Seaplane Resurgence?

In addition to the C-130 Seaplane project:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...d-a01eb5e659b1


It looks like other seaplane ideas are being studied as well:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...7-b3cdb2aeb8fd

http://cisd.dt.navy.mil/div/cisd/fil...09dec2003).pdf


Japan and the (Former) USSR never really gave up on seaplanes, but
will they now make a comeback in the US?

On Sep 29, 5:02?pm, wrote:
In addition to the C-130 Seaplane project:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...

It looks like other seaplane ideas are being studied as well:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...

http://cisd.dt.navy.mil/div/cisd/fil...anes%20wo%20an...

Japan and the (Former) USSR never really gave up on seaplanes, but
will they now make a comeback in the US?

No- we have plenty of a/c carriers which Japan and the FSU/Russia
lack...

Rob

p.s. What happened to the Pelican???

"Rob Arndt" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 29, 5:02?pm, wrote:
In addition to the C-130 Seaplane project:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...

It looks like other seaplane ideas are being studied as well:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...

http://cisd.dt.navy.mil/div/cisd/fil...anes%20wo%20an...

Japan and the (Former) USSR never really gave up on seaplanes, but
will they now make a comeback in the US?

No- we have plenty of a/c carriers which Japan and the FSU/Russia
lack...

Seaplanes perform strike missions? (That's what CVN's do)



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

On Sep 29, 5:40?pm, "Mark Test" wrote:
"Rob Arndt" wrote in message

oups.com...



On Sep 29, 5:02?pm, wrote:
In addition to the C-130 Seaplane project:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...

It looks like other seaplane ideas are being studied as well:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...

http://cisd.dt.navy.mil/div/cisd/fil...anes%20wo%20an...

Japan and the (Former) USSR never really gave up on seaplanes, but
will they now make a comeback in the US?

No- we have plenty of a/c carriers which Japan and the FSU/Russia
lack...

Seaplanes perform strike missions? (That's what CVN's do)

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, AFAIK, that IS what the plan has been for years with new seaplane
projects apart from pure transports- arm them with Harpoons and
torpedos and other ordnance.

Also, military seaplanes can perform recon, sea rescue (on a carrier
performed by a helo), ASW, etc... all of which carrier-based aviation
does better.

The Soviet-era Ekranoplans were comparable to seaplanes as well and
carried a range of missiles.

Rob

Rob Arndt wrote:

The Soviet-era Ekranoplans were comparable to seaplanes

Not at all similar.

The Ekranoplans flew only in ground effect.

Graham

On Sep 29, 6:04?pm, Eeyore
wrote:
Rob Arndt wrote:
The Soviet-era Ekranoplans were comparable to seaplanes

Not at all similar.

The Ekranoplans flew only in ground effect.

Graham

A technicality at best.

Ekranoplans are planes and are sea-based, so they are only a DIFFERENT
type of seaplane.

You can't call them flying ships- they are WIG aviation.

Rob

On 30 Wrz, 03:04, Eeyore
wrote:
Rob Arndt wrote:
The Soviet-era Ekranoplans were comparable to seaplanes

Not at all similar.

The Ekranoplans flew only in ground effect.

Graham

ISTR (from a documentary I saw on them) Ekranoplanes ***almost***
always flew in ground effect, they could climb out of it if really
neccessary (lots of power, lots of wasted fuel) but it was possible.

guy

"Rob Arndt" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Sep 29, 5:40?pm, "Mark Test" wrote:
"Rob Arndt" wrote in message

oups.com...



On Sep 29, 5:02?pm, wrote:
In addition to the C-130 Seaplane project:


http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...

It looks like other seaplane ideas are being studied as well:


http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...plckController...


http://cisd.dt.navy.mil/div/cisd/fil...anes%20wo%20an...

Japan and the (Former) USSR never really gave up on seaplanes, but
will they now make a comeback in the US?

No- we have plenty of a/c carriers which Japan and the FSU/Russia
lack...

Seaplanes perform strike missions? (That's what CVN's do)

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com- Hide
quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, AFAIK, that IS what the plan has been for years with new seaplane
projects apart from pure transports- arm them with Harpoons and
torpedos and other ordnance.

Also, military seaplanes can perform recon, sea rescue (on a carrier
performed by a helo), ASW, etc... all of which carrier-based aviation
does better.

The Soviet-era Ekranoplans were comparable to seaplanes as well and
carried a range of missiles.

they must be quite the adventure in a heavy sea.

but will they now make a comeback in the US?

Short answer: No, IMHO.

Longer answer: Attempts at large-scale revival of seaplanes in the U.S. will likely meet the same ends as attempts to revive LTA.
a.. Too few suitable seadrome possibilities near most U. S. coastal population centers. And no possibilities at all in the continental heartland, other than the Great Lakes cities like Detroit or Chicago.
b.. Constant pre-landing obstruction clearance would be a major headache for near-urban seadromes - would not take a very large piece of harbor flotsam to hole a hull at takeoff or alighting speed.
c.. Need for major infrastructure improvements (large hangars, ramps, etc.) along increasingly expensive / scarce near-urban shoreline.
d.. Even a modest sea state can hinder or prohibit operations in more open waters.
e.. Higher cost of maintenance, especially for corrosion control, versus landplanes.
This does not say that seaplanes may not be suited for other locales. The freshwater lake interior regions of Russia and Canada come to mind as possibly suitable.

Just not a winner for the U.S.

--
Mike Kanze

"The greatest threat to our democracy is not from evil or incompetent leaders, but from an electorate with the attention span of a gerbil on crack."

- James Tulip, San Francisco Chronicle (7/25/2007)

wrote in message oups.com...
In addition to the C-130 Seaplane project:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...d-a01eb5e659b1


It looks like other seaplane ideas are being studied as well:

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs...7-b3cdb2aeb8fd

http://cisd.dt.navy.mil/div/cisd/fil...09dec2003).pdf


Japan and the (Former) USSR never really gave up on seaplanes, but
will they now make a comeback in the US?

On 30 sept, 05:01, "Mike Kanze" wrote:
but will they now make a comeback in the US?

Short answer: No, IMHO.

Longer answer: Attempts at large-scale revival of seaplanes in the U.S. will likely meet the same ends as attempts to revive LTA.
a.. Too few suitable seadrome possibilities near most U. S. coastal population centers. And no possibilities at all in the continental heartland, other than the Great Lakes cities like Detroit or Chicago.
b.. Constant pre-landing obstruction clearance would be a major headache for near-urban seadromes - would not take a very large piece of harbor flotsam to hole a hull at takeoff or alighting speed.
c.. Need for major infrastructure improvements (large hangars, ramps, etc.) along increasingly expensive / scarce near-urban shoreline.
d.. Even a modest sea state can hinder or prohibit operations in more open waters.
e.. Higher cost of maintenance, especially for corrosion control, versus landplanes.
This does not say that seaplanes may not be suited for other locales. The freshwater lake interior regions of Russia and Canada come to mind as possibly suitable.

Just not a winner for the U.S.

The article was about military use. For some (quite) recent
scenarios....

Falklands 1982: Say, British have twenty Shin Meiwa US-1 style, but
Martin Mars sized flying boats, in their inventory, capable of aerial
refuelling. Supply and troop transport problems are entirely
different.

Africa - almost what ever conflict. At many times larger availability
of lakes and rivers than runways.

Seaplanes are really out of fashion in the military circles because
they are out of fashion. A major reason may be that USAF never
operated seaplanes in large quantities, and probably has not been that
interested in airlift mission anyway.

Mvh,
Jon K