Seaplanes
Roberto Barerra
Have you ever wondered how people travel to islands without any airports? Perhaps you have pondered how the coast guard rescues people from a sinking ship. Seaplanes are often the best solution to these challenges. Seaplanes are airplanes designed to take off from and land on top of a body of water. The three different types of seaplanes are flying boats, floatplanes, and amphibians.
2Flying boats have a fuselage, or body, that looks and acts like a ship’s hull. This hull enables them to float on water very easily. Two small floats underneath its wings keep the flying boat stable in rough water. These seaplanes are usually larger and more stable on water than floatplanes are. A floatplane is a seaplane that has two long floats, called pontoons, under the fuselage. This is the only part of the plane that touches the water. Unlike flying boats, floatplanes often come in a wide variety of sizes. An amphibious vehicle can be either a flying boat or a floatplane with wheels. This allows the aircraft to land on both land and water.
3People have used seaplanes for almost a hundred years. French engineer Henri Fabre invented the first seaplane in 1910 and a number of other designs quickly followed. Right from the start, the military recognized the usefulness of these aircraft. During World War I, the military used seaplanes to patrol the seas for enemy submarines. In World War II, military officials used seaplanes for a number of important tasks. While officers still used them to patrol for submarines, they also used seaplanes to scout the positions of ships and other aircraft. They were important tools during search-and-rescue operations.
4After World War II, military use of seaplanes declined. One of the disadvantages of using seaplanes is that they weigh much more than ordinary land-based aircraft and helicopters. This limits the amount of cargo seaplanes can carry. Another factor in the seaplane’s decline was that more airports and landing strips were available to regular airplanes once the war ended. These aircraft were more practical and easier to control than seaplanes. This all led to the decline of the seaplane in recent years.
5Though militaries no longer use seaplanes regularly, they still fulfill many purposes. Coast guards around the world use seaplanes during rescues because of their ability to fly long distances while searching for stranded people in the water. Fire fighters also use these planes to drop large amounts of water over forest fires. Even airline companies even use seaplanes to fly passengers to remote areas where airstrips do not exist.
6Keep your eyes open next time you find yourself near a large body of water and you might be lucky enough to spot a seaplane flying your way. These aircraft are impressive inventions.
Question
Why did the author write this passage?
Responses
A to explain how seaplanes are usedto explain how seaplanes are used
B to persuade people that seaplanes are importantto persuade people that seaplanes are important
C to encourage people to take a ride in a seaplaneto encourage people to take a ride in a seaplane
D to help people understand how seaplanes are built