The 200-horsepower inverted in-line engines are mounted high above the water's surface to prevent spray from damaging the propellers during takeoff. is the smallest of four am• ing World War II were snapped up for the San Juan Islands at the northern end phibious flying boats built by Grum• use as submarine spotters by the U.S. of 's Puget Sound. This G-44 man. The first was the indestructible, Coast Guard (the J4F-l), the Navy (the began life in 1941 when it was delivered eight-seat G-21 Goose, which debuted J4F-2), the Army Air Corps (the OA-14), to the Coast Guard. Wien purchased the in 1937. The popularity of the Goose and the Portugese navy. The G-44A, an airplane in 1981 for $40,000 and then, created a demand for a smaller amphib• improved civilian version of the Wid• with the assistance of Pat Prociv and an ian, which led to development of the geon, was introduced in 1944. Produc• investment of more than $250,000, total• Widgeon in 1940. tion ended in 1949 after a total of 276 ly rebuilt the airplane and restored it to Except for size, the Widgeon and the Widgeons had been built at Grumman's its original Coast Guard colors. The most Goose are similar in appearance. The Bethpage, Long Island, plant. significant modification made to the air• most distinctive visual difference Grumman built two additional plane during the rebuilding process was between the two aircraft is the power• amphibious flying boats. One was the exchanging the wooden, fixed-pitch plants. The diminutive Widgeon has six• G-73 Mallard "air " that seated Sensenich propellers for constant• cylinder, inverted in-line engines 12 and had tricycle landing gear. The speed, full-feathering Hartzells. (Ranger 6-440-C5, 200 horsepower other was the 27,500-pound, twin• "With fixed-pitch props," Wien says, each) while the larger Goose has nine• engine HU-16 Albatross that was used "you could only get 2,060 static rpm at cylinder radial engines (Pratt & Whitney primarily by the military for air-sea res• full throttle, which is only about 130 to. R-985 Wasp Junior, 450 hp each). A cue operations (although a few are now 140 hp per engine. Performance is' number of Widgeons, however, have in private hands). improved dramatically with constant• been reequipped with more powerful N1340V (Serial No. 1228) is a pristine speed props because you can get maxi• Lycoming or Continental engines and example of a Grumman Widgeon that is mum-allowable rpm [2,4501 and a full are called Super Widgeons. kept by its owner, Merrill Wien, at Orcas 200 hp per engine from a standing start." Most Widgeons built before and dur- Island Airport on Orcas Island, one of Since it was rebuilt, Wien's airplane AOPA ' 54 . MARCil 2000 The control sllrfaces on the Widgeon's cruciform tail are fabric-covered, as are the ailerons (top right). There is no sllch thing as a minimum safe altitude when flying over smooth, open /Vater in a seaplane (right).

has never been exposed to salt water operations and has an estimated value of $300,000. If the Wien name sounds familiar, it should. Merrill's father, Noel Wien, was the Alaskan bush pilot whose exploits and explorations are both legion and legendary. (Highly recommended is the book The Story of Noel Wien, by Ira B. t Harkey Jr.) J In this case, the apple did not fall far from the tree. Merrill Wien is a remark• S ably accomplished pilot in his own right. He soloed a Luscombe 8A in Seat• II tle on his sixteenth birthday in 1946 and since then has accumulated more than e 30,000 accident-free and adventurous

AOPA PI L.OT • 55 • MARCil 2000 - J The lIatch to the right of the instrument panel leads from tile cockpit into the forward cargo compartment. Note the throttles and pro• I, peller controls mounted on the ceiling (top). The Widgeon5 cabin is no more decorative tllan the inside of an aluminum box (left). hours doing what most of us can only dream about. Wien's extremely diversified career includes flying an assortment of piston and turbine airliners for Pan American Airlines, Air , and Wien Alaska Airlines. He flew in the Air Force for five years and devoted another chunk of his life to bush flying in Alaska's hinter• lands. The latter included glacier opera• tions in a Cessna 185 skiplane, flyi~g helicopters to tag polar bears on the ice shelf north of Point Barrow, and supply• ing scientific stations by flying a Dou• glas DC-4 in and out of ice islands near the North Pole. He also flew a Fairchild

