199709-1946-47 Republic RC-3 Seabee

One man's Seabee makes a splash In 1992, when Walt Wester collected a faded, yet stiIl garishly hued hulk of a Seabee-it was yellow with black stripes, for obvious reasons-he never expected it to become a showplane. Even when the restoration was complete, some three- and-a-halfyears later, and Wester flew it to the 1996 Watsonville, California, air- show, he didn't plan to put it on display. "I arrived at the show and was asked if I wanted to park or put the airplane on display," Wester recalls. "Parking was $20, but if I put the airplane on display, parking was free and I got a hat and coffee mug to boot." So Wester showed his Seabee as a matter of convenience. "I didn't even stay around to the end of the show," he says. "... Two weeks later I got a plaque saying it had won best -of-show for neoclassics." Traipse around Wester's AOPA PILOT· 76. SEPTEMBER 1997 'Bee and it's easy to see how it bowled over the judges. While many restorers aim for historical accuracy and purity, Wester rebuilt his Seabee for fun. It was sup- posed to be light, clean, and useful. It is, as a result, a wonderfully honest-look- ing airplane with superb workmanship. Wester is the survivor of other restorations, includ- ing a Stinson 108-3 and a Cessna 172 that he helped to turn into a taildragger. With help from Peter Breinig and Don Wallace (whose son, Don, Jr., runs WE Aerotech in Wash- ington state, a clearing- house of sorts for Seabee parts and knowledge), Wester set out to transform the Seabee from a molder- ing derelict (that had last flown in the mid-1970s) to "a flying recreational vehicle," says Wester. "I was a kid when the Seabee came out, and I thought it was a really impressive airplane. I always wanted to own one." Wester's future 'Bee had been through two or three other well-meaning restor- ers, but little had been done. One of the main attractions for Wester was the engine. "It had been properly pick- led after an overhaul in about 1987, so I thought that it would be in decent shape," says Wester. "Getting parts for these old Franklins is extremely difficult. " He was heartened to see that, while most of the fer- rous parts had been thor- oughly rust-ravaged after sitting outside for a couple of decades, most of the alu- minum was in good shape. "I just started taking it apart-got all the way down to the keel-and rebuilding it. I had to do quite a bit of metal work on . the hull." It seems that someone in the distant past had tried to fix a persistent hull leak with patches of fiberglass. Wester incorpo- rated many new items and altered the airplane exten- sively with STC'd and field- approved mods. Longtime Seabee pilots will probably notice the neat new panel that Wester installed, as well as a slew of other con- venience items. Now that the restoration is finished-Wester has put about 75 hours on the Seabee since completion- he's starting to reap the rewards. "When I started the restoration, I had dreams of taking the air- plane into the Sierras and up to Canada ... big, grand trips. I'll stiIl do that, but one thing that surprises me is how I have found real treasures right under my nose," says Wester. Basing the airplane at Marin Ranch, a private strip north of the San Francisco Bay, Wester has same-day access to scores of lakes. "I used to never consider fish- ing at Lake Berryessa, but now I fly the Seabee up there and really enjoy myself." So not only has Wester succeeded in bringing this charismatic old airplane back to life, he's given himself myriad reasons to enjoy its rebirth. Had the judges at WatsonviIle known that, Wester and his Seabee might well have taken overall best of show. -Marc E. Cook and fade when most needed. Takeoff from land is a dignified event. The assemblage gathers speed gradu- ally; the rudder, right behind the prop, is instantly effective as the power comes up. Slight forward pressure lifts the tail just a bit, and the airplane flies off at about 60 mph, flaps up. Raise the gear and accelerate to about 80 for the climb. As you climb out, you become aware that the control response is not ever going to be described as crisp. In cruise, the Seabee accelerates to something approaching 100 mph. Approaching is the operative word. The Franklin, burn- ing 13 gph, is shoving through the air a great, fat fuselage; boat hull; two spon- sons; and a fairly high-lift wing. The Seabee sits solidly in cruise, seeming to resist displacement. While the passengers luxuriate in the big, comfortable cabin and enjoy the sight of the world slowly drifting by, they are assaulted by a decibel level with num- bers well above the cruising speed. Ear protection is a must in the Sea beast. The very high exterior noise level must be kept in mind if early some morning you decide to depart from a lake bordered by houses. You may find the residents of your favorite lake clam- oring to ban seaplanes. Enough of the negatives; you have worked hard to get the airplane this far. There's a lake ahead, so it's time to meet On the water, the Seabee reaps the greatest rewards over its landlocked counterparts. Toss the anchor and drop in a fishing line