FLOAT PLANES

[Denny G]

Let's see your float/sea plane.

[JWright]

This is the ICON A5 Light Sport Aircraft. This was in a banquet room at a hotel, so it really doesn't do the plane justice.

http://www.iconaircraft.com/

http://johnwright.smugmug.com/photos/462435039_HgvPx-L.jpg

[Hotsauce]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2669210791_07e392207e.jpg

Taken In Seattle :)

[RadAL]

This is the ICON A5 Light Sport Aircraft. This was in a banquet room at a hotel, so it really doesn't do the plane justice.

[URL]http://www.iconaircraft.com


I've seen this plane, I believe.

[motofan]

coming in to land in Vancouver Harbour
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/dohp/misc/seaplane1.jpg

taking off from harbour
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b91/dohp/misc/seaplane.jpg

[FlyingPhotog]

Long ways from the ocean but...

Lake Buccaneer (I think...)
http://www.pbase.com/flyingphotog/image/105097913/original.jpg

Super Seawind
http://www.pbase.com/flyingphotog/image/69325105/original.jpg

[FlyingPhotog]

This is the ICON A5 Light Sport Aircraft. This was in a banquet room at a hotel, so it really doesn't do the plane justice.

Actually John, I'd say the fact that an aircraft was in a banquet room in a hotel to begin with does it great justice! ;)

[hard12find]

I think most of my floatpanes and seaplanesand amphibians are on film, need to get those negatives scanned someday.
Twin Otter in #1 and #5, #5 I can tell was taken in Seattle, #3 is a Dehavvilland DHC3 single Otter with a Vassar Turbine engine conversion, I was Kenmore Air's Chief Inspector when this aircraft was converted along with 3 other. Prior to my time at Kenmore, I was the maintenance manager for the west coast Lake amphibian service center in Renton Wa. so I can confirm #6 is indeed a LA-4 Buccaneer, inside joke was any time we landed in one we would say we "Buccaneer made it"
I have quite a bit of time with Grumman amphibs, as well as Republic Seabee's...I'll have to search my files and see what I can come up with.
Thanks for te memories.
Jim

[::John::]

Love the DHC-2 Beaver shot up there. I am currently assembling a remote control model of one - great to see a real one in the air. Thanks

[Denny G]

Caught the vortex coming off the prop of this floater starting to land. Very overcast, humidity at 100% day in Ketchikan Alaska.

[Jeff]

Anyone know what those little things are on the leading edge of the Seawind's wing?

[Ballen Photo]

Here's one on dry land (For the moment, anyway. ;) )
-Bruce
http://www.fototime.com/4553A52A9D13AED/standard.jpg

[FlyingPhotog]

Anyone know what those little things are on the leading edge of the Seawind's wing?

They're called "Vortex Generators" and they modify the airflow over the wing (although I'm not exactly sure in what way.) Typically, VGs help keep the wing from losing lift due to boundary layer airflow issues at higher angles of attack (which can cause a stall.)

I guess the manufacturer found something beneficial about making seperate convergent streams of air (or divergent depending on how you look at it.)

[Naturalist]

VG modify airflow over the wings due to distruption of the straight airflow providing lift. That was an excellent photo Denny.

[FlyingPhotog]

VG modify airflow over the wings due to distruption of the straight airflow providing lift. That was an excellent photo Denny.

So taking into account the usual things that happen with a traditionally mounted tractor prop on a land-based airframe:
- P Factor
- Torque
- Gyroscopic Effect
- Spiral Slipstream

What's so different with a pylon-mounted pusher prop on a plane that can use both hard-surface runways and water such that they have to mechanically stir up the boundary layer?

Hmmmm.....?

[Jeff]

VG modify airflow over the wings due to distruption of the straight airflow providing lift. That was an excellent photo Denny.

So why are these good while ice is bad ???

[FlyingPhotog]

So why are these good while ice is bad ???

These are meant to keep the airflow working to optimize lift whereas ice disrupts the airflow, degrades lift and adds considerable weight as well.

