Ottawa RIver Departure under the Bridge

[pdw]

So does that mean to be legal he has to stay to the proper side of the light as long as he is on the water?

Doesn't have to necessarily as far as the water-way is concerned ... except that way (the way he chose) there's less chance someone will try to cut across his path from the right (his right is also the aircraft's green light/starboard). Any craft encroaching the floatplane's take-off path from the right (from starboard) has the right of way. So the pilot makes sure there's no one that can encroach from that side; even the rowers were still at the dock. Any water-craft approaching the aircraft from the left side are required to yield.

Lets see ..."proper side of the light" (as far as 'water-craft encroaching on each other's path' goes) applies "as long as he is on the water", but still in effect if there's conflict during or after flying under the bridge at 10-15'AGL; ie if he was catching up to traffic in early rotation there, or it was still encroaching him from the right. It applies "as long as he is" in conflict with any boat-traffic, which is obviously possible until the floatplane has climbed clear of the tallest mast in its departure area.

[1000 HP]

I used to take off on the Red River with the Otter all the time. The boaters we had to slalom around sure never gave a carp about getting out of our way. I never did take off under the Bridge but if I'd known it was legal I sure as hell would have

[pdw]

Some boaters may not be aware of the limited maneuverability (direction change incapability) the float plane has on a take-off run. For your average boat-pilot, judging the trajectory that a stepping floatplane needs to keep until well after airborne might not be as easy to judge from all vantage points off/of the moving boats ... at the various speeds. Might have to work some better strategy into the boater licensing curriculum in the future, ... if floatplane awareness is lacking. (Do we need a boat license now to land on water in Ontario ?)