Seawind 3000 Amphibious Seaplane
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- Enjoy a quick video on one of the most intriguing kitplanes ever developed...the Seawind!
Amphibious aircraft allow pilots and passengers the ability to land or take off ..virtually anywhere. However, that ability comes at a price. Thick, high lift wings, boat-like hulls and floats all contribute to generating a high amount of drag. Consequently, most amphibians are slow and sluggish.
Enter, the Seawind.
In the mid-70s, Richard Silva sought to redefine what an amphibian should look like, and developed the Seawind 2000. Powered by a 4-cylinder Lycoming 3 60 with two hundred horsepower, the Seawind looked like no other aircraft in its class. Whereas most seaplane engines are mounted in a pusher configuration, the Seawind featured a large triangular-shaped tail fin, with the engine mounted directly on the front of the fin. This arrangement helped the keep the noise down in the cabin, as the forward facing propeller is much quieter than a pusher propeller. Pilots reported a complete absence of wind noise while in cruise, further adding to the luxurious experience.
Looking from the side, the tail fin makes up for almost 1/2 the length of the aircraft itself. Thanks to its composite construction, the rest of the fuselage is sleek and curvy. The curved wingtips provided stability at slow speeds, and also double as wingtip floats. Another feature uncommon on amphibians, is the generous size of the cabin, allowing for 4 full size adults and a wide instrument panel.
With its focus on high cruise speeds, the Seawind required long runways at airports, and demanded generous space to depart lakes and rivers. Some pilots claimed that the Seawind was rock solid in cruise…but its quirky appearance brought along quirky handling. It would require a highly experienced pilot to tame the Seawind.
In 1993, Silva upgraded the Seawind with a Lycoming IO-540 and 300hp. Seawind 3000 was launched, and it was this model that sealed the Seawind’s success. 13 seawinds were sold in Canada, and 58 in the United States.
Seawind claimed a build time of 3000hrs, a rather optimistic number given the complexity of the aircraft. In fact, it took one builder 15,000 hours, spread over almost 10 years, to finally complete his Seawind. In the mid-90s, it was estimated that a fully completed Seawind would cost its owner around $200,000 to complete, including avionics, parts and engine. Not a bad price for a brand new plane that can carry four passengers at 175 knots, with a range of 900 miles..and land almost anywhere. Several Seawind owners even installed turboprops - such as the 650HP Pratt & Whitney PT6. That owner claimed a cruise speed of 200kts.
Around 2005, Seawind focused its sights on the 3000C, which was a certified factory-built version and along the way, terminated sales and support of the kit version. The certification process was a long, drawn out process, as the Seawind was a high performance aircraft and known to demand a lot from its pilots. It would have to jump through lots of hoops, if it was to be held in the same standard as big brand certified aircraft.
Years of testing and endless upgrades were made to the Seawind to improve stability and safety, nearly draining the company of all its financial resources. In 2007 a prototype was lost along with its test pilot, further pushing back development. In 2019, company founder Richard Silva passed away. The Seawind project was cancelled, and Seawind International dissolved. A rather sad ending to an amazing aircraft, with a checkered history.
Flying Magazine Editor LeRoy Cook said it best, when he wrote:
“Pilots with an identity crisis need to build and fly a Seawind amphibian. There is no way anyone can ever mistake them for ordinary aviators.”
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Hope you enjoyed this one!
Comment below and let me know your thoughts on the Seawind.
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Video Credits:
• The Certified Seawind ...
• Seawind 3000 Stillwate...
• A new Seawind seaplane...
• Seawind Flying Lake Me...
• Seawind Takeoff
• Seawind Splash-In 2009
• Seawind 3000 river lan...
• Seawind-3000 at Ljungb...
• [HD] Seawind 3000 Take...
• 1st solo water landing...
• SEAWIND 3000 - A HISTÓ...
• SEAWIND 3000 - A HISTÓ...
