It should be borne in mind that the aircraft is actually flying so only a tiny proportion of its weight actually is being put on the surface of the water.
Presumably the wheels are best kept locked so that the relative "aquaplaning speed" of 9 x Root P is maintained. If I recall correctly from my RAF training, I was told that said magic figure was calculated for a non-rotating tyre, as if it had just touched the surface. I also recall being told that official aquaplaning trials were carried out on a flooded runway after a "scalded" tyres phenomenon was discovered on large aircraft (V bombers?) with a fast touchdown speed.
However, some flyers have been doing this, even landing and taking off like this for years..........
The Harvard photos have reminded me that thirty years ago there used to be a male (cob) Mute Swan on the river where I grew up. At the weekend, when he had an audience, he used to get airborne from the water and then he would fly repeated ultra low passes, clapping his feet very loudly on the water for a hundred yards at a time. He was quite famous in the local area and people used to bring their children just to see him.
However, he used to be very aggressive to boaters. When his mate was nesting on a small island close to the boating jetty, he actually launched full frontal attacks on rowers, resulting in a few boats going over and a written notice being put up to warn people of the danger! We learned very quickly how far away we had to be to be safe from his beak and wings