AOPA PILOT· 56 . MARCH 2000 water spray that can damage propellers. Because these controls are not logically The disadvantage becomes obvious or ergonomically placed, it behooves a during a preflight inspection. Without a new Widgeon pilot to spend ground tall ladder available, the pilot must time in the cockpit becoming familiar climb forward along the top of the fuse• with the locations of critical controls. lage and onto the wings to check fuel The single vertical control column to and oil quantities-a decidedly un• which the control yokes are attached is pleasant chore during harsh weather between the pilots' seats. Before being conditions. (The 108-gallon fuel supply modified, Wien's Widgeon had a single is divided in two 54-gallon wing tanks.) throw-over control wheel, as do many A single hull, however, is not as later• Beech Bonanzas. Although the left-seat ally stable as the wider stance of a float• pilot is provided with rudder/brake plane. Wing-mounted floats are used pedals, the right-seat pilot has a rudder on "boats" to prevent a wing tip from bar (like the steering handles of a snow striking the water. sled) and no brakes. The original Widgeon was all-metal The fully caste ring, retractable tail• except for the fabric that covered the wheel is not steerable. Directional con• primary control surfaces, flaps, and that trol is maintained using differential portion of each wing aft of the spar. braking. There is no problem seeing (Fabric saves weight and reduces the over the low nose of this taildragger, likelihood of flutter.) During the re• and it is well-mannered on the ground. building process, the flaps and aft wing But if a pilot is concerned about the sections of Wien's Widgeon were metal• Widgeon expressing a directional will ized. There is one trim tab on each ele• of its own while taxiing, taking off, or vator. The left tab is conventional, but landing on land, he can use a lever on the one on the right deflects only down• the overhead panel to engage the tail• ward and automatically when the high• wheel lock. Having to reach up to lift, slotted wing flaps are extended (to manipulate the throttles is different, but partially offset the nose-down pitching even a new "boat" pilot becomes quick• moment caused by flap deployment). ly acclimatized to it. Aside from draining whatever water Takeoffs and landings on land are might have seeped into watertight com• unremarkable for a taildragger. It is when partments (which is normal during being operated on water that the Wid• water operations) and verifying that no geon becomes challenging. Wien check• one has absconded with the stainless• ed me out in water operations at eight• steel anchor stored in the bow, the pre• mile-long Lake Whatcom near Belling• flight inspection is routine. ham on the Washington mainland. Pilots and passengers enter the Wid• As the throttles are advanced for take• geon through a single hatch on the left off, the sprite little boat yaws left before side of the fuselage immediately aft of the rudder has sufficient airspeed to the left wing, an initially challenging arrest the turn. (Unlike floatplanes, the procedure for tall people. Widgeon does not have a water rudder; C-119 during covert operations to snag The instrument panel spans only the directional control while taxiing is main• balloon-lifted surveillance cameras left and center sections of the available tained with differential thrust.) The same "somewhere" over Asia. space. This leaves a vacant area where yawing moment is created by the engines He has owned 10 aircraft (including a the copilot's instruments would other• of conventional twins but is largely Lockheed P-38 and two North Ameri• wise be. This open area allows someone negated by the nosewheel tire. can B-25s) and is currently a command to crawl forward and into the bow, open Taking off from water in a Widgeon pilot with the Confederate Air Force, fly• the top hatch, and aid in anchoring or requires advancing the left throttle ing such exotic former military mooring at a buoy. It also is a great ahead of the right to maintain a con• machines as the Boeing B-17 Flying place from which to fish. stant heading. An alternate method is to Fortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator, The arrangement and distribution of start the takeoff run at a heading that is and Boeing B-29 Superfortress. controls, switches, levers, and instru• 30 degrees right of the desired takeoff And this just scratches the surface. ments takes getting used to. The upper run. I found it preferable to use differ• A flying boat is designed from the control panel above the windshield ential thrust, while others prefer to use beginning to be a seaplane, unlike float• contains the throttles, trim-tab controls, an offset heading. planes, which are landplanes modified tailwheellock, landing-gear lever and The only takeoff data available for a with floats. Its boat-like hull and rela• latches, flap control, ignition, and vari• Widgeon on water is cited in the meager tively low center of gravity enable it to ous other switches and instruments. pilot's handbook as "25 seconds." Wit,h operate in sea conditions that could be The upper rear panel is on the ceiling constant-speed propellers, this report• disastrous to a floatplane. aft of the upper control panel and con• edly is reduced to 12 seconds. Like almost all flying boats, the Wid• tains fuel-system, mixture, and carbure• When taking off with miles of water geon has a high wing that places the tor-heat controls. This also is where the visible through the windshield, the engines as high as possible to reduce oversized master switch is located. notion of an engine failure immediately

