Float Planes, Flying Boats and Sea Planes

Floatplanes and seaplanes conjure up nostalgic glimpses of a bygone era. Some of the most amazing planes of the last century were floatplanes.

The Russians take the prize for the most interesting floatplanes and I dreamt endlessly about making an RC Ekranoplan. Who hasn’t at least thought about making a floatplane? About 71 percent of the Earth's surface is water-covered by water. This just means more area to fly from right! If you have access to a lake, river, or even a large pond then a floatplane is a very unique way to enjoy the hobby. Be aware that salt water is harsh it will take its toll on parts of the aircraft. If you’re happy to deal with those niggling issues then a beautiful morning flight from a bay or estuary is a great way to start the day. RC float planes offer yet another level of realism and at the same time another challenge for hobbyists keen to explore everything our hobby has to offer. It is a unique but highly rewarding discipline that only a small percentage of the hobby ever explores. To be fair I’ve never flown control line, or free flight as it doesn’t interest me, however, there is still a small percentage of people enjoying that aspect of the hobby. hobbyking durafly tundra Whilst it's rare to see an (RTF) Ready To Fly floatplane, there is an increasing number of (PNF) Plug N Fly aircraft available that are driving interest in floatplanes. HobbyKing has an ever-growing range of multipurpose aircraft that can be equipped with floats should you desire it. It also means that during the freezing months of winter you can change from wheels to floats and fly from the snow. I’d love to fly from the snow but it's highly unlikely to happen anytime soon where I live. Below is a list of planes that worth investing in with floats or skis.

Truth be told, there are plenty more to choose from at various price points. They don’t all perform the same so do your homework and weigh up the pros and cons. Many even opt to retrofit their existing aircraft with a float set from another plane. For example, the BushMule and Tundra floats are used on other aircraft as an easy upgrade. If you do intend to retrofit an aircraft with floats you might need to upgrade the power plant. Floatplanes generally require a little more thrust in order to overcome the extra weight of the floats and the drag they create - not only through the water but in the air as well.

Flying Boats

hobbyking avios bushmule I have a soft spot for flying boats like the Consolidated PBY Catalina or the Grumman Albatros. A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water, which usually has no type of landing gear to allow operation on land. It differs from a floatplane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage that can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections (called sponsons) from the fuselage. Flying boats were some of the largest aircraft of the first half of the 20th century, exceeded in size only by bombers developed during World War II. Their advantage lay in using water instead of expensive land-based runways, making them the basis for international airlines in the interwar period. They were also commonly used for maritime patrol and air-sea rescue. Their use gradually trailed off after World War II, partially because of the investments in airports during the war. In the 21st century, flying boats maintain a few niche uses, such as dropping water on forest fires, air transport around archipelagos, and access to undeveloped areas. Many modern seaplane variants, whether float or flying boat types are convertible amphibious aircraft where either landing gear or flotation modes may be used to land and take off.

Taking Off

Whilst most RC planes encounter little drag when taxiing out and taking off, floatplanes and flying boats encounter significantly more drag until they can overcome the drag and get up on a plain. Once airborne the drag is reduced to the float set, but make no mistake this can be significant drag and noticeable as a reduction in top-end speed and the need to increase throttle more than would be normally required. The same rules apply when taking off. You must take off and land into the wind. The main benefit is that you don’t have a fixed grass strip where you must land and take off. On the water, you can land and take off just about anywhere. If the water is a little choppy you might need to take off parallel with the waves and this may mean doing a crosswind takeoff. Although not preferable it may be easier than heading into the chop. When taking off, hold in up elevator as this holds the nose of the airplane up and helps prevent the floats from digging into the water. As the speed of the aircraft increases, reduce up elevator slightly and let the plane gently skim the chop. Once at speed increase up the elevator and allow the plane to gently lift off the water and into the sky.

Landing

Landing an RC floatplane on the water is much like land although if you have a bad landing you have to go for a swim or paddle of shame. To successfully land your RC floatplane on the water you should land parallel to any chop and not perpendicular to them. This minimizes the chance of a float digging into a wave and flipping it over. Of course, this means you will likely be landing in crosswind conditions. When landing any plane you should come in as slowly as possible with a late flare so that you are landing as slowly as possible. Seaplanes or floatplanes are no exception and you must bleed off as much speed as possible before touching down. Be careful not to stall over water unless you want to go for a swim. Before you try and land on the water you need to master ground landings first.

Downed Aircraft Retrieval

At some point, you’re going to have a bad day and so it’s important to be able to retrieve the plane. If you’re in a club they usually have a small retrieval boat, however, you could use a radio control boat. It may be as simple as nudging the plane pack to shore or perhaps you’re a little more creative and looking for something purpose-built. I absolutely love these rescue barges. 

In Summary

RC float planes are a lot of fun and great to take on the summer camping trip. You can fly from snow, fresh, or if you have to saltwater however you want to make sure that everything is protected from the harshness of the elements. There really is no limit to float planes and I hope this is something you give a go soon. I’ll leave you with some of the most impressive flying boats of all time. Happy landings. Written by Gozarian

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