The 200-horsepower inverted in-line Ranger engines are mounted high above the water's surface to prevent sprayfrom damaging the propellers during takeoff.

ing World War II were snapped up foruse as submarine spotters by the U.S.Coast Guard (the J4F-l), the Navy (theJ4F-2), the Army Air Corps (the OA-14),and the Portugese navy. The G-44A, animproved civilian version of the Wid­geon, was introduced in 1944. Produc­tion ended in 1949 after a total of 276Widgeons had been built at Grumman'sBethpage, Long Island, plant.

Grumman built two additional

amphibious flying boats. One was theG-73 Mallard "air yacht" that seated12 and had tricycle landing gear. Theother was the 27,500-pound, twin­engine HU-16 Albatross that was usedprimarily by the military for air-sea res­cue operations (although a few are nowin private hands).

N1340V (Serial No. 1228) is a pristineexample of a Grumman Widgeon that iskept by its owner, Merrill Wien, at OrcasIsland Airport on Orcas Island, one of

Widgeon is the smallest of four am­phibious flying boats built by Grum­man. The first was the indestructible,eight-seat G-21 Goose, which debutedin 1937. The popularity of the Goosecreated a demand for a smaller amphib­ian, which led to development of theWidgeon in 1940.

Except for size, the Widgeon and theGoose are similar in appearance. Themost distinctive visual difference

between the two aircraft is the power­plants. The diminutive Widgeon has six­cylinder, inverted in-line engines(Ranger 6-440-C5, 200 horsepowereach) while the larger Goose has nine­cylinder radial engines (Pratt & WhitneyR-985 Wasp Junior, 450 hp each). Anumber of Widgeons, however, havebeen reequipped with more powerfulLycoming or Continental engines andare called Super Widgeons.

Most Widgeons built before and dur-

the San Juan Islands at the northern endof Washington's Puget Sound. This G-44began life in 1941 when it was deliveredto the Coast Guard. Wien purchased theairplane in 1981 for $40,000 and then,with the assistance of Pat Prociv and aninvestment of more than $250,000, total­ly rebuilt the airplane and restored it toits original Coast Guard colors. The mostsignificant modification made to the air­plane during the rebuilding process wasexchanging the wooden, fixed-pitchSensenich propellers for constant­speed, full-feathering Hartzells.

"With fixed-pitch props," Wien says,"you could only get 2,060 static rpm atfull throttle, which is only about 130 to.140 hp per engine. Performance is'improved dramatically with constant­speed props because you can get maxi­mum-allowable rpm [2,4501 and a full200 hp per engine from a standing start."

Since it was rebuilt, Wien's airplane

AOPA PILOT' 54 . MARCil 2000

tJ

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The control sllrfaces on the Widgeon'scruciform tail are fabric-covered, as are the

ailerons (top right). There is no sllch thing asa minimum safe altitude when flying oversmooth, open /Vater in a seaplane (right).

has never been exposed to salt wateroperations and has an estimated valueof $300,000.

If the Wien name sounds familiar, itshould. Merrill's father, Noel Wien, wasthe Alaskan bush pilot whose exploitsand explorations are both legion andlegendary. (Highly recommended is thebook The Story of Noel Wien, by Ira B.Harkey Jr.)

In this case, the apple did not fall farfrom the tree. Merrill Wien is a remark­

ably accomplished pilot in his ownright. He soloed a Luscombe 8A in Seat­tle on his sixteenth birthday in 1946 andsince then has accumulated more than30,000 accident-free and adventurous

AOPA PI L.OT • 55 • MARCil 2000

AOPA PILOT· 56 . MARCH 2000

J

I,

The lIatch to the right of the instrument panelleads from tile cockpit into the forward cargo

compartment. Note the throttles and pro­peller controls mounted on the ceiling (top).

The Widgeon5 cabin is no more decorativetllan the inside of an aluminum box (left).

hours doing what most of us can onlydream about.

Wien's extremely diversified careerincludes flying an assortment of pistonand turbine airliners for Pan AmericanAirlines, Air America, and Wien AlaskaAirlines. He flew in the Air Force for five

years and devoted another chunk of hislife to bush flying in Alaska's hinter­lands. The latter included glacier opera­tions in a Cessna 185 skiplane, flyi~ghelicopters to tag polar bears on the iceshelf north of Point Barrow, and supply­ing scientific stations by flying a Dou­glas DC-4 in and out of ice islands nearthe North Pole. He also flew a Fairchild

C-119 during covert operations to snagballoon-lifted surveillance cameras"somewhere" over Asia.

He has owned 10 aircraft (including aLockheed P-38 and two North Ameri­

can B-25s) and is currently a commandpilot with the Confederate Air Force, fly­ing such exotic former militarymachines as the Boeing B-17 FlyingFortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator,and Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

And this just scratches the surface.A flying boat is designed from the

beginning to be a seaplane, unlike float­planes, which are landplanes modifiedwith floats. Its boat-like hull and rela­

tively low center of gravity enable it tooperate in sea conditions that could bedisastrous to a floatplane.