AUPA PILOT' 57. MARCH 2000 standably named his Widgeon The Petu• lant Porpoise.) Wien controls this tricky characteristic almost effortlessly; it is like watching a maestro at work. The wing floats prevent pulling alongside a dock and parking unless someone is on the dock ready to grab a wing tip or float strut. Ramping is much easier. While very slowly approaching a ramp, lower the landing gear (hydrauli• cally) and allow the wheels to contact the rising slope. As the aircraft comes to a stop, add substantial power to pull the machine out of the water and onto land, steering as necessary with differential power to remain on the ramp. The rugged and hefty appearance of a Widgeon belies its delightful handling The rugged landing gear allows a Widgeon to be safely taxied up all unimproved lakeside ramp and into the owners backyard. qualities and performance. It is a won• derful blend of amphibious utility and after liftoff is not as daunting as when takes considerable practice and humili• pure, unadulterated fun. 0 flying a light twin from land. Simply ty to learn the skills and develop the land straight ahead and worry later timing necessary to keep the porpoising about how difficult or impossible it under control. If allowed to become suf• U•....• Linkson amphibiousto additionalaircraftinformationcan be can be to steer the boat on water with ficiently divergent, it is possible to lose found on AOPA Online (www.aopa.org/ asymmetric thrust. the airplane. (One owner has under- pilot/links.shtml). Once airborne, the Widgeon is just another light twin, but you still cannot 1941 Grumman Aircraft Engineering Widgeon G-44 escape the exciting notion that you are Price new: $28,000 flying a boat that belongs as much on Price as tested: $300,000 (estimated) water as in the air. And although we went through the full regimen of aerial Specifications Powerplants 2 Ranger 6-440-C5, 200 hp Cruise speedlendurance wino rsv, std fuel maneuvers, I was eager to return to the Recommended TBO on condition (fuel consumption, ea engine) lake. One noteworthy observation is Propellers Sensenich wooden, two-blade, that the constant-speed, full-feathering fixed-pitch, 72-in dia @75% power, maximum 130 kt/4.5 hr propellers on Wien's Widgeon provide Length 31 ft 5 in 6,000 ft 9 ft 7 in acceptable engine-out performance. Height (on wheels) 72 pphl12 gph Wing span 40 ft The single-engine rate of climb and ser• Wing area 245 sq ft @62.5% power, recommended 120 kt/5.5 hr vice ceiling with fixed-pitch propellers Wing loading 18.51b/sq ft 6,000 ft (that do not feather) are regarded as nil. Power loading 11.31b/hp 60 pphllO gph Seats 5 Also, the high thrust line of the engines Cabin length 12 ft I in @50% power, economical 109 kt/ 6.5 hr causes a slight nose-down pitching Cabin width 4 ft 6,000 ft moment when adding power and a nose• Cabin height 4 ft 5 in 49.5 pph/8.25 gph up moment when reducing power. Empty weight 3,2401b As we returned to Lake Whatcom, I Empty weight, as tested 3,3961b Service ceiling 14,600 ft 4,525 Ib near sea level went through the required mental litany Maximum takeoff weight Single-engine service ceiling Useful load 1,2851b Landing distance, ground roll 600 ft over and over again. This will be a water Useful load, as tested 1,1291b landing; the landing gear will not be Payload wi full fuel 6371b Limiting and Recommended Airspeeds extended. Payload wi full fuel, as tested 481lb VMC (min. control wlone engine inoperative) 70 kt Although each pilot has a small slid• Maximum landing weight 4,525lb Vx (best angle of climb) 70 kt Fuel capacity, std lOBgal Vy (best rate of climb) 80 kt ing-glass window that may be opened Oil capacity, ea engine 14 qt VX5E (best single-engine angle of climb) 69 kt in flight, I learned the wet way that they Baggage capacity 400 Ib (stern) VY5E (best single-engine rate of climb) 80 kt should be closed before landing. Other• 20 Ib (bow) VFE(max flap extended) 90 kt wise, a bath towel should be included VLE (rnax gear extended) unlimited Performance on the minimum-equipment list. VI.O (max gear operating) unlimited T/lis data is based on a stock airplane with VNO(max structural cruising) 152 kt The 65-kt approach and 50-kt touch• Sensenich fixed-pitch, wooden propellers. The test VNE(never exceed) 182 kt down are relatively conventional. There aircraft had been modified with Hartzell constant• V51 (stall, clean) 65 kt are no surprises until the Widgeon is speed, metal propellers tllat substantially improve V50 (stall, in landing configuration) 57 kt firmly on the water. This is when a new low-end performance but for which performance data is unavailable. All specifications are based on manufacll/rer's cai• Widgeon pilot discovers that the most Takeoff distance, ground roll 900 ft Cl/lations. All performance figures are based on demanding aspect of operating a Wid• Takeoff time, water run 25 sec standard day, standard atmospheric pressure, sea geon on water is controlling its head• Hate of climb, sea level 700 fpm level, gross weight conditions unless otllerwise strong penchant for porpoising, espe• Maximum level speed, 3,000 ft 143 kt noted. cially during downwind step turns. It

AOPA PILOT· 58 . MARCil 2000