• Seawind 3000. Amphibian
• Seawind Mead01005 006 ...
• (Sold) Turbine Seawind...
• Seawind 3000 Ferndale MT
• (SOLD) Exparimental Se...
• Seawind 3000 Flathead ...
• Seawind
• Seawind
• 20140730 N71RJ KBED KOSH
• ARCTIC1
Very interesting story. Excellent production and narration. Great footage. I remember seeing one based at Hollywood-North Perry Airport in about 2006-2007.
Hey Peter thanks for your feedback, glad you enjoyed it! And just so you know I spotted one 2 weeks at FXE, not sure if it's the same one from HWO you saw.
@@aircraftadventures-vids I recall it was white with blue striping..
Hi. Thanks for the video. I was the test pilot on the Seawind certification project. It was an ambitious and fascinating airplane, and it is correct - if slightly understated - to state that the Seawind was challenging, quirky and demanding of a proficient pilot. With those caveats, it was indeed a capable aircraft, however there seemed to be no way to squeeze it through the airworthiness requirements for a certified light airplane.
Wow, thanks for sharing your experience!
I was interested because the Seabreeze plane in GTA Online is based on this series of planes and, by the looks of it, I wasn't sure if it was a realistic design. Turns out, it is real and very weird!
My first job in life was washing one of these! Crazy
Roger Creelman designed and intended the Seawind as a kit plane. His brother Len Creelman helped with the business side and they both developed the plane into the design that stands today.
Here from insta, great work on the video and great insight. Always a shame to see how the best ideas end up failing business-wise.
Can confirm that N333ME was still in Massey Airfield in Edgewater Florida when I last saw it in 2017, even the Corvette was still there (:
Never realized how lucky I was to see that!
It should be noted that Richard Silva did not found Seawind nor create its design. It was the creation of a Canadian company out of Peterborough Ontario. He certainly believed in the plane and put everything he had in it..
There was another amphibious plane being built and tested about the same time. I can't find anything about it. I think it was called the the Sky Challenger. Large circular blades encircled by something and I think an engine on the tail. It had gold flecked wings designed by a paint guy from Nissan. Seated 4 and had a large electable parachute just in case. Any chance you can find it?
Interesting. Never heard of that one!
Nice video.
Thank you!
I’m looking for a Seawind 3000
Anyone know where there is a good low hour fuselage?
Dangerous ass airplane , fuel supply is the issue . It’s one hiccup away from fuel starvation due to the fuel that has to be pushed by a pump at all times . It needs a check valve and a header tank. On the top with the engine .
Lots of planes require fuel to be pushed by a pump at all times. My Searey does for example, and also pushes up. My Grumman Tiger also requires the fuel pump to always be running. It's not uncommon.
@@thecommercialpilot the sea ray and tiger have nowhere near the bight or distance or fuel burn of a io or tsio 540 j2b engine , it needs a header tank point blank period that remains full from a pump, the engine has a much easier fuel draw from a header tank. It will kill you dead other wise if it. Looses a prime or even gets the slightest air bubble induced into the system. It’s a bad design until that gets worked out . I noticed this and made a point to discuss this with a well known Seawind guy before he burnt up in it. It’s without an argument and surely much more than a sea ray or tiger to feed.
I’m sorry to hear this company is no more. I wondered what happened to the plane. It seems like a worthy investment to revive the company and make it a production aircraft. Maybe one day.
I think it would require a billion bandaids to make it flyable. Plus, very complex in build. Not enough market to make it worth anyone's while, i think.
I heard the Seawind300 was a very unstable airplane and not for beginners. Wish i knew someone to confirm what heard.
@jayzee So, would you buy one of these knowing that? I know the lake renegade is similar when it comes to the nose pitching down when you add power...
Hi - I actually have one. The high mounted engine creates a high thrust line, but it is predictable. If you suddenly accelerate, you put some back pressure to compensate. Interestingly, when you take power out, such as in a flare, the nose naturally rises so you don't really have to flare it yourself. Other than the high trustline, it flies normally, and beautifully. Its performance is on par with a Bonanza with the 300 HP engine. If you can handle the Bonanza, you can handle the Seawind.
