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Post by jesse on Jun 7, 2010 13:58:42 GMT -5
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Post by herkpilot on Sept 26, 2010 13:46:45 GMT -5
A loss to all! One of the blogs I follow (Rand Peck maybe?)had some more video of the operation as he took a flight during a HNL layover. I'll have to look back through his older entries to find the link.
Hy
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Post by jesse on Sept 26, 2010 15:38:57 GMT -5
When I first posted this item back in June, I was flabbergasted at the attitude taken by the FAA. In my viewpoint, HNL would be a perfect place for a bunch of seaplane bases. Lots of islands to service and plenty of water and hard packed sandy beaches in the case of an amphib. Never can tell what goes thru the pea brains of politicians and silly servant workers. My first homebuilt was a great little seaplane designed by the late Volmer Jensen. He was originally a marine designer, but tried his hand at airplanes and came up with some great designs. My model was his VJ-22 Amphibian based on the wings of the Air Knocker champ. I still have all the blue prints and drawings and specs but I doubt if I will ever attempt another one at my age.  Jesse  |
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Post by herkpilot on Sept 26, 2010 18:37:16 GMT -5
When I lived there, I never quite understood the lack of seaplanes. Inter-Island (now Hawaiian) started with S-38s and then moved to S-43s. Except for Kona (which had no airport in the 30's) All of their flights operated from runways as the Sikorski's were amphibians. The requirement for water landings for currency did allow the pilots to land in the water at Hilo, take off again and head for the runway and lunch, without ever getting wet. The boats were primarily to re-assure the skeptical pax! Not that an open water landing would be survivable. The DC-3s pretty much led to the end of the boats except that WW II shortages kept the S-43s in service as freighters until the war ended.
I suspect that the lack of calm protected water on most of the islands was the main drawback to operating seaplanes except for the military. Pearl Harbor, Kaneohe and the Lagoon at HNL are about it. The bay at Hilo and Kona also were usable but the other islands are pretty rugged and don't offer large, sheltered waters
Hy
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