Fast Sea Planes....

@James331

No way on homework! I never did it in school, why start now? :D
Back to reality, for now I am less interested in knowing how to actual fly a seaplane, I am more curious about what the market has available.
I recall the article on the Skigull from Burt Rutan, but I was under the impression that will be a one off and not put in production.

Tim
 
slacktide said:
Just over Mach 1 fast enough? It seemed like a good idea at the time.

https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/the-department-of-never-mind-39415310/

Arch_Nevermind_Gal_A_SEP09.jpg
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Martin P6M-2 Seamaster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_P6M_SeaMaster
Apparently the last airplane made by the Martin company.

Martin_P6M-2_Seamaster_taking_off.jpg
 
tspear said:
@James331

No way on homework! I never did it in school, why start now? :D
Back to reality, for now I am less interested in knowing how to actual fly a seaplane, I am more curious about what the market has available.
I recall the article on the Skigull from Burt Rutan, but I was under the impression that will be a one off and not put in production.

Tim
Click to expand...

Lol, lots of good info in that second book about seaplanes type vs mission
 
I flew a SIAI-Marchetti Riviera once many years ago. With a 250 hp IO-470 the manufacturer claimed cruise of about 145 KTAS. Later ones, including the one I flew, had an IO-520, and I seem to remember seeing a hair over 150 KTAS down low. Only about 30 of them were built. It had delightful handling in the air; on the water, not so much.

siai_fn-333_1203.jpg
 
Spring Ford said:
This sure looks fast -

lisa-akoya_water-seafoils-2000x535.jpg


Posted because it uses hydrofoils in the water which I have never heard of previously.
lisa-airplanes Akoya
Seem to have something flying but not yet on sale.
Click to expand...

It looks like such a cool concept, but it cruises at only 115 knots or so.
 
Spring Ford said:
This sure looks fast -

lisa-akoya_water-seafoils-2000x535.jpg


Posted because it uses hydrofoils in the water which I have never heard of previously.
lisa-airplanes Akoya
Seem to have something flying but not yet on sale.
Click to expand...

The main drawback of seaplanes is that they have a lot of aerodynamic drag - Whether a flying boat or a more conventional airplane with floats attached, there's one or two boat hulls and a step, none of which are good at all aerodynamically.

The Akoya above uses hydrofoils to lift itself out of the water, which is a great idea for making an aerodynamically clean seaplane. I hope other manufacturers steal that idea. And I hope Lisa can put the Akoya into production, because I want that to be my retirement airplane.

Anyway, as for things actually in existence now, the Seawind is about as close as it gets to a 170-knot seaplane in the realm of affordable, but only a couple dozen have been built, and the certified version hasn't been completed (and seems to have pretty much stopped the process from what I can tell, unfortunately).

The only seaplane I can think of that can do 170 knots that you might actually be able to purchase is the twin-turbine Dornier SeaStar, which can be yours for the low low price of $7 million and change.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Martin P6M-2 Seamaster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_P6M_SeaMaster
Apparently the last airplane made by the Martin company.

Martin_P6M-2_Seamaster_taking_off.jpg
Click to expand...

You beat me to it. I worked for Martin Marietta Denver Aerospace back in the early 1980s. Talked with folks who worked on that plane. When the Navy ended the program due to losing funding every single one was scrapped. Too bad, that was the first model airplane I got and built as a kid.
 
Fast seaplane is kinda dumb, sort of like flying car. Far less expensive and way easier to have a fast airplane and a slow seaplane.
 
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