@@JG-gg1we was up J. I would like to talk to you some more about the seawind. Do you have a Facebook or Instagram?
I fly an RC Seawind plane off my local pond. The RC version flies great😁
Big market in Indonesia - ASEAN.
16.377 islands
Need more
Electric Seaplane
The Russians have a series of huge, jet powered anphibious aircraft - the Beriev A-40 Albatros being but one aircraft. A Be-42 is another version.
I still don't get how come so many aircraft are only available in kit form. I just don't happen to own an airplane assembly factory and the personnel to build an airplane, so building one would be a very expensive and lengthy experience and the result would likely still be inferior to what a streamlined factory with professional aircraft assembly engineers can produce in a week...
Liability.
@@BangersMatt Yup :-( Lawyers are the reason we don't have flying cars yet...
I guy just crashed a Seawind 8 time in a flight from the west to sinking the plane 300 feet of water in lake Michigan. He was out of practice in a questionable aircraft.
What about the Seawind 3000?
Seawind was a dangerous aircraft to fly, unless you new exactly its perameters, and were flying with favorable winds, and terrain a good deal away from where you were flying. A great concept plane, but no way would I fly it on a regular basis. Good luck selling those last few craft, you past owners!
There is a reason it could not get certification without so much trouble... The configuration is NOT valid.
The Seawind is a safe airplane for well-trained amphibious pilots. I know. I built the best one ever, N71RJ - a PT6-powered Seawind. You can see the brief history of 1RJ here. czcams.com/video/40O6rpTnJAI/video.html
For more videos on this incredible amphibian I love to fly, search "N71RJ" in CZcams. Happy safe flying.
...so this is an aircraft for pilots with an identity crysis? Not sure if that's a great marketing slogan, but fu-_ it, I'd be down to fly one. Never even seen one of these anywhere around SoCal though. Mostly just SkyHawks on floats... our club had one of those but some fool wasted it trying to takeoff from a boat ramp. Yep. RIP aircraft. The dude survived, but that poor Cessna was totalled.
My dad learned to fly floats with a 145hp Skyhawk. Then from that he upgraded to a 600hp Norseman! (which he was part-owner)
I don't think I've seen an amphibious jet, is there one?
It doesn't really make sense because jet engines are made to fly fast and high and seaplanes are made to fly low and slow. Nevertheless I am pretty sure I have seems a few
@@rainerzufall689 Post it if you find it
@@justaninja1 sputniknews.com/business/201605301040475324-russia-be-200-indonesia/
Also: Yes they have to be slow because you want to land in water with minimal speed and takeoff as soon as possible with a lot of load. Also the fuselage simply can't be optimized for air and water at the same time. Only for slow speeds it doesn't matter that much.
Hi yes there have and are jet amphibians and flyingboats. From the Saunders Roe SR1jet fighter flyingboat. Today the only turbofan aircraft in regular production are variations on the Beriev Be 200 flyingboat amphibian. Its used for disaster relief ..fire fighting or military use. It can also serve as a 90seat airliner.. its a highly capable swept wing aircraft that
displays considerable agility in the air and semi stol caracteristics when taking of from land.
It carries its engines on pods at the rear of its wing root... That way they are sheilded from spray or debris on take off.
The Beriev has considerable experience building jet powered flyingboats including the A40 Albatross...the largest flying one.
@@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665 😳 that A40 looks crazy 😂👏
Seabreeze from gta v
yeah lmao
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Разнос масс по оси Х , микшированная матрица управляющих моментов, неправильно посчитанный коэффициент статического момента ГО , огромные потери на балансировку . Самолет отвратительный от слова совсем . Возьмите старые немецкие амфибии, они спроектированы идеально, не придумываете велосипед с педалями для рук .