FLOATPLANE LAUNCHING DOLLY FOR USE ON LAND VEERED INTO THE WINDSOCK AND DAMAGED SOME LIGHTING AFTER THE ACFT HAD LIFTED OFF IT.

Narrative

AN SMA HAD BEEN PLACED ON FLOATS OF THE FIXED OR NO WHEELS TYPE. THE ACFT AND FLOATS WERE ON A 3 WHEEL TRAILER USED FOR TRANSPORT AND LAUNCH TKOF. TKOF WAS MADE BY MYSELF AS PLT ON THE PARALLEL TXWY ALONG RWY 25 BEGINNING MIDFIELD. AFTER LIFTOFF FROM THE CART; THE CAPT SLOWLY TURNED TO THE L STRIKING THE ARPT'S LIGHTED WINDSOCK LOCATED AT THE APCH END OF RWY 7 BTWN THE RWY AND TXWY IN GRASS MEDIAN AREA. LAUNCHING OF SEA/FLOAT PLANES FROM LAND IS COMMONLY DONE FROM CARTS; HOWEVER; THE CART SHOULD HAVE ITS CASTERED STEERABLE WHEEL(S) SEMI-LOCKED IN STRAIGHT AHEAD POS AND A BRAKE AFTER ACFT LIFTOFF TO STOP THE CART. CADILLAC'S ARPT MGR WAS CONTACTED BY ME AND HAS ISSUED A CART TKOF USE POLICY TO THE LCL MAINT FACILITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FBO HAD TO PAY FOR THE DAMAGES TO THE WINDSOCK LIGHTS. THE LAUNCH TROLLEY WAS MODIFIED. THE CASTERING NOSEWHEELS WERE LIMITED TO ABOUT 15 DEGS OF CASTER AND AN ELECTRIC TRAILER BRAKE WAS INSTALLED THAT WOULD APPLY LIGHT BRAKING WHEN THE ACFT ROSE ABOUT 6 INCHES ABOVE THE TROLLEY.