After making arrangements with the VA center to use their lake for RC float flying we decided we needed a test flying day. This was supposed to be a quiet, opportunity for us to check out the flight pattern and feasibility of the lake for general RC float flying. After we are satisfied that this lake is usable, we’ll proceed with helping clear the overgrowth of tall reeds and brush at the water’s edge all around the lake. It’s a beautiful facility with a large covered pavilion, restrooms, a covered dock extending way out into the lake, and a staff of generous people anxious for us to be there.

Ken, Dan, and Clem showed up bright and early. Steve was unable to attend, but has done an enormous amount to make this opportunity possible. We were there this morning for what was supposed to be a simple, non-spectacular, hardly-noticed little excursion just to simply try it out. That was true until over the public address system throughout the VA facility came the announcement, “The Radio Control Club is now giving a demonstration of model airplanes flying off the water down at the lake!” Thus began the caravan of wheelchairs and old timers coming out to witness the show. So much for low-key!

Ken was working hard to get his big Seawind fiberglass seaplane together while bunches of old vets watched his every move and told him stories of their exploits. Dan had a foamie seaplane, a Skipper, all ready to go as he and Clem figured out where to launch it. Because we hadn’t started with the reed clearing project yet, there was really no good place to launch from the shore. Fortunately Clem brought a 30-foot telescoping fiberglass pole and 20 feet of small rope. This was to be the savior of the day. Clem had experience with launching a small seaplane by extending it out over the water hanging by a rope on the long pole. That became the plan. So off Dan and Clem went out onto the dock with the seaplane hanging on a rope, followed by a line of wheelchairs. By the time we got to the end of the dock, there was already a gallery of spectators in position waiting to the show to begin. No pressure, Dan.

Wind was about 5 mph coming from an angle across the lake from the west. This would require a long takeoff run towards us from right to left. Clem lowered the Skipper on the rope 6 feet down to the water and shook the rope off the airplane setting it free. Dan throttled up and taxied out to discover that the airplane has very little water rudder authority, so the plane kept weathervaning into the wind. But by giving bursts of power, he managed to get it into position and start the takeoff run. But the takeoff distance was much more than Dan expected and he was headed right into the shoreline on the left at high speed. But he jerked it off the water at the last minute and climbed straight up, barely skimming past the reeds and trees on the water’s edge. The crowd was impressed to say the least. This was going to be a great airshow. Dan blasted around getting used to the high roll rate and then proceeded to do a loop and an aileron roll resulting in somewhat unplanned very low pullout near the water. The old timers gasped, ooohd and aaahd– what an airshow! Finally, Dan set up for a landing, gliding the seaplane down to the water at idle power (not a good idea for a light foamie). Just a foot off the water the wingtip stalled and the Skipper flipped on its back in the middle of the lake. Now what? We didn’t bring a boat because this was just a simple little test outing. It would take an hour for the plane to drift with the wind to the far side of the lake. That was until Dan found he could run the motor with the airplane on its back and the prop would turn underwater propelling the plane across the lake. Of course because of the t-tail floating, the rudder was up in the air out of the water, and there was no steering. So, it just headed for the far shore. Alex, a really great worker from the VA center brought a golf cart and gave Dan and Clem a ride to the distant shore. With the help of Clem’s long pole and rope, Dan stepped out across the rocks and through the reeds and captured the Skipper with the rope. Water running out of the Skipper’s fuselage, Dan found everything still worked and vowed to fly it again.

In the meantime, Ken had the big Seawind ready to go. He climbed through the fence, found a clearing near the dock and launched into the lake. The roaring 91, 4-stroke woke up several old guys who were by this time asleep in their chairs on the dock. Ken taxied out only to note that the Seawind was lousy at steering without a water rudder in a crosswind. But he got it into position for takeoff and cobbed the power. .It dug in a wingtip and did a ground, err, waterloop. Trying again, the Seawind flopped and splashed and looped. It sure seemed to be riding low in the water. As we later found out, the keel was cracked and she was taking on water. Probably too heavy to fly and with water sloshing to the rear, the CG was going wild as Ken blasted across the lake for another attempt to fly. She finally leaped up, then nose dived until the water was up to the engine pylon. Dead motor, way out in the lake, another long wait for it to drift to shore. But it was all exciting to the vets there and was obviously quite entertaining.

By this time, Dan had summoned the courage to brave the increasing wind, drained the water out of his radio system, and headed to the end of the dock with Clem and the airplane on a rope. Once again, he launched and flew magnificently. After thrilling the crowds he set up for a landing and heeded Clem’s advice to add some power just before touchdown to keep the speed up and slide it on to the water at a higher than usual speed. This time the landing was a beauty, sliding smoothly onto the surface and coming to a graceful stop. But then the batteries were exhausted and the plane was once again adrift. At least this time it was headed for the dock where Clem was waiting with the rope to snag it as it drifted by. Rescued and back safe in Dan’s hands, it seemed to the unsuspecting crowds like we really knew what we were doing.

By then Ken’s plane had drifted to the far eastern shore and borrowing the gold cart again, the three guys headed out with pole and rope in had, through the weeds, reeds, and rocks. The plane was now so full of water that the fuselage was nearly submerged. How much longer before it would have sunk to a watery grave? Successfully rescued, but full of water, and with broken wing root ribs, the big Seawind was done for the day. By this time the old veterans who had watched had had a full day and it was hot so the caravan of chairs headed inside.

Ken, Dan , and Clem were like the keystone Cops, but the spectators didn’t know it and the ones who were awake didn’t care. Dan did meet several of them and became BFFs. Some were younger than Dan and probably were amazed at his energy and vigor.

This was a fun day for us, we proved that the VA Lake is workable and could be a fun place to fly and boat. We learned we need to bring the Bass Buggy boat that Steve scrounged, because flying RC on the water is as much a boating exercise as a flying one.

We’ll do this again soon, and welcome anybody who wants to join the adventure. LAFFS (Lawton Area Float Flyers and Sinkers!)

— Clem