The Benoist XIV Airboat

[Castille7]

The Benoist XIV Airboat

St. Petersburg, Florida, is not generally considered a city that can boast of an aviation ‘first.’ But on January 1, 1914, the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line was born there–the world’s first scheduled airline using winged aircraft. A plaque on the entrance to St. Petersburg International Airport proclaims: ‘The Birthplace of Scheduled Air Transportation.

There are a few reasons I almost kept this craft from being released. The sensitivity of it's handling is extreme, a tailspin is most likely going to happen if you are not careful. The craft will not takeoff from the water and does not travel well on the water, landing on the water is possible but not too graceful.

 

 

Craft File: The Benoist XIV Airboat

Parts: 255
Mass: 24.427t
Height: 7.9m
Width: 30.1m
Length: 22.8m

Operation: Use extreme caution & patience, use the quick save before making your first maneuver because you will most likely go into a tailspin. I use very small increments when flying. Keep your speed between 30 and 40 m/s. Landing on the runway or the turf? Well we haven't made that test yet!

Edited November 22, 2016 by Castille7