Like almost all flying boats, the Wid­geon has a high wing that places theengines as high as possible to reduce

water spray that can damage propellers.The disadvantage becomes obviousduring a preflight inspection. Without atall ladder available, the pilot mustclimb forward along the top of the fuse­lage and onto the wings to check fueland oil quantities-a decidedly un­pleasant chore during harsh weatherconditions. (The 108-gallon fuel supplyis divided in two 54-gallon wing tanks.)

A single hull, however, is not as later­ally stable as the wider stance of a float­plane. Wing-mounted floats are usedon "boats" to prevent a wing tip fromstriking the water.

The original Widgeon was all-metalexcept for the fabric that covered theprimary control surfaces, flaps, and thatportion of each wing aft of the spar.(Fabric saves weight and reduces thelikelihood of flutter.) During the re­building process, the flaps and aft wingsections of Wien's Widgeon were metal­ized. There is one trim tab on each ele­vator. The left tab is conventional, butthe one on the right deflects only down­ward and automatically when the high­lift, slotted wing flaps are extended (topartially offset the nose-down pitchingmoment caused by flap deployment).

Aside from draining whatever watermight have seeped into watertight com­partments (which is normal duringwater operations) and verifying that noone has absconded with the stainless­

steel anchor stored in the bow, the pre­flight inspection is routine.

Pilots and passengers enter the Wid­geon through a single hatch on the leftside of the fuselage immediately aft ofthe left wing, an initially challengingprocedure for tall people.

The instrument panel spans only theleft and center sections of the available

space. This leaves a vacant area wherethe copilot's instruments would other­wise be. This open area allows someoneto crawl forward and into the bow, openthe top hatch, and aid in anchoring ormooring at a buoy. It also is a greatplace from which to fish.

The arrangement and distribution ofcontrols, switches, levers, and instru­ments takes getting used to. The uppercontrol panel above the windshieldcontains the throttles, trim-tab controls,tailwheellock, landing-gear lever andlatches, flap control, ignition, and vari­ous other switches and instruments.

The upper rear panel is on the ceilingaft of the upper control panel and con­tains fuel-system, mixture, and carbure­tor-heat controls. This also is where theoversized master switch is located.

Because these controls are not logicallyor ergonomically placed, it behooves anew Widgeon pilot to spend groundtime in the cockpit becoming familiarwith the locations of critical controls.

The single vertical control column towhich the control yokes are attached isbetween the pilots' seats. Before beingmodified, Wien's Widgeon had a singlethrow-over control wheel, as do manyBeech Bonanzas. Although the left-seatpilot is provided with rudder/brakepedals, the right-seat pilot has a rudderbar (like the steering handles of a snowsled) and no brakes.

The fully caste ring, retractable tail­wheel is not steerable. Directional con­

trol is maintained using differentialbraking. There is no problem seeingover the low nose of this taildragger,and it is well-mannered on the ground.But if a pilot is concerned about theWidgeon expressing a directional willof its own while taxiing, taking off, orlanding on land, he can use a lever onthe overhead panel to engage the tail­wheel lock. Having to reach up tomanipulate the throttles is different, buteven a new "boat" pilot becomes quick­ly acclimatized to it.

Takeoffs and landings on land areunremarkable for a taildragger. It is whenbeing operated on water that the Wid­geon becomes challenging. Wien check­ed me out in water operations at eight­mile-long Lake Whatcom near Belling­ham on the Washington mainland.

As the throttles are advanced for take­

off, the sprite little boat yaws left beforethe rudder has sufficient airspeed toarrest the turn. (Unlike floatplanes, theWidgeon does not have a water rudder;directional control while taxiing is main­tained with differential thrust.) The sameyawing moment is created by the enginesof conventional twins but is largelynegated by the nosewheel tire.

Taking off from water in a Widgeonrequires advancing the left throttleahead of the right to maintain a con­stant heading. An alternate method is tostart the takeoff run at a heading that is30 degrees right of the desired takeoffrun. I found it preferable to use differ­ential thrust, while others prefer to usean offset heading.

The only takeoff data available for aWidgeon on water is cited in the meagerpilot's handbook as "25 seconds." Wit,hconstant-speed propellers, this report­edly is reduced to 12 seconds.

When taking off with miles of watervisible through the windshield, thenotion of an engine failure immediately

AUPA PILOT' 57. MARCH 2000

1941 Grumman Aircraft Engineering Widgeon G-44Price new: $28,000

Price as tested: $300,000 (estimated)

The rugged landing gear allows a Widgeon to be safely taxied up all unimprovedlakeside ramp and into the owners backyard.

