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Back during the 1970s, Thomas H. Purcell (Flight Dynamics) sold plans for his Flightsail seaplane.
They floated on a pair of pontoons that were integral with the lifting fuselage. Early versions had Princeton Sailwings, while the last had conventional, constant-chord wings.
Yes The first two versions lacked engines and were towed aloft by speed boats, but the last two were powered by 90 horsepower, flat-four air-cooled engines. The powered Flightsail performed as well as contemporary Anderson Kingfisher and Volmer Sportman light flying boats.
Several other people sketched similar Burnelli style seaplanes by never got beyond the mock up stage.
Why not more?
Did waves pound too hard on the underside of the fuselage?
Does anyone have Flightsail plans?
Circa 2000, Sport Aviation magazine printed a story about Purcell floating a conventional, low-wing monoplane on a pair of floats. Does anyone have that issue of SA?
They floated on a pair of pontoons that were integral with the lifting fuselage. Early versions had Princeton Sailwings, while the last had conventional, constant-chord wings.
Yes The first two versions lacked engines and were towed aloft by speed boats, but the last two were powered by 90 horsepower, flat-four air-cooled engines. The powered Flightsail performed as well as contemporary Anderson Kingfisher and Volmer Sportman light flying boats.
Several other people sketched similar Burnelli style seaplanes by never got beyond the mock up stage.
Why not more?
Did waves pound too hard on the underside of the fuselage?
Does anyone have Flightsail plans?
Circa 2000, Sport Aviation magazine printed a story about Purcell floating a conventional, low-wing monoplane on a pair of floats. Does anyone have that issue of SA?