I can't tell from the photo, but the VGs may be tweaked to specfic different angles along the wing maximizing their usefullness. Ice is just gonna be random and ugly...

[JWright]

Actually John, I'd say the fact that an aircraft was in a banquet room in a hotel to begin with does it great justice! ;)

Thanks, but because of the cramped location and the folded wings, you really can't fully appreciate the lines of the plane. What really impressed me was the video they were showing... And I'm not even a pilot!

[hard12find]

There is noyhing different with the wings of a pylon mounted pusher, or a traditional tractor propeller, VG's are beneficial in either case. Our current Cessna 206 H, had horrible landing characteristics, and after the application of VG's we gained approximately 10 knot slower landing speed. notice they are also on the vertical stab, and bottom of Horizontal stabilizer. VG's work by holding the boundry layer air to the upper wing surface longer at higher angles of attack.

Jeff, Ice changes the shape of the airfouil making it less optimized, where as VG's change the airflow over the wing to optimize lift. And yes they are place at specific angles and distances, calculated by engineers at the VG manufacturer. amazingly enough even on Fabric and Aluminum aircraft they are held on by adhesive, and it is very durable.
Jim

[slcr1]

Few from Lake Hood..

http://nexgenphoto.com/photos/hood3.jpg

http://nexgenphoto.com/photos/supercub_color.jpg

[FlyingPhotog]

^^^ Excellent Josh...

#1 Should be printed very large and hung in a prominent location!

[slcr1]

Oh, and I forgot to add a little something about VG's...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vortex_generator

[slcr1]

^^^ Excellent Josh...

#1 Should be printed very large and hung in a prominent location!

Thanks Jay! Took that about 2 years ago when I was in Alaska for work. Hoping to get back up there this summer sometime..

[TheHoff]

http://i41.tinypic.com/w1px6g.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/14j7n13.jpg

[FlyingPhotog]

Nice Hoff...

I like the hint of Supertanker in the mist in #1...

[TheHoff]

^^^ Excellent Josh...

#1 Should be printed very large and hung in a prominent location!

Agreed; I like the light in the 1st one and you caught it at a good angle for the plane. I bet you can see the pilot's face clearly in the 100%.

[BobOh]

Jeff, Ice changes the shape of the airfouil making it less optimized, where as VG's change the airflow over the wing to optimize lift. Jim

Plus ice weighs a lot and if a plane gets a severe enough buildup the plane can actually have a hard time maintaining altitude, to the point of reaching 0 ft. AGL which can ruin your whole day.:cry::cry:

[BobOh]

Taken on one of the fly in days for the 2007 Oshkosh Airventure.

[BobOh]

^^^ Excellent Josh...

#1 Should be printed very large and hung in a prominent location!

#2 also. Fantastic.

[BobOh]

They're called "Vortex Generators" and they modify the airflow over the wing (although I'm not exactly sure in what way.) Typically, VGs help keep the wing from losing lift due to boundary layer airflow issues at higher angles of attack (which can cause a stall.)

I guess the manufacturer found something beneficial about making seperate convergent streams of air (or divergent depending on how you look at it.)

I'm going to date myself with this, but on the TF-9J Navy trainers I worked on back in the late 60's/early 70's, we called them "stall fences".

[FlyingPhotog]

I'm going to date myself with this, but on the TF-9J Navy trainers I worked on back in the late 60's/early 70's, we called them "stall fences".

Slightly different (and less elegant) critter...

http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Theories_of_Flight/Transonic_Wings/TH20G6.jpg

From what I gather VGs can be individually tailored to "shape" the air in specific ways along the entire span, whereas Stall Fences simply arrest the spanwise flow and force it rearward.

[BobOh]

Ah ha, right you are. I got my airplanes mixed up. The original question was about the Seawind. I was looking at Hotsauce's picture.

[slcr1]

Found a few more I've taken over the past 2 yrs or so..

Lake Union - Seattle, WA
http://nexgenphoto.com/photos/beaver1.jpg

Another from Lake Hood..
http://nexgenphoto.com/photos/hood1.jpg

[dtw757]

Lake Union, Seattle on a cold windy December afternoon....