SpecificationsPowerplants 2 Ranger 6-440-C5, 200 hp

Recommended TBO on condition

Propellers

14,600 ftnear sea level

600 ft

130 kt/4.5 hr

6,000 ft

72 pphl12 gph

120 kt/5.5 hr

6,000 ft

60 pphllO gph

109 kt/ 6.5 hr

6,000 ft49.5 pph/8.25 gph

@75% power, maximum

@50% power, economical

@62.5% power, recommended

standably named his Widgeon The Petu­lant Porpoise.) Wien controls this trickycharacteristic almost effortlessly; it islike watching a maestro at work.

The wing floats prevent pullingalongside a dock and parking unlesssomeone is on the dock ready to grab awing tip or float strut. Ramping is mucheasier. While very slowly approaching aramp, lower the landing gear (hydrauli­cally) and allow the wheels to contactthe rising slope. As the aircraft comes toa stop, add substantial power to pull themachine out of the water and onto land,steering as necessary with differentialpower to remain on the ramp.

The rugged and hefty appearance of aWidgeon belies its delightful handlingqualities and performance. It is a won­derful blend of amphibious utility andpure, unadulterated fun. 0

Cruise speedlendurance wino rsv, std fuel(fuel consumption, ea engine)

Limiting and Recommended AirspeedsVMC (min. control wlone engine inoperative) 70 ktVx (best angle of climb) 70 ktVy (best rate of climb) 80 ktVX5E (best single-engine angle of climb) 69 ktVY5E (best single-engine rate of climb) 80 ktVFE(max flap extended) 90 ktVLE (rnax gear extended) unlimitedVI.O (max gear operating) unlimitedVNO(max structural cruising) 152 ktVNE(never exceed) 182 ktV51 (stall, clean) 65 ktV50 (stall, in landing configuration) 57 kt

Service ceilingSingle-engine service ceilingLanding distance, ground roll

•....• Links to additional informationU on amphibious aircraft can befound on AOPA Online (www.aopa.org/pilot/links.shtml).

All specifications are based on manufacll/rer's cai­Cl/lations. All performance figures are based onstandard day, standard atmospheric pressure, sealevel, gross weight conditions unless otllerwisenoted.

900 ft25 sec

700 fpm143 kt

Sensenich wooden, two-blade,fixed-pitch, 72-in dia

31 ft 5 in9 ft 7 in

40 ft

245 sq ft18.51b/sq ft

11.31b/hp5

12 ft I in

4 ft

4 ft 5 in3,2401b3,3961b4,525 Ib1,2851b1,1291b

6371b481lb

4,525lb

lOBgal14 qt

400 Ib (stern)20 Ib (bow)

takes considerable practice and humili­ty to learn the skills and develop thetiming necessary to keep the porpoisingunder control. If allowed to become suf­

ficiently divergent, it is possible to losethe airplane. (One owner has under-

LengthHeight (on wheels)Wing spanWing areaWing loadingPower loadingSeats

Cabin lengthCabin width

Cabin heightEmpty weightEmpty weight, as testedMaximum takeoff weightUseful loadUseful load, as tested

Payload wi full fuelPayload wi full fuel, as testedMaximum landing weightFuel capacity, stdOil capacity, ea engineBaggage capacity

Performance

T/lis data is based on a stock airplane withSensenich fixed-pitch, wooden propellers. The testaircraft had been modified with Hartzell constant­speed, metal propellers tllat substantially improvelow-end performance but for which performancedata is unavailable.

Takeoff distance, ground rollTakeoff time, water runHate of climb, sea levelMaximum level speed, 3,000 ft

after liftoff is not as daunting as whenflying a light twin from land. Simplyland straight ahead and worry laterabout how difficult or impossible itcan be to steer the boat on water with

asymmetric thrust.Once airborne, the Widgeon is just

another light twin, but you still cannotescape the exciting notion that you areflying a boat that belongs as much onwater as in the air. And although wewent through the full regimen of aerialmaneuvers, I was eager to return to thelake. One noteworthy observation isthat the constant-speed, full-featheringpropellers on Wien's Widgeon provideacceptable engine-out performance.The single-engine rate of climb and ser­vice ceiling with fixed-pitch propellers(that do not feather) are regarded as nil.

Also, the high thrust line of the enginescauses a slight nose-down pitchingmoment when adding power and a nose­up moment when reducing power.

As we returned to Lake Whatcom, Iwent through the required mental litanyover and over again. This will be a waterlanding; the landing gear will not beextended.

Although each pilot has a small slid­ing-glass window that may be openedin flight, I learned the wet way that theyshould be closed before landing. Other­wise, a bath towel should be includedon the minimum-equipment list.

The 65-kt approach and 50-kt touch­down are relatively conventional. Thereare no surprises until the Widgeon isfirmly on the water. This is when a newWidgeon pilot discovers that the mostdemanding aspect of operating a Wid­geon on water is controlling its head­strong penchant for porpoising, espe­cially during downwind step turns. It

AOPA PILOT· 58 . MARCil 2000