Seaplane motor-glider?

Anyone ever hear of a seaplane/amphibious motor-glider? I wonder if there
is one out there that I have never heard about.

If not, what do you all think about the possibility of creating one? Would
it be possible to have all of these qualifications in one aircraft?

I have toyed with the idea, and told it would be impossible, but I am not
totally convinced that it could not be done.

If you think of the shape of a pontoon on a seaplane, it is not all that far
away from a glider hull. You could modify the shape a little bit, perhaps
add a moveable surface behind the step to fair that part of the hill a
little, add a vertical fin with a cruciform or T-tail, and you have the
seaplane hull. Mount the wing high to have a place to mount the motor, or
make a power pod on the Laker seaplanes, or many other seaplanes.

How much HP would it need, and what wingspan and wing area would it take to
make a two place glider with rise off water capability? Parts of Western NC
are slim on places to land out with a glider, but there are lots of lakes,
so you would have a choice of landing or operating off of lakes, or cranking
up the motor and going back home if you run out of lift. It would be easy to
load up some water ballast, on days that ballast is called for, if you were
operating from a lake, too, huh? gg

Food for thought? I would love to have all three aircraft types in one, but
do not know of anything that exists at the present. Anyone know of one?
--
Jim in NC

Schreder HP-22, never completed. Reminiscent of Dick's WWII days in the
PBY.

On Nov 15, 4:31*pm, "Morgans" wrote:

http://www.hpaircraft.com/info/hp-22/hp-22_1.jpg
http://www.hpaircraft.com/info/hp-22/hp-22_2.jpg
http://www.hpaircraft.com/info/hp-22/hp-22_3.jpg

Thanks, Bob K.

"John H. Campbell" wrote in message
...
Schreder HP-22, never completed. Reminiscent of Dick's WWII days in the
PBY.

Cool. Looks like someone that "knows" had the same idea. Too bad it never
got built, though.
--
Jim in NC

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:31:15 -0500, Morgans wrote:


Food for thought? I would love to have all three aircraft types in one,
but do not know of anything that exists at the present. Anyone know of
one?

May be somebody could build a modified Windex-1200?

http://www.windex.se/Main.htm

Its a kit design, so build one with a deeper fuselage to form the hull
and Barnacle Bill's your uncle, but it probably needs a bigger engine for
water operation.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Nov 15, 4:31*pm, "Morgans" wrote:
Anyone ever hear of a seaplane/amphibious motor-glider? *I wonder if there
is one out there that I have never heard about.

Back in the 1930s, the Crawford glider co. , of Seal Beach, CA,
offered a Crawford amphibious glider with pontoons and a Szelesky
engine. Also around 1930, Hawley Bowlus put an engine and pontoons on
one of his gliders and flew off San Diego Bay. There may be others
but those are the ones which come to mind without looking it up.

If we are talking unpowered, there were several. In about 1929, there
was the Peel Glider Boat Company of Long Island, NY. Also, the Navy
had a few prototypes during WW II, but never actually developed them.
Skliar designed the Aqua Glider in 1959, in the US but I don't know
where, Florida, I think. Then there was the pre-war German DFS
Seeadler and Jacht 71. There were many, many others

Oh, did I mention the Crawford and the Bowlus were both primary
gliders?

Don't know if anyone is still following the thread, but the most
advanced amphibious motorglider is probably the Colyaer Freedom. Made
in Spain I believe. Very impressive lift to drag. Many of the
questions you asked could be answered by having a glance at their
specifications.

I'm presently trying to design a 100hp amphibious motorglider myself.

"Crawl" wrote

Don't know if anyone is still following the thread, but the most
advanced amphibious motorglider is probably the Colyaer Freedom. Made
in Spain I believe. Very impressive lift to drag. Many of the
questions you asked could be answered by having a glance at their
specifications.

I'm presently trying to design a 100hp amphibious motorglider myself.

Hey, I'm still here! I started the thread, and was glad to hear that there
were others out there with my same interest, and some designs were flying.
I'm interested in your design, too. It sounds like it is close to my
specifications.

If you have the time, post what you have in mind, or if you want, e-mail me
off list at and as always take out the junk in the
address for it to work correctly.

--
Jim in NC

Originally Posted by Morgans[_2_]

"Crawl" wrote


I'm presently trying to design a 100hp amphibious motorglider myself.

I'm interested in your design, too. It sounds like it is close to my
specifications.

Jim in NC

I think it is a great idea.

My dream machine would have wings that fold straight up so you can also sail it as a hydrofoil on the water. While wishing make it capable as a submarine as well as hypersonic and VTOL. And of course it should taxi home and park in the garage. Carry 15 people and use no fuel at all and be totally SILENT! Did you ever see the movie 'Flight of the Navigator'?

Another craft that 'flies' across the water is a kite powered hydrofoil.
Check out the Water Record Competitors in the Windjet speed record site:
http://www.windjet.co.uk/index.php?o...d=21&Itemid=56
Some of them resemble sailplanes on the water. There might be some transfer of technology both ways.

Originally Posted by Dave McConeghey

Another craft that 'flies' across the water is a kite powered hydrofoil.

The link to this craft is
http://www.windjet.co.uk/index.php?o...d=65&Itemid=74