Author Topic: Water skiing Harvards (Read 594 times)

cpxxx · « **on:** May 26, 2006, 01:22:12 PM »

I never imagined such a thing before. Take a look at this.

These are not fake, here's the video.

http://www.flightzone.co.za/media/harvards.wmv

Amazing

Russian · « **Reply #1 on:** May 26, 2006, 01:25:14 PM »

I've been doing that since IL2 came out...

Hangtime · « **Reply #2 on:** May 26, 2006, 01:36:37 PM »

Yup.. saw this on ESPN some time back.. awsome! ..but I'd imagine it's also hideously dangerous.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 26, 2006, 01:45:06 PM »

That's insane.

ChickenHawk · « **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2006, 01:57:35 PM »

First pic has been on my desktop for about a week. Very cool looking.

Maverick · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2006, 02:29:58 PM »

That is a disaster waiting to happen. It looks really cool and I ~~the pilots skills but that is simply a very dumb thing to do. Drop 6" and the gear will cartwheel the plane.~~

Russian · « **Reply #6 on:** May 26, 2006, 02:37:16 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Maverick
That is a disaster waiting to happen. It looks really cool and I ~~the pilots skills but that is simply a very dumb thing to do. Drop 6" and the gear will cartwheel the plane.~~

~~I assume AC would resist going deeper, unless pilot forces it to do so. It is sort of like driving on water…..~~

mora · « **Reply #7 on:** May 26, 2006, 03:27:10 PM »

It shouldn't drop very easily because it's in the ground effect, which gets stronger when the plane gets lower.

Gh0stFT · « **Reply #8 on:** May 26, 2006, 05:08:37 PM »

(c) by Ekranoplan ;)

Hangtime · « **Reply #9 on:** May 26, 2006, 05:39:06 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by mora
It shouldn't drop very easily because it's in the ground effect, which gets stronger when the plane gets lower.

And is entirely dependant on power. that engine coughs, he's dead and the plane is history.

Golfer · « **Reply #10 on:** May 26, 2006, 06:00:54 PM »

I know a guy who used to do that in a Stearman.

I wouldn't imagine it would be much different than doing a wheel landing on grass. Moving forward with any significant speed you might as well be on grass. After all, you can barefoot at roughly 30mph, right?

Figure they're doing 90kts to maintain stability, AT-6's/SNJs are trucks at any speed, moreso low speeds. At that speed...wouldn't think it would be as high a difficulty or "death defying" as most think. Even if the engine died, you'd be able to pull the airplane off the water and have a fighting chance at survival by using normal ditching procedures.

Hangtime · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2006, 06:12:57 PM »

would it be incredibly crass to say I'm a heluva lot more concered about the loss of the plane than I am for the darwin award contender flying it?

Debonair · « **Reply #12 on:** May 26, 2006, 06:16:26 PM »

...and assuming your five point restaint help up, you could probably wade to shore or yell for help in a very high pitched voice.

Golfer · « **Reply #13 on:** May 26, 2006, 06:46:51 PM »

My airplanes are equipped with 5 point restraints. I only use 4

mora · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2006, 01:01:02 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hangtime
And is entirely dependant on power. that engine coughs, he's dead and the plane is history.

That's a quite likely outcome, but ground effect is not entirely dependant on power... Just look at the birds which utilize ground effect.