Chapter 11: Features and Flight in X-Plane Seaplane

X-Plane Seaplane is the first X-Plane Mobile app to focus on water operations. All three aircraft included with the initial version of the app are amphibious, so they can handle taking off and landing on the water as well as on paved runways.

X-Plane Seaplane features not only airplanes, but also the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King amphibious helicopter, which adds a new kind of challenge to the simulator. Can you hover over the water and descend for a smooth landing in the helicopter?

X-Plane Seaplane’s flight and water dynamics are, of course, realistic, and the new water rendering is pretty impressive. The swimming and flying challenges in this app make for a lot of fun!

Aircraft
The following three aircraft are included in the initial version of X-Plane Seaplane:
 * the Canadair Bombardier 415, a twin-engine water bomber,
 * the Republic RC-3 Seabee, a tiny, post-WWII, all-metal plane with a "pusher" propeller,
 * the Grumman Goose, a versatile, twin-engine, eight-person transport,
 * the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King, a popular all-weather, search-and-rescue helicopter, and
 * the Cessna 172, outfitted with amphibious floats.

Listed below are the approximate takeoff speeds for the airplanes in X-Plane Seaplane. Note that it is a good idea to add a few knots to these speeds in order to provide a “speed cushion” that prevents stalling.


 * {| width="400" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"


 * + Approximate Takeoff Speeds
 * Aircraft
 * Approx. Takeoff Speed (knots)
 * Canadair Bombardier 415
 * 100
 * Republic RC-3 Seabee
 * 60
 * Grumman Goose
 * 75
 * Cessna 172
 * 65
 * }
 * 75
 * Cessna 172
 * 65
 * }
 * }

Flight Regions
X-Plane Seaplane includes six flight regions.

The Honolulu, Hawaii region features Kahului Airport (PHOG) and Lanai Airport (PHNY), set in the beautiful terrain of the Hawaiian Islands.

The Southern California region spans the coast of California from Imperial Beach in the south to Barstow in the northeast to Edwards Air Force Base in the northwest. It includes San Bernardino International (KSBD), San Diego International (KSAN), and Ontario International (KONT) airports.

Santa Catalina Island forms the center of the Catalina region, with Long Beach and Los Angeles in the north. Prominent airports include Catalina Airport (KAVX) and Los Angeles International Airport, as well as an aircraft carrier located just north of Catalina Island.

The San Francisco region spans from San Rafael in the northwest, to Concord in the northeast, to Santa Cruz in the south.

The Anchorage, Alaska region lies about a hundred miles to the west of Boswell Bay and features Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (PANC).

The Boswell Bay region features prominently Boswell Bay and a large portion of Prince William Sound, located in southeastern Alaska.

Flying Water Operations
Flying the airplanes in X-Plane Seaplane is fairly straightforward. We will walk through the steps to taking off and landing the Bombardier 415 and Cessna 172 here. Note that, due to the radical difference in the flight of the Sea King helicopter, its flight is described in the X-Plane Helicopter manual.

In the Map tab of the Settings menu, tap the Water Takeoff button. This will place your aircraft in a random water location.

To takeoff, first tap the BRAKES button to turn them off. Drag the throttle slider (located on the left side of the screen) to the top of its travel to give the craft full throttle. Drag the flaps slider (located on the right of the screen) about a third of the way down the screen. As your speed ramps up, don’t be surprised to see your indicated airspeed rise and fall rapidly as your plane bounces around on the waves.

When the indicated airspeed reaches about 100 knots in the Bombardier or about 60 knots in the 172, gently tilt the device back toward you to pull the craft off the water. Hold an upward pitch of about 5 degrees as you climb away from the water.

At this point, drag the flaps slider back up to the top of the screen. When you reach the altitude you want, drag the throttle slider to about three-quarters of its range to cruise.

To land on the water, approach it with a shallow glideslope, with the plane’s nose pointed down about 7 degrees. The flaps should gradually be pulled in, with full flaps deployed in the last hundred feet or so from the water. Likewise, the throttle should gradually be backed down. At the moment the aircraft touches the water, it should be just above its stalling speed, with full flaps and zero throttle.

Note that even if you have managed the approach and landing perfectly, you might still bounce a bit upon touching the water. This is just a function of having a buoyant aircraft setting down on a moving body of water.