CFI Renewal w/ Seaplane Rating ???

[AV8N4Fun]

Hey there. I'm looking for some insight/suggestions on renewing my Instructor certificates. I hold a CFI/II/MEI (airplane land) certificate & an ATP ASEL&AMEL certificate. My instructor cert. comes up on its 2 yr anniversary in a couple months. I have always wanted to be able to enjoy the seaplane world & therefore was thinking of how I could tie it in w/ my CFI Renewal. Could someone tell me what all I would need to do to get a seaplane rating added to my cert.? Would I first need to get the seaplane rating added to my pilot cert. (?). If so, then any reason that couldn't simply be an add on to my ATPL(i.e.-no minimum seaplane time, etc.)? If I need to do an add on to my pilot cert. prior to my instructor cert., then would doing so in a multi seaplane give me both single engine & multiengine sea privilages??? And, what's the possibility of the seaplane pilot&instructor checkride all together? Pros, Cons, past experiences, ... all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, AV8N4Fun

 

[Launchpad]

There really is no CFI SES certificate, if you have a SES rating and a CFI then you automatically become a floatplane CFI. Doesn't sound right, and other than owning your own seaplane to instruct in your not going to find anyone to insure you.

If you already have a CFI, just go get a seaplane rating. As far as a Multi sea rating, just a novelty really. Not many multi-engine seaplanes out there....

Regards-

 

[avbug]

As Launchpad stated, there is no seaplane rating on the flight instructor certificate. Holding one on your commercial or higher pilot certificate is adequate. If you can teach in a single engine land airplane and you have single engine sea on your commercial, you can teach in single engine sea.

However, taking a practical test for the single engine seaplane rating will not renew your flight instructor certificate. Technically, the rating ride and the instructor ride are two different practical tests; they may be combined, but you must have covered everything for both tests. You may take the flight instructor practical for a renewal in the airplane if you wish, but it's going to be more expensive, you'll have to find an examiner or inspector who can or will do it (and that could be a problem for you), and you can accomplish the same thing without ever leaving the ground.

If you're going to renew your flight instructor certificate, order the Jeppesen course through AOPA, do it over several nights, and you have a certificate for two more years. If you want to do your multi sea or single sea or both, go do that...two separate functions.

Do you really want to go to the expense of adding a single engine sea rating to your ATP?? To what end?

Obtaining a multi-engine seaplane rating does not grant you single engine sea privileges. Separate instuction and a practical test is required for that.

If you have an inkling to do a seaplane rating, go for it. It's some of the most fun you'll ever have in an airplane.

 

[AV8N4Fun]

Launchpad & Avbug, thanks for the input. I obviously didn't know & probably would have never guessed that there wasn't an add-on required on your instructor certificate to enable you to teach in a seaplane. Seems like it goes against reason. Ya know, if you have a ME rating on your pilot cert. , then you can't just go teach in a ME w/out getting the MEI added onto your instructor certificate. Seems really odd to me that they'll let ya teach in seaplanes. Thanks for the clarification.

Whelp, it's not like I'd have a real need for the seaplane instructor rating(if there were such), but thought it might be a good way to renew the ole CFI and finally get that seaplane rating I've always wanted to do. Kind of a justification thing, ya know?. The seperate checkrides for each the SES & MES certainly makes sense, but thought it might be one of those no-sense deals. Kind of like the guy who takes an initial instrument rating in a ME then has instrument privaleges in both the ME & SE, but if he takes the initial instrument in a SE then he'll need to demonstrate instrument proficiecy in the ME to have instrument privilages in the ME.

None the less, I think I am going to go see about getting that SES(possibly the MES) anyhow. And just do the CFI renewal via Jepp.. Anyone have someone or some place that you'd recommend for the seaplane training??

Thanks, AV8N4Fun