KITPLANES March 2024

You might think that a long-running proposal to streamline certification and greatly expand (and make far more usable) LSA and sport pilot rules would have the industry locking arm, raising voices in song and, therefore, on a clear path to success. You might, but you’d be wrong. See, while a very large proportion of general aviation has seen the value in the FAA MOSAIC program, it is not unanimous. And some cagey late-inning gamesmanship by a key “alphabet” seems intended to unravel some of that goodwill and momentum. I’ll come back to that. MOSAIC is important, both for general aviation as a whole and for our little corner of the world. In short, MOSAIC represents a significant opening up of LSA rules and would make many more aircraft available to…

Ben Ellison and Ross Mahon wanted a Widgeon. The Seattle pair have an Alaska habit and desired a capable, personal-sized amphibian good for the Seattle to Ketchikan run plus poking around inlets and inland when needed. The smaller Grumman flying boats, the Widgeon and Goose, seemed ideal. But the elderly Grummans were worn out, short ranged and had a disquieting porpoising habit. “I wish they made new ones,” was the first thought. “I wish they made something better,” was the second. And so in 1990 Ben, the principal driver of Gweduck development, backed by talented engineers and craftsmen, embarked on the immense task of designing and building a twin-engine flying boat. They completed the fiberglass prototype Gweduck 15 years ago and have been flying it ever since. Since then, the…

Because Gweduck assembly is only possible at Composite Creations we were sure to visit the Prineville, Oregon, facility to see what prospective owner-builders will experience. Our first impression was that we were envious of the efficiencies a Gweduck owner will enjoy when assembling his kit in the same building and alongside the people who built the parts—and who will do the vast majority of the assembly labor. Getting tutored by experts sure beats standing alone in your garage wondering if you’re doing it correctly. But does this mean stretching the “51% Rule”? We don’t think so. Although the FAA’s NKET team hasn’t officially evaluated Gweduck’s process for meeting the E/A-B “major portion” rule, Composite Creations’ own assessment scores the owner-builder at 54% participation. That’s possible because credit is given for…

First off, it’s pronounced “gooey duck,” which is easy enough. When spelled geoduck it represents a grotesque, oversized mollusk, or clam to we pilot simpletons. Said clam burrows deep in the sand, looks horrid, tastes great (we’re told) and is something of an unofficial mascot of the Pacific Northwest. It embodies the pride Seattleites have in their gorgeous, isolated corner of the map; thus, it’s a natural to invoke when naming anything regionally relevant: sports teams, flying boats and so on. Ross Mahon goes on to note all the obvious seabird names had already been appropriated by Grumman and others—Duck, Widgeon, Goose, Mallard, Albatross, Petrel and so on were unavailable. But somehow geoduck remained open in an aviation context. Clearly spelling and pronunciation bedlam would ensue from “geoduck” so the…

So how does it fly? First, you’ll need a Multiengine Sea Rating on your FAA ticket. You can get one from Lockwood Aviation in Sebring, Florida (see October 2023 issue of KITPLANES®) or, if you are in Alaska, ask around for independent training. Once you’re licensed (and, of course, checked out), climb aboard the Gweduck—yup, it’s big! After squeezing through the landing gear houses I settled into the right seat for our evaluation flights because frankly, this is a complex airplane with a complex cockpit. The left seat was occupied by Burke Mees, a legendary Alaskan seaplane ace who has been flying the feathers off Grumman flying boats for decades. Instantly likable, Mees’ calm manner made for a good instructor, allowing me to explore the airplane with the confidence he…

The brothers Wright, arguably the world’s first collaborative airplane homebuilders, were faced with a dilemma when powering their biplane glider. They needed a propeller and, there being no Spruce outlet at the time, were faced with having to make one themselves. In their analytical Midwestern fashion, they started whittling and wound up with a pair of chain-driven airscrews with amazingly adequate efficiency. We have it much easier today. There are any number of certified and Experimental aircraft propellers available to us, and long-established manufacturers will be ready to serve our needs. The art of propeller making is alive and well in the jet age. Choosing the right prop to go with your homebuilt’s engine has significant impact on the aircraft’s performance, probably second only to the powerplant selection. The designer’s…