Flying a jet for a living isn’t always beer and Skittles, and if you doubt me, just turn a few pages and Les Abend and Dick Karl will set you straight. Between maintenance snafus, nasty weather, ATC delays, long days and short nights, sometimes it’s real honest-to-goodness work. This, however, was not one of those days.
Taking Wing: Floatplane Fun in the Florida Sun
Key Takeaways:
- An airline pilot, during a spontaneous layover, decides to pursue his long-desired floatplane rating at Jack Brown's Seaplane Base in Florida.
- He undergoes impromptu training in a J-3 Cub on floats, engaging in various maneuvers like step-taxiing, confined-area takeoffs, and different water landings, which he finds a refreshing return to "stick and rudder" flying.
- The author describes the experience as exceptionally fun, a stark contrast to his routine jet flying, and a valuable way to hone fundamental pilot skills.
- Despite considering it a "frivolity," he resolves to return and complete the float rating, recognizing its benefits for any pilot regardless of aircraft type.
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