Just curious: Water landing question

On Jan 30, 1:35*pm, Mike Flying 8 wrote:
*

Now I just wonder why the floats would stick?!?! *I am going to have
to find something that I can read about this.


Same as Coanda effect I think.

Cheers

*

On Jan 28, 2:35 pm, es330td wrote:
What kind of space does it take to land/takeoff in a plane with
floats? I realize there are all sorts of rules about where one can do
this but I have a relative with a ranch that has a fairly decent sized
body of water on it. This is Texas, so its pretty flat with neglible
trees and I wondered if a plane could be put down there. I tried
looking around a little online but couldn't find anything that spelled
it out.

As I'm sure you already know, "it depends."

I've been occasionally flying a C-150/150 on EDO floats out of a stock
pond that's a couple thousand feet long and just a couple hundred
wide. Getting out, even on really hot days, has never been a problem.
Getting in is even easier, it needs well under 1,000.

You can splash down into surprisingly small ponds. You can get out of
most of them, too.

es330td wrote:
What kind of space does it take to land/takeoff in a plane with
floats? I realize there are all sorts of rules about where one can do
this but I have a relative with a ranch that has a fairly decent sized
body of water on it. This is Texas, so its pretty flat with neglible
trees and I wondered if a plane could be put down there. I tried
looking around a little online but couldn't find anything that spelled
it out.

One nice thing about water TO and landings is that you can generally
take good advantage of the prevailing wind to reduce the distances.
Of course, if the pond is long and thin then this is a moot point.

It is easier to get off of water with some chop to it because it
aerates the water. Air has less friction than water so the more
turbulence the hull can get beneath it the easier it is to break away
from the surface.

Getting "on the step" refers to reaching a speed whereas the hull is
planing at its "step" on the water like a speedboat. If you look at
the bottom of a float or seaplane there is a break or upward "step"
usually located aft and at a specific angle to the CG. The purpose of
the step is to enable the plane to rotate about a point (of planing)
while at speed on the water. If the step wasn't there the plane would
drag its afterbody when rotating for take-off

The distance it takes to get off of the water is largely dependent on
the aircraft, a very rough, general, off the cuff number under good
conditions at sea level would be a similar distance as that of a
similar land plane plus 30%-50%. However Seaplanes are much more
sensitive to increases in weight, and density altitude plays a large
hand in getting off of the water. Many small seaplanes/floatplanes
will start having trouble getting off of the water at gross weight
past a density altitude of 6000'.

D

On Jan 28, 4:35*pm, es330td wrote:
What kind of space does it take to land/takeoff in a plane with
floats? *I realize there are all sorts of rules about where one can do
this but I have a relative with a ranch that has a fairly decent sized
body of water on it. *This is Texas, so its pretty flat with neglible
trees and I wondered if a plane could be put down there. *I tried
looking around a little online but couldn't find anything that spelled
it out.

Try searching for the Sea Plane Pilot Association for more info. Years
back when I did a lot of float plane flying in Louisiana and
Minnesota, a common technique was to motor around in a circle to chop
up the water just before takeoff if we were in a confined area. I flew
both floats and amphibs and my last seaplane flying was in a Cessna
206 on amphib floats here in Alabama last year.
Did a lot of demo flights for a Lake Amphib dealer in the mid 60's on
private lakes in Louisiana. Got my sea plane rating flying with Marion
Cole in Monroe, LA.

Ol Shy & Bashful wrote:
a common technique was to motor around in a circle to chop
up the water just before takeoff if we were in a confined area.


That's probably the safest way. Another is to roll the plane into the
wind (if there is a cross wind) onto one float during take off. Or roll
back and forth to break water tension. Works but requires a bit more
finesse.