When a market for the Aerocar did not emerge, Taylor turned to more conventional designs. The Coot was nonetheless somewhat unusual for its low wing, a feature uncommon on most seaplanes and flying boats, which conventionally strive to keep their wings as far away from the water as possible. Instead, Taylor designed the Coot's wing roots to act as sponsons to stabilise the craft in the water. The arrangement allowed him to do away with the weight and drag penalties imposed by wingtip floats, and additionally gain ground effect benefits during takeoff. First flown in 1969, the Coot proved very popular with homebuilders, with an estimated 70 aircraft completed by 2007. The wings and elevator surfaces of the Taylor Coot can be folded for transport and storage. With wings folded the aircraft is 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. Some builders have equipped their aircraft with auxiliary sponsons. It is equipped with tricycle landing gear: The nosewheel casters freely and steering on the ground is accomplished with differential braking of the main gear. The folding wings make road towing and home storage possible. Variants Coot model A Single-tailed version. Coot model B Two-tailed model
