waterlanding/sealanding Helicopters with floats

[upintheaer]

Dear Forum,

this will be my first post, so I will use it to also introduce myself and say thank you for letting me join the forum!

So I have a boat (which is unfortunately not big enough for a helipad).
In summer we are usually anchored at our favorite anchorspot for several weeks and I have to leave several times during that due to work commitments, which is a choppy and long tender commute.

However having a Helicopter with floats, like the R44 clipper would help cut the commute short and make our schedule so much more flexible.

So my Question would be if it is possible to use a helicopter with floats to anchor next to your yacht or tie it up alongside for a few days apiece.
The conditions would be:
-salty water
-light swell (nothing major)
-water depth between 3-5 meters (anchor could be carried on boat)

What helicopter models should I look at? Which issues do you think would arise? What else should I consider? Which other options would I have?

Thank you very much for your help!
Looking forward for your input, it will be very much appreciated!

[helicopter-redeye]

The Clipper I (with FIXED floats) is the only practical R44 option. Pop outs are not really for consistent use (and not certified for emergencies strangely).

They are used for salt water ops. Consider the tie up options. Will you bang something in a swell.

I think Enstrom do a fixed float F28F also?

Surely landing on the nearest land and taking a boat from ship to shore must be the most practical and lowest cost solution.

[Hawkeye0001]

It does not appeal as an exactly sensible idea... :sad: I only fly a machine with emergency pop-out floats, but I cannot imagine that the utility floats were designed to use the helicopter as a watercraft for extended periods.

Plus considering the insane amount of corrosion I've seen on helicopters parked *at* the ocean (including the supposedly corrosion proofed R44 Clipper's...) I don't even want to imagine what parking them *IN* the ocean would do :{

[Aesir]

I would consider using floating helipad. It is much safer and better for the helicopter.

Floating docks for Helicopter landing padscubisystem (http://www.cubisystem.fr/en/floating-dock/floating-docks)

You can also build one or have it professionally built.

[krypton_john]

I believe Redeye has the answer. Find somewhere nearby where you can park on land.

The risks of leaving a helicopter bobbing about are just too high. If a storm blows up overnight you will find it the next morning saturated with salt at best or floating upside down at worst.

[Gordy]

It will not work. I have flown a helicopter with fixed floats on contracts in swamp land. The floats are only good for a few hours in the water.

Helicopter floats are made of rubber and filled with air...unlike FW floats which are made of metal and float like a boat.The problem with leaving the helicopter floating is that the temperature of the water after a few hours will make the air condense in the floats and your helicopter will slowly sink.

Go with Redeye's or Aesir's solution is even better.

[Arnie Madsen]

And remember you have absolutely no control during startup .... you shove the helicopter away from the boat and now you are drifting with the current or wind or whatever .... then you engage the rotor and torque begins to spin the fuselage ... it takes a while until you have enough rpm for cyclic and tail rotor to start working .... even if everything is going bad and you shut the engine off your blades are still turning and will hit trees , boats , or shore .... same as landing .... you have to shut down a safe distance until everything stops turning and then what ???? stand on a float and paddle toward the boat ??

Not much fun .... it would remove the word "leisure" from "leisure boat with a helicopter" .... best wishes and good luck

[krypton_john]

LOL! And realise you have a flat battery and start furiously paddling as you drift towards the rapids!

[BOBAKAT]

The float is really usefull for emergency...and that is for what we have "floats" and why the regulations ask about "floats" to fly over sea...

Not for all day and night operation.

It's better to use a pontoon or landing on a dry area. :ok:

[stringfellow]

Hi there, great suggestions, Sloane Mallorca is extremely well versed on r44s with floats. Give him a pm.

[upintheaer]

The Problem is that the island we usually anchor at is really strict regarding aircraft.
Formentera does not allow any planes whatsoever and only emergency unit helicopters can land on land.
Floatable Heliport sounds like a lot hassle as well. Maybe a bigger boat, oh dear ;)

[upintheaer]

That would be easily solvable by towing it carefully with the tender I guess..

[upintheaer]

That sounds like an inflatable boat then, they are basically rubber with air filled in and they can sit in salt water for months without sinking. So I am not sure I did quite get it. Why would the air condense?

[upintheaer]

Stringfellow, it seems you are quite a mind reader, as Mallorca is the area my question was related to!

[stringfellow]

Pop in and see the man he is really helpful and has been landing 44s on water for years. He would not advocate leaving one on the water though. All the best.