while sitting atop the fuselage or just dangle your feet in the water on a hot day. Dr. Jekyll. You've had your visit with Mr. Hyde. Pick a large lake; plan to land in a relatively sheltered area. Watch carefully for boats. Some boaters seem to suffer complete brain fade in the presence of seaplanes, so plan to stay well clear of all watercraft. Fortunately, the Seabee will give you a big assist. Other than being noisy, it displays water manners that are nearly impeccable. On downwind, reduce power a bit. The Seabee will slow quickly to 80 mph. Confirm that the gear is up and the aux fuel pump is on. Turn base, drop half flaps, slow to 70 mph and confirm the gear is up. On final, select full flaps, 65 AOPA PILOT' 77 . SEPTEMBER 1997 WRITE IN NO. 88 ON READER SERVICE CARD Rick Durden, AOPA 684126, is an ATP who prefers to fly old and unconventional airplanes, balloons, and gliders. Seabee uses a lot of water to become airborne and may refuse if you try it with any tailwind. As you taxi into position, check the mags and carb heat, set the trim and complete your pre-takeoff checklist. Full flaps are used for a water takeoff. Check again for boats and wakes. Take a deep breath, move the throttle from quiet to noisy, and pull the wheel all the way aft. The airplane rears up to the very nose-high attitude needed to get on the step, water sprays furiously everywhere, and you feel as if you must be going a million miles an hour. If you are lucky enough to be in a Seabee modified with a helicopter air- speed indicator, you will observe that the spray abates and the airplane reaches the step somewhere around 15 mph. Lower the nose and hold as level an attitude as you can to maximize acceleration. You will see 20 mph, and eventually 25, then 30,35, and finally, 40. At 41, gently lift the airplane off. It will fly, despite some notable reluctance if heavily loaded. Once in the air, level off, accelerate, and start retracting the flaps a little at a time. After you have gone to half flaps, you will find that you are climbing and the airspeed is up around 60 or so. Once the flaps are up, it's a normal climb. Returning for a landing on terra firma, set up as you would for a water landing, but put the feet down. The Seabee will wheel land as if on feathers, but you must remember that it is still flying, because the gear struts will com- press for many, many inches before the wing has finished lifting. Full-stall land- ings require no more than the usual alertness demanded of any tail wheel airplane. The rudder will tame a cross- wind on rollout if you are truly able to use those pedals on the floor. On land or water, the Seabee is the anticipation and realization of adven- ture. To fully appreciate one, you must have a desire for adventure in your soul, along with the willingness to work for it-and the knowledge that this old amphibian can break. Flying something unconventional cannot bother you. Getting dirty and wet cannot daunt you. Knowing that the airplane is not forgiv- ing of error or inattention and that you must hone your skills above the ordi- nary must attract you. You will curse the Seabee for its foiblC1' and love it for the same reasons. 0 AOPA PILOT' 78. SEPTEMBER ]997 ® in the preceding week. The hush of the idling engine is broken only by the sound of the water spraying. "Now we're a boat," to quote a good friend. If it's summer, shut the engine off. open the three doors, toss out the anchor, and dive into the water. Or fish from the open bow door or atop the fuselage. The most difficult part of water flying in a Seabee is making the decision to go home. Once made, close the doors, light the engine, and taxi downwind to the place from which you wish to start your takeoff run. Keep in mind that the ® Ian your convention travel early to get in on the savings. With Hertz you can take advan- Enjoy super low rates for AOPA EXPO '97 exactly: ~Iention C\'# 5419 tage of special low for ,\OI'A EXPO rates as early as a convention mtes. week before the event. Or take off for the beach the week after. @ nd with each rental, Hertz makes a contribution to 1\01'1\ to help keep general aviation strong and your membership dues low. o ly commercially to Orlando International or fIy directly to Hertz, mentioning Executive Center when making your reservation. o or reservations call your travel agent or Hertz at 1-800-654-2240. o or great 1\01'1\ member savings and special FBO service, nobody does it exactly like Hertz. Keep dues low. Keep GA strong. Hertz rents Fords and other fine cars. @ REG. U.S, P.\T. OFT «) HEinZ SYSTEM I~C. 1997/461-97 mph, prop and mixture controls for- ward in case of a go-around, and con- firm that the gear is up. Control your descent with power; you will need it. (Power off with full flaps and 60 mph, the Seabee does not glide; it plummets.) Flare to a slightly nose-high attitude and gently close the throttle. The Seabee will reward you with a delicate hiss as the keel touches the tops of the waves, then settles onto the step, kick- ing out massive amounts of spray to the sides. The sensation is guaranteed to overcome every frustration you've had 1favel with Hertz.