Is a seaplane possible?

[dlrk]

Is it possible to create a seaplane(an aircraft that lands on water) in KSP, either stock or with mods?

[Raven.]

Is it possible to create a seaplane(an aircraft that lands on water) in KSP, either stock or with mods?

Yes to both. Check out this thread: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/65163-Seaplanes-and-Sea-Vehicles

[Tex_NL]

Yes and yes.

Stock can be pretty tricky as most parts are too fragile to withstand the impact with the water.

Mods is easy. Firespitter comes with modular seaplane floats.

Edit: Ninja'd

[dlrk]

Thanks. I'll get firespitter

[dlrk]

Try as I might, I cant seem to get a successful seaplane landing, it appears to hit the water intact, but be destroyed by the horizontal velocity, absorbing it as impact, instead of sliding over the water. Any ideas? I've tried the Fire spitter floats.

[Sirine]

Kerbin sea are sticky as soup. It is not practical to explore the sea. Head up and explore the sky.

They are Kerbal, they walk slow, but they fly fast. So, VTOL for sea, and the sky. Kerbal travel intercontinental via...rockets+wings. Boat is simply too slow for their taste.

[Specialist290]

Pretty much going to second Sirine's conclusion here. From what information I've been able to fish out on the matter, the hydrodynamics of the oceans are even more abstract and simplified than the aerodynamics of the atmosphere, meaning if you're expecting it to behave like regular water would, you're going to be in for a rude awakening.

[dlrk]

Guess I'll just have to hope for a mod to fix it.

[UH60guy]

It's not too bad once you learn what parts both float and have high crash tolerances. Also, you really have to bleed off almost all speed before touching down. On your landings, get as low as possible, cut the engines, and hold the nose up just enough to stay at like 3 meters altitude as long as possible while bleeding off velocity. I can't remember, but I think I had to get this baby down below 30 m/s or so to land safely. At that point, the nose-up attitude would pose more of a danger of knocking off my rear engine.

Same goes for takeoff, you have to get up quickly while watching your angle of attack- again this means you need a lot of horizontal space. Gun the engines, and keep holding back on the stick to get the nose just above the surface so you both get the structurally weaker parts away from the water sooner and get airborne before your velocity gets too high. You really have to go slow while in contact with the water or any craft will break.

For an example, here's a low part count, stock seaplane I made. Note the I beam, structural plates, and landing gear assembly. This allows it to both land on the runway and to float.

Edited January 13, 2014 by UH60guy