Helicopters / Seaplanes on Yachts

Forgive the interruption, but I came across a helicopter that defies size limitations...

http://www.proxflyer.com/pi_video.htm

you can fit a whole fleet of those ,in a shoe box.

As to getting smoke by a chopper, no matter if you fly 777's of F-22 raptor's every pilot starts in a small single piston.

Are you planning to buy a new S-76C++?
I heard that Sikorsky Aircraft's employees are just coming back to work after six weeks on strike.
There's about 60 helis on backorder, so if you plan to get a new one, it might take a while.

Lake

Just to add another option, and to add some counter-opinions against the pro-helicopter posts, I'll express some considerations for this beauty:

Lake 270 Turbo:


http://www.teamlake.com/

With 270HP engine, you'll have in excess of 1000NM range with 2-3 passengers + a pilot. Its nowhere near the size of an S-61, but with the size of a cessna it may fit on even the smaller yachts, and the operating costs will be similar to that of a Cessna 172. However, the Lake performs more economically than a cessna, with considerable higher cruising speed. Given its short field performance, you'll easily land inside harbours and even golf courses if you are granted permission...

Say you are 500NM offshore and you need to fly ahead of the yacht to reach shore. That will typically save you two days of waiting! A medium sized helicopter like the S-61 will typically cruise at 120NM/hour, making it over 4 hours hours of flight time (disregarding that the maximum range for S-61 is 450NM). However, most small sized helicopters like the Robinson R44, MD520N, Jet Ranger and similar yacht-size helicopters, cruises at 100NM/hour, but doesnt have more than 300-375NM range anyway.
The Lake 270 will get you to the shore two days before the yacht, in just over three hours, and even have enough fuel to take you on sightseeing above town.

If your yacht has a 12 knot cruising speed, it will cover 1000NM in 83 hours, or three and a half day. With a lake 270 on board, you can get on and off your yacht while it is way out in the middle of the ocean, in just six hours. A helicopter wouldn't be able to get you to shore before you're within a half day to a day of sailing.

Most small seaplanes are developed with low aquisition cost in mind, and therefore equipped with reciprocating engine(s) and cheap-to-construct wings. If someone should desire to have "the cutting edge", they'd have to make an integration between seaplanes and jet engines, and swept wings to allow for higher cruising speeds. But I guess corrosion would put a quick end to such a project. Salt water is really tough on any aircraft.



...You could fly from Seattle to Colorado, Utah, rocky mountains or Los Angeles in one flight. A helicopter would need either two or three fuel stops.

...Or from outside of Bahamas to new york.

A similar lifting platform could be designed to allow easy loading and passenger entrance behind a swimming platform.

The airplane weight is only 3000lbs fully fueled and ready to go, which means it could easily be lifted by a normal tender crane.

Lake

Energizer.
You make good points about range and speed. In some circumstances there'd be an advantage to the amphib. However, supply of clean avgas can be a real problem in many parts of the world. Jet fuel is available everywhere. Worst case, I don't even want to mention the off spec mix of fuels that I've seen burned in a turbine
There is also one other real limitation. Ever try to rotate off a 3 foot chop?
Helicopter, no problem, as long as the pad is clear.

Tiny mite

mp-willow, this is far short of a S76 but note on it just came across my desk and it looks like fun.

http://www.innovator.mosquito.net.nz/mbbs2/mosquitoxe.asp

This little helicopter could be just a blast to fly around in. So small that you have multiples.

You're both right that waves would be a major limitation for a small seaplane. So the only advantage is the range and ability to get from offshore and directly to your final destination in one flight, instead of taking a helicopter from your yacht to the nearest airport, then fly your jet to another airport close to your final destination, and then have another helicopter to take you the last leg to your...cabin or fishing trip or whatever. The wings on the Lake does not fold though.

Wouldnt it be room enough for both a seaplane and a helicopter on a typical expedition 150ft+ yacht? The seaplane could be loaded on the lower aft deck with overhead cranes, while the upper aft deck would serve as "hangar roof" and helipad.

And yes mp-willow, if you install fuel barrels in some of the passenger space, you'll have more range. That will reduce the number of occupants to maybe 7-8 as opposed to 10-14(19).

There's also a military version of the Lake, with range of 1500NM and more rigid construction for use in military special operations and surveillance.

Its a nice plane for its purpose but even that you posted a lot of numbers, you seemed to skip the most important. With full fuel whats its usefull load, and how fast does it fly. As any knows is easy to make something sound great when listing all the positives and forgeting the negaties. Like saves 2 days,when comparing to a 11 knot yacht.It might fly 1000nm but not with a pilot and 3 people and & luggage or supplies.

Just from what I know about singles I'd guess 150 to 175 mph, and 400 to 600 pounds load with full tanks.

155 knots, which is, for its size and range, above average for GA airplanes.

Payload 610lbs with full fuel tanks. That should be enough for 3 (2+1) average people and 85lbs of cargo.

I didnt mention it in the post because all that information is available at the link I posted. But hey, I'm not affiliated with Team Lake, I just try to shed some perspective on the importance of range

I think that being specific about exactly what the aircraft's mission will be would help.
There are so many factors that have an effect on the choice. If it's private use day VFR only, then there's a broad choice. If there will be any paying passengers, even if indirectly, as part of a charter yacht operation the rules change.
I've spent time in every civilian helicopter that Sikorsky has produced since and including the S55A. I recently kicked a soccer ball around in a S92. There is a good reason that there are so many S76 being used. They are proven and most of the quirks have been resolved. The S76 has spent a lot of time offshore and is maintainable in that environment. There are other helicopters out there that are used in the marine environment and I've seen the half full cases of Tri-Flow in the back that are used to keep some of them from turning in to expensive conglomerations of various oxides. I'm sounding like a Sikorsky cheerleader By the way, I'm not saying that everything except a Sikorsky is not up to the task.
I see those nice photos of H pads on various yachts and wonder how the heck they manage to keep them looking that clean or is it verboten to take a pic anytime that any maintenance has been done...
As to sea planes... Do you really care if it'll stay aloft for 5 hours? Can your passengers' bladders last 5 hours?
On board hangars/maintenance facilities. I've never been inside one. Some of the photos that have been published showed everything from spacious complete facilities to one that I think was in the bow, lowering after the blades had been folded but still looked like there was room to carry out routine washdowns and maintenance.

The S61 requires 2 crew in any jurisdiction that I've ever seen it flown.
Finding one in decent rebuildable shape is going to be pretty tough. You are also looking at building a heck of a structure for it to land on, upwards of 20,000 pounds with fuel before any kind of a load.
PBY is one seriously large aircraft as well..... Hope that you've got friends out at Victor or someone else at that level to keep those round engines running. I'd check and see if there's ever been an STC done for plumbing. Otherwise it's portapotty and keep the vents open. Finding checked out flight crew for a PBY will also be a challenge. I don't even want to think about trying to find an insurance company to cover it for liability without having seriously experienced crew for it.
Piaggio built some amphibs that some people swear by although I've never been near one.

Any Russian helicopter and crew can be sourced in Fujairah. You could probably find a few within a day or two just asking around... The point though is that insuring the aircraft and registering it would be a story in it's own right