For the adventurous travelers who chose to visit the Maldives Islands during the early years of tourism to this archipelago of islands in the Indian Ocean their only means of transferring between the international airport at Male and getting to any of the resort islands was by speed boat.
In 1991while travelling aboard a luxury high speed launch to a nearby island some of
the passengers on the boat became wretched and “sea sick".
Lars Erik Nielsen a Danish businessman recalled, I realised then, there had to be a better way to transfer passenger onto the islands."
Lars Erik Nielsen a Danish businessman recalled, I realised then, there had to be a better way to transfer passenger onto the islands."
He also knew that Sea Planes had operated over these waters during WW2 and would Touch
Down and Take Off from sea lagoons surrounding the islands.
Armed with this knowledge and his previous experience of Float
Plane operations and coupled with entrepreneurial initiatives, Nielsen
launched the first Maldivian Air Taxi operations in 1993 using 2 De Havilland
DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft.
The wheels of tourism
into the Maldives islands were forged that began a process that has grown to attracts over 3 million
international tourists a year to these tropical islands situated below the subcontinent of India.
Situated next to Nasir International Airport at Male is the float plane base for 46 of the DHC-6 Twin Otter Float Planes operated by Trans Maldivian Airways. TMA is an essential component of Maldivian tourism supporting the transfer of up to 3000 passengers a day to 60 resort islands that are within 30min flight time by sea plane from Male. Normally within 2 hour after coming off international flights, passengers are transferred by sea plane to the resort islands. For most travelers a flight aboard a sea plane is a sensational experience and a memorable part of their Maldivian vacation.
The value of modern Floats make it possible for airplanes to operate into areas where there are no prepared runways, places normally accesible only by boat, albeit lakes or remote islands in the ocean.
Each
pontoon or float displaces approx. 6000kg, offering enough redundancy for a single float to support the weight of these aircraft. Typical acceleration of the airplane is slow until the floats rise onto a plane over the water. Lift off normally is at 70 kts. at the m.a.u.w of 5700kg. and usually happens within 900 meters of take off distance.
The VYSE is 86 kts, but For float planes there is NO V1 consideration. Any indication of a malfunction before lift off, the mandatory consideration is to abort the take off.
The VYSE is 86 kts, but For float planes there is NO V1 consideration. Any indication of a malfunction before lift off, the mandatory consideration is to abort the take off.
Surprisingly, conditions over calm water inhibits take off performance.There is added friction in flat calm water, whereas on ruffled water, the wind over the water and the initial airflow over the wings helps to get the floats up onto a plane earlier causing less surface drag on the floats.
Touching Down on water, the deceleration is rapid as the energy at the touch down speed of 70 kias is absorbed by the surface drag on the water as the floats settle. Suffice to assume there is no need braking equipment on float planes.
Featuring a STOL high wing with twin Pratt and Whitney
PT6A engines, the 5700kg a.u.w of a Twin Otter includes carriage of up to 15 passengers including travel baggage and 3 crew. These aircraft are equipped to fly V.F.R by Day only, but during flight the
dynamics of the aircraft is no different from any other aircraft. The handling of the airplane is remarkably stable, when correctly trimmed the aircraft appears to fly without to much effort in maintaining balanced flight.
The real skill of piloting a float plane happens while maneuvering the aircraft on the water. Mastering the technique of water taxying requires a unique blend of experience and skill to recognise the effect of wind, local sea conditions and currents conflicting against the controls of the aircraft.
Rudder authority is limited when taxying, especially while attempting to bring the airplane up against a floating dock positioned in the open sea. Cross winds and the effect of sea conditions combined with critical sea swell and currents influence adverse steering of the airplane. These are just some of the challenges of taxying or maneuvering float planes plagued by minimal steering characteristics.
Docking
is done always towards the port side of the aircraft and manipulated by
the captain applying differential power and Beta thrust to the propellers The
3rd crew member is trained to stand during the docking on the rear
end of the port float float to help secure the float to the dock. With the heel of the float tethered, the pilot can then apply power to the starboard engine to tangentially pivot the aircraft against the dock, a technique not unlike attempting
parallel parking in a motor car but without brakes, nor the convenience of rear
mirrors, or authoritative power steering assistance.
Trans Maldivian Airways, the worlds largest Sea Plane Operator employs close to 200 pilots of which a large contingent are local Maldivian pilots that have graduated from training and gaining the specialised experience needed to fly float planes. Young recruits looking to be employed by the company must have a Commercial Pilot license and a float plane rating which can be a basic rating of between 7 and 10 hours training at an institution specialising in Float Plane type ratings.
Flying float planes is a labour of love for pilots willing to enjoy flying up to 8 hours a day spread across 15 short sectors, each often less than 10 minutes apart. Most important, be prepared to do the hard graft of helping with the loading and handling of passenger baggage. This has to be the coolest pilot job. Standard pilot uniform where temperatures can exceed 35c is White Pilot Shirt, Short Trousers, Open Sandals and a preference of flying to some of the most upmarket, luxurious island resorts in the Maldives.
The privilege of flying float planes is a unique career for both ladies and men. There are however difficult challenges and the job might not be suited to feint hearted persons. Getting command of a TMA float plane will require 1000hrs of P2 time on float planes and a minimum T.T of 3000hrs and an ATPL !!!!
dynamics of the aircraft is no different from any other aircraft. The handling of the airplane is remarkably stable, when correctly trimmed the aircraft appears to fly without to much effort in maintaining balanced flight.
The real skill of piloting a float plane happens while maneuvering the aircraft on the water. Mastering the technique of water taxying requires a unique blend of experience and skill to recognise the effect of wind, local sea conditions and currents conflicting against the controls of the aircraft.
Rudder authority is limited when taxying, especially while attempting to bring the airplane up against a floating dock positioned in the open sea. Cross winds and the effect of sea conditions combined with critical sea swell and currents influence adverse steering of the airplane. These are just some of the challenges of taxying or maneuvering float planes plagued by minimal steering characteristics.
Docking
is done always towards the port side of the aircraft and manipulated by
the captain applying differential power and Beta thrust to the propellers The
3rd crew member is trained to stand during the docking on the rear
end of the port float float to help secure the float to the dock. With the heel of the float tethered, the pilot can then apply power to the starboard engine to tangentially pivot the aircraft against the dock, a technique not unlike attempting
parallel parking in a motor car but without brakes, nor the convenience of rear
mirrors, or authoritative power steering assistance. Trans Maldivian Airways, the worlds largest Sea Plane Operator employs close to 200 pilots of which a large contingent are local Maldivian pilots that have graduated from training and gaining the specialised experience needed to fly float planes. Young recruits looking to be employed by the company must have a Commercial Pilot license and a float plane rating which can be a basic rating of between 7 and 10 hours training at an institution specialising in Float Plane type ratings.
Flying float planes is a labour of love for pilots willing to enjoy flying up to 8 hours a day spread across 15 short sectors, each often less than 10 minutes apart. Most important, be prepared to do the hard graft of helping with the loading and handling of passenger baggage. This has to be the coolest pilot job. Standard pilot uniform where temperatures can exceed 35c is White Pilot Shirt, Short Trousers, Open Sandals and a preference of flying to some of the most upmarket, luxurious island resorts in the Maldives.
The privilege of flying float planes is a unique career for both ladies and men. There are however difficult challenges and the job might not be suited to feint hearted persons. Getting command of a TMA float plane will require 1000hrs of P2 time on float planes and a minimum T.T of 3000hrs and an ATPL !!!!
Great article, now how do I get to go?!
ReplyDelete