I figure some of you might be interested, or at least curious about the "Gweduck" project. It's apparently sized between a Widgeon and Goose, all composite, so no rusting fuselage.

Anyway, this is the latest on the project:

Gweduck.com wrote:We’re close to starting on airplane number two, the prototype for the kit. Transfer of molds to the production facility has begun, and parts construction will start shortly. While we don’t have a delivery date yet for kits, starting airplane number 2 is a major milestone on the way to kit manufacturing. Stay tuned for more information!

From here:

http://gweduc.netfirms.com/gweduck.com/ ... news.shtml



(No, I'm not affiliated in any way, there's just something about flying boats)

Twoupfront wrote:
(there's just something about flying boats)

When you say flying boats, all I can think is that the #1 money pit hobby met the #2 money pit hobby, and they had a baby

Actually, I stuck my head inside one of these at the Alaska Airmen's show a year ago. VERY sexy!

-DP

......and they had a baby

And she's all growed up enough to be a beautiful, seductive, enticing, appealing, sexy,and enchanting gal!!
And as alluded to above-and as are all creatures in the above categorys-VERY high maintenance!!

lc

Hehe, yeah, I think it's sexy!

I don't get the "High maintenance", though? It's made from fibreglass, so no rusting airframe or corroding alu skin to constantly battle.

Okay, it has two engines and propellers, and surely that can't be cheap. On the other hand, It can carry a huge load if needed.

I am so looking forward to see more of these flying around.

Yes, it will be WAY out of my budget but it sure is a sweet looking plane. I looked at it a few years back when they first brought it to Oshkosh. From a distance I thought it was a restored Grumman product. As I got closer I saw that it was not. The interior was not completed at the time but I do remember I dreamed I wished I could afford something like it. Feeding two engines is the biggest drawback for this guy.

I don't get the "High maintenance", though?......

When were in love, all we see is Roses....
It'll be different, THIS time.....
lc

Been there. In fact lived in a long 'Honeymoon' for quite a while...
Then, reality creeps in......

This airplane stopped by the Ellensburg airport a while back. I thought it was a widgeon untill I took a closer look. It is very well built.

I can relate to the money pit anology as flying and boating are my two favorites.

Littlecub wrote:

I don't get the "High maintenance", though?......

When were in love, all we see is Roses....
It'll be different, THIS time.....
lc

Been there. In fact lived in a long 'Honeymoon' for quite a while...
Then, reality creeps in......

No, I still don't get it? What's there in this plane, that would make it more high maintenance than, say, a Cub on floats? I can't see it even go to that level of maintenance, considering no aluminium is in the water, and there's no rusting airframe to take care of.

Can you explain to me, why it would be even near a regular floatplane in maintenance (if we ignore the doubling up of engines and propellers)?

[Edit: I'm not trying to make a point or an argument through rose-tinted glasses, I really want to know what I'm missing]

Oh, and perhaps related to maintenance, the engines are Lycoming IO-540 and LIO-540 respectively, the propellers are Hartzell with a steel leading edge. They say that after 450 hours, no pitting of the propellers has occured.

No, I still don't get it? What's there in this plane, that would make it more high maintenance than, say, a Cub on floats? I can't see it even go to that level of maintenance, considering no aluminium is in the water, and there's no rusting airframe to take care of.

Don't over annalyze.
Flying = Expensive. Boating = Expensive.
Therefore, flying combined with boating = Very Expensive.
Thats all

tcj wrote:

No, I still don't get it? What's there in this plane, that would make it more high maintenance than, say, a Cub on floats? I can't see it even go to that level of maintenance, considering no aluminium is in the water, and there's no rusting airframe to take care of.

Don't over annalyze.
Flying = Expensive. Boating = Expensive.
Therefore, flying combined with boating = Very Expensive.
Thats all

Thanks, that puts my mind at ease. I have been boating all my life in biggish as well as small boats, and have finally settled on an open water rowing boat for my boating needs (think kayak, but with oars) and only now entering into the world of flying.

I don't get the "High maintenance", though? It's made from fibreglass, so no rusting airframe or corroding alu skin to constantly battle.

tcj hit the nail on the head-General terms here....

I must say that most boats these days are fiberglass, and yet with a boat of much size they are described by some owners as "A hole in the water you pour money into".....
I have boating friends that 'joke':

The 2ond happiest day of a mans life is when he buys the boat of his dreams.
The happiest of course being the day he sells that same boat.....

I don't have much experience with boats larger than a canoe, but I hear my friends thinly veiled jokes-and think I get a general idea.

My rampant foolishness for decades has been in aviation, as has most everybody's here, so I don't need to explain the financial intensity of aviation....

I love the marriage of water and aviation, too.
And that drives me to buy an occasional lottery ticket in spite of my awareness of the statistical impossibilities.

lc

Littlecub wrote:

I don't get the "High maintenance", though? It's made from fibreglass, so no rusting airframe or corroding alu skin to constantly battle.

tcj hit the nail on the head-General terms here....

I must say that most boats these days are fiberglass, and yet with a boat of much size they are described by some owners as "A hole in the water you pour money into".....
I have boating friends that 'joke':

The 2ond happiest day of a mans life is when he buys the boat of his dreams.
The happiest of course being the day he sells that same boat.....

True, but very seldomly does that apply to the hull itself - especially if fibre glass - but rather engines, sails, mast, docking fees, etc.

Remember, this is an airplane, it just so happens to land on the belly, rather than on floats. And since most corrosion is dealt with by using non-corrosive materials, I think that is an upper hand, compared to the real widgeon, goose, or the like.

I don't have much experience with boats larger than a canoe, but I hear my friends thinly veiled jokes-and think I get a general idea.

My rampant foolishness for decades has been in aviation, as has most everybody's here, so I don't need to explain the financial intensity of aviation....

I love the marriage of water and aviation, too.
And that drives me to buy an occasional lottery ticket in spite of my awareness of the statistical impossibilities.

lc

LOL, me too from time to time. A Pilatus Porter, or, even better; an Antilles Goose with enough money to have it taken care off professionally wouldn't go amiss, lol.

I saw the gweduck up close a year or two ago & it was indeed very nice. I wish the owner/developes well, but wonder if there is much of a market for what will obviously be a high-dollar niche type aircraft that you have to build yourself. Of course, I wondered the same thing about the Lancair 4-p too, & I guess they've sold some of those kits, so what do I know?

I've had the privilege of talking with Ben Ellison, think Ellison Throttle bodies,
and what a intelligent man. His love of airplanes and boats morphed
Into the Gweduck. That and he owns a couple of Vagabonds, among other things!
Dave

hotrod150 wrote:I saw the gweduck up close a year or two ago & it was indeed very nice. I wish the owner/developes well, but wonder if there is much of a market for what will obviously be a high-dollar niche type aircraft that you have to build yourself. Of course, I wondered the same thing about the Lancair 4-p too, & I guess they've sold some of those kits, so what do I know?

Alaska. Canada. It needs to progress to certified though. I don't see many being sold to Joe EAA.

Emory Bored wrote:Alaska. Canada. It needs to progress to certified though. I don't see many being sold to Joe EAA.

Wouldn't that be possible in time, assuming they can sell enough kits to invest in the certification?