We regularly fly external loads on our floatplanes.
As mentioned on the cub site, there are a couple of important details, some practical observations and lots to be learned from others who are doing the same thing.
I have flown such diverse items as helicopter main rotor blades, motorcycles and building supplies without any problem. The Beaver has a very nice (Kenmore) STC'd canoe rack which was very convenient for attaching all kinds of things!
Beyond this area of operation, I know of a
King-Air that has an STC'd modification for hauling helicopter main rotor blades!
A very good friend of mine was involved in flying a bunch of building supplies into a construction site high in the Rockies one summer. He flew a variety of items, with no difficulty, until he attempted to tie a length of 36" diameter culvert, lengthwise, to the top of the 185. He did manage to get it airborne, but fortunately there was a field beyond the end of the strip, where he could electively put the aircraft down, before it went down of its own accord!
He said that he had never before had so little control of any aircraft he had ever flown, plus it would barely fly!!!
It is not an inherently dangerous undertaking, just one that needs some forethought and application of common sense (both of which explain the majority of accidents related to this activity!). It is very convenient that the Anchorage FSDO provide
external load guidelines.
But yea, I can just imagine anyone in Europe trying to fly a fixed-wing external load.
Or do they?
Fly safe...