Flyability of Biplane Flying Boat

On Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 4:32:09 AM UTC-5, durabol wrote:
I have been working on a biplane flying boat (similar to some in the
early 1900s). Rough weight estimates a fuselage/tail/controls 200,
Rotax 503/5Gal fuel 150, wings 150, me 225 = 725 gross. The reason for
the biplane configuration is for the large wing area (250sq.ft) I feel
will be needed to get off the water. Any opinion on whether this will
work? Perhaps I could get by with less wing area? I would also like
tandem seating if the design can handle the extra weight.

Brock

There are many examples of which you describe and much seaplane design
info at a yahoo group called SEABUILD. The size of the wings or the
"wingloading" mostly dictates how fast you want to fly and crash
assuming you have designed for enough thrust to get you to the speed
necessary for flying. Although biplanes disappeared due to poor
efficiency in favor of monoplanes there are a couple of good reasons
for their use in seaplanes. Mainly they are good to mount sponsons
on the lower wings while avoiding the dangerous massive pitch forward
tendencies of pure low wing monowing seaplanes.