amérrir -->land on the water

[bieasy]

Hi,

What term do you uses when a floatplane lands on the water?

'to land'? In French: "amérrir"

[petit_minou]

Unlike French, there is no specific term used for a float plane water landing in English. "To land" is the correct verb for float planes and regular planes.

[birdeen's call]

"Splash down" seems to be used:

Inside, the inlet opens out to a maximum of 1 mile wide, with a small island in the widest part, and there is hardly any wind. The landing is therefore for “glassy water”, and we set up a descent. With glassy water, it is very difficult to judge height in the final stages of the approach, even with the help of peripheral vision. This inlet is a sea inlet, so altimeter is OK down to about 50ft, then a descent in the landing attitude is needed, not more than 100, preferably 50’/min. The straight part of the inlet is about miles long, and it takes best part of half a mile to splash down. The suction from the floats causes a pitch forward, and this has to be checked with elevator, so its throttle to idle and back on the yoke as soon as we’re down.

http://www.oceanair.ca/seaplane_ocea...wow_factor.pdf

[petit_minou]

Interesting birdeen's call I think this would be an example of a jargon term, perhaps used only by other pilots and in the aviation industry. Thanks for sharing

[petit_minou]

I've looked into this further and it appears there are many possibilities!

1. To land - which is the term most people would use.
2. Water landing (to land on water) - in aviation, this term seems to be used for planes that are not equipped to land on water (ie. emergency water landing). Some sources state that "water landing" actually excludes float planes and other sources say it is correct.
3. Alighting (alit)
4. Splash down - as birdeen's call found, although I have not heard this term used before.

"To land" would be sufficient and concise for regular speech or written work.

[5jj]

For me, 'alighting' is what passengers do from a plane.

[bhaisahab]

For me, 'alighting' is what passengers do from a plane.

Yes, or birds on a branch etc.

[bhaisahab]

There may be a different meaning in BrEng. I copied this from the American Heritage Dictionary.

• To come down and settle, as after flight: a sparrow alighting on a branch.
• To get down, as from a vehicle: dismount: The queen alighted from the carriage.
• To come by chance: alight on a happy solution.

And -

To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop; as, a flying bird alights on a tree; snow alights on a roof. [1913 Webster]

I don't think there is any real difference, except perhaps with the snow. I think that living things alight; people, birds etc. whereas aeroplanes land or touch down.

[5jj]

There may be a different meaning in BrEng. I copied this from the American Heritage Dictionary.

• To come down and settle, as after flight: a sparrow alighting on a branch.
• To get down, as from a vehicle: dismount: The queen alighted from the carriage.
• To come by chance: alight on a happy solution.

And -

To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop; as, a flying bird alights on a tree; snow alights on a roof. [1913 Webster]

The snow alighting on the roof sounds a little strange to me, but I (A speaker of BrE) and happy with the rest. I don't think that means we can use it for a normal seaplane's normal 'landing'. Birds and snow are rather lighter than seaplanes.

[bieasy]

"Splash down" seems to be used:


http://www.oceanair.ca/seaplane_ocea...wow_factor.pdf

And "splash up" for takeoff?