Helicopters / Seaplanes on Yachts

Steven H · 03-30-2006, 07:36 AM

The VTOL's are very interesting, only if you have a shadow boat... You need the width,storage and load-carrying capabilities. Also on the shadow-boat you wouldn't need to worry so much with the support-strength and any impact that might have on youryacht-layout ...

To save on beam you would have to land 90' on the long-axis of the Yacht That means that the shadow boat would need strong bow:stern thrusters to keep the yacht 90' against any winds so the VTOL could approach cleanly against the wind.

Very few yachts (octopus, O'Mega, Grand-Blue and a few others) might have enough beam for these aircrafts to approach, land and take-off safely on a not-so-stable platform (any yacht is always rolling...)

Rudimentary this would be something like
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marcusra · 03-30-2006, 10:52 AM

The AgustaWestland BA609 has a beam of 10m (~30ft) excl the props.
(And if the wing isn't folding, the props surely could be built that way!!)

Most of the yachts carrying a helicopter is minimum 30ft on the beam!!

If the VTOL hasn't the capability to move sideways (witch I think it has) You only have to keep the yacht in line with the wind (this is common when landing chopper in little more than calm wind to!!)

The only negative with the VTOL's is the weight/price??

Steven H · 03-30-2006, 12:46 PM

Point taken...

Only, for safe touchdown and take-off you'd like both rotors to be covered by a level deck below it. (was mentioned in another thread regarding helicopters somewhere on this forum)...

Hence you end up with a minimum beam requirement of 60ft for the BA609. Give some space to "manoueuvre" for the pilot and you're talking 65-70ft. That's a lot and the yachts with this beam are very limited I'd say.

GReetz,

S.

orion · 03-30-2006, 02:56 PM

Perfect flying tender

Folding wings for easy docking
www.centaurseaplane.com

tartanski · 04-01-2006, 03:52 AM

The Centaur is really great , combines WIG effect and new hull design, about time someone did this.

And to topit all off it is designed with CATIA too. :-)

mp-willow · 04-01-2006, 06:03 PM

Orion, thanks for the link. the plane looks like it would have a lot to offer a Yacht. It is light to be carried on the Yacht and lifted by Crain, but the wings fold

inside the beam, it might be posible to have the plane float into a garage. What do the rest of you think on that?

YachtForums · 04-01-2006, 09:04 PM

The Centaur option looks pretty good. Keep in mind... you can't set it down in rough water, well... maybe you could, but it might leave the reproductive capabilities of your significant other in a somewhat questionable state.

Other things to consider... loading and unloading next to the ship could get dicey in certain conditions. In addition, unless the wings are swept back into the TomCat position, passengers might be doing backstroke to get onboard the ship. Also, the ship will need to be stationary to "pluck it" out of the water, unlike a heli that can approach a ship underway (the civilian version of a carrier landing?)

I guess I'm hardcore heli head. Flying is fine, but hovering is devine.

orion · 04-02-2006, 01:04 PM

Ok, rough water could be a problem

Picture shows a nice way to park the plane, a floating dock behind of yacht.

There could be a "hangar" in aft so it easiely be winched indoor.

With a seaplane you could make expeditions to unexploided paradise bays
were helis maybe not have space enough to land.

More advances to seaplane vs helis:

Less price!
Less service costs!
Less pilot labours!

mp-willow · 04-05-2006, 02:38 PM

Orion, how can a seaplane land where a Heli cannot? I am not shure about a lower operational coast, I will agree that the pilot training and maintanance would be less.

As for the seaplane operations for this one would need to be in calm waters. A "hanger" could be designed, would be if I were to have it with my Yacht, but as much as I love Seaplanes I might agree with the :hardcore Heli head" who feels that the heli has a little more to offer. As for exploring thee unexplored is that not why we have a Yacht with heli

orion · 04-05-2006, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mp-willow

Orion, how can a seaplane land where a Heli cannot? I am not shure about a lower operational coast, I will agree that the pilot training and maintanance would be less.If the heli is equipped with pontoons for sealanding ,Ok there is no difference. If not there are many places a heli not could land. It could be because of a too small beach or cliffhangs. A seaplane operates like a small boat and could get to shore at very swallow waters.
The cost in the air for just flights is a little part of operational costs.

As for the seaplane operations for this one would need to be in calm waters. A "hanger" could be designed, would be if I were to have it with my Yacht, but as much as I love Seaplanes I might agree with the :hardcore Heli head" who feels that the heli has a little more to offer. As for exploring thee unexplored is that not why we have a Yacht with heli

Offcorse a heli would be nice but a yacht with a seaplane is something uncommon

mp-willow · 04-05-2006, 07:29 PM

Orion, it would be uncommon, I only know of the golden fleet that has one available and that is I would say under used. In posing this question I was thinking of having the Yacht be able to stay long at sea or remote places, stay in touch with the world if want to with modern communications and then, if need to go in person, would have the Seaplane to get in.

If I could have it all the Yacht would have both, so when you are closer to shore or civilaztion the heli would be used, or the plane to get deeper inland.

I think a Yacht would need to be no shorter then 80 meters to have room for the plane, and support space. What do you all think? I realy how this is going.

wdrzal · 04-05-2006, 08:36 PM

After some thought ,the only real choice is a chopper, twin turbine of some sort.. On something 140' those large vtol would be a problem. And from your description of using it to supply and also transport you from off shore a sea plane ,especially those single engines ones don't have hardly any usable load with full fuel. Singles with full fuel might have a usefull load of 300 to 500 pounds.Thats only a pilot and passanger and a couple cases of wine

and only do 150 to 200 knots at best.

I see alot of those sikorsky s-76's flying corperate guys, they fly fast at about 175 mph for 450 miles. One quick refuel and you have a 900 mile range.Most small corperate jets only fly that far all though a little faster.I don't know what the usefull load is but they have quite a bit of power. I did my pilot training in a aerospatial tb-9 and thos S-76 used to blow my doors off

those tb-9's did 120mph red lined

Arniev · 04-06-2006, 12:38 AM

Yup. The Sikorsky S-76C++ is awesome.
It's a favorite of many VIPs and celebs.
Since you started off with an Aerospatiale, there's the AS365N3 Dauphin (eurocopterusa.com).
Or AgustaWestland's Grand (agustawestland.com).
Or Bell Helicopter's 430 (bellhelicopter.com).
Or any one of the above manufacturers' other models.
Good Luck!

wdrzal · 04-06-2006, 03:32 AM

Tb9 is a fixed wing, thats why it was embarrrasing

that was back 93. I got about a hours worth of instruction in a eurocopter bk117 but thats the limit of my experience in a chopper. It was a medical bird,a freind used to be cheif pilot in our area for rocky mountian helicoptor,they rent a lot of birds to hospitals. They only hire high time pilots, most have military experience. If you can afford to pay for 2000 hours in turbine,You don't need a job.

mp-willow · 04-06-2006, 07:03 PM

Wdrzal> Nice coments welcome to the discussion. sorry that you were so smoked by a chopper

I Like the S-76 and it is in my mind as I think what chopper would work for this Yacht. If you want Seaplane inco Cesna dose have good proformance for a single engine plane. I was looking at one a while ago.
Eurocoppter 155 might me nice.