DC-3 on floats

[Marty_d]

https://vintageaviationnews.com/vintage-aviation/worlds-only-dc-3-on-floats-takes-to-the-skies.html

[facthunter]

Doubt it would fly well on one at any weight.  Draggy as all get out.   Nev

[Student Pilot]

Floats are draggy but seem to still function ok. Take an aircraft like the Beaver, the float load is not much different to the wheel load. Or a Fireboss, they work from both land and water admittedly with a reduced load but power overcomes most problems. 

[facthunter]

A Beaver on one engine flys better than a DC 3 on one engine. . . Nev

[IBob]

Here's one for you Nev: Fieldair, a topdressing outfit here, used to operate DC3s and Beavers. And I was told that if they had a pilot slow to learn the ropes, they took them out of the Beavers and put them into the DC3s.

[IBob]

Some footage at 3:35 here

 

[facthunter]

Can't see why the 3 would be easier in any way. Vmc (a) is well above stall speed. Nev

[IBob]

I don't know what the thinking was, Nev. It may have been something as simple as the 3s working off less challenging strips?

[onetrack]

Or some level of thinking, that the DC-3 is pretty well indestructible, and good for slow learners? 😄

[IBob]

A mate and I organised to use a Fieldair 3 periodically for jumping, which we were able to do once they were confident we could pack everyone in to the rear of the hopper without upsetting the C of G.
I asked one of the pilots if he'd ever lost an engine and he said he'd thrown a rod in one but had to keep it running while he got turned round in a valley.
Somebody did pull a wing off one, shortly after calling in to complain the strip was too rough.........(

[facthunter]

Till You get Vmc(a) you have 2 times the chance of losing directional control due engine power loss. It's a reduce power on the other side quickly.. The RAAF sometimes took off on short fields based on stall speed only but it's far from a standard operation. AT Vmc(a) you need FULL rudder to stop Yaw.. Not easy to pull a wing off  a DC3 unless you hit the ground with it. They made well over 10,000 of them..   Nev