype/demo plane for a while now and started work on Serial number 001 this year but its been slow going.

I got my CSES last summer and it was a blast. Worth every penny for the sheer fun of it. Just wish I had more access to a seaplane. There's a club out in Lakeland that will rent a searey solo but last time I checked it was a $4500 commitment to get checked out to solo ($1200 in dues and $3300 in flight hours w/instructor) and there was talk about the prices going up as they were planning to allow salt-water landings which would increase maintenance costs...

If Lakeland were a bit closer to me, I'd absolutely go for it but its 45 miles/45 minutes away on a good day on I-4 and well there just aren't many of those days (notwithstanding the reduced COVID-19 traffic levels particularly around Disney)
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The widgeons at waterwings in Alabama.

https://www.waterwings.com/
 
I wouldn't say it's trouble at all. I have my ASES, and no I've never flown a seaplane outside of the training and the checkride. I look forward to doing it again one day and have thought many times about going back and doing a refresher in it. I have a lot of friends and co-workers who are in the same boat as me, have the rating but haven't used it since. For me it was one of those bucket list items and not really expensive at the time. Still some of the most fun I've ever had flying. I'd say don't look at it from a "will I actually use it" standpoint but more of a is this something you want to do that looks fun and do you want to have that experience in your life. If you have the money to do it I say go for it!
 
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