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OUR AIRCRAFT

M1 Specifications

  • More than 1,100 lbs. of weight savings in conversion with twin 300 HP electric motors

  • Proven design with a multi-year flight history and thousands of hours of flight time

  • 135-knot cruise

  • Total range 205 miles               

  • Useful range 170 miles (allowing for 35-mile safety and battery life preservation range)

  • Payload 1,000 lbs.

  • Twin motors with instantly reversible props for best-in-class docking and maneuvering

  • High wing with retractable floats for excellent docking performance

  • Slightly protruding tires for dock bumpers

  • Flying boat design for superior rough water performance

  • All carbon fiber and Kevlar construction for zero corrosion

Price and delivery details available fall 2024.

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M1 Airframe History

One of the most proven airframe designs in all of aviation.

THE GRUMMAN WIDGEON ERA

The Widgeon was originally designed for the civil market. It is smaller but otherwise similar to Grumman’s earlier Goose and was produced from 1941 to 1955. The aircraft was used during World War II as a small patrol and utility machine by the US Navy. 

After the war, Grumman redesigned the aircraft to make it more suitable for civilian operations. A new hull improved its water handling, and six seats were installed. In total, 76 of the new G-44As were built by Grumman, the last being delivered on January 13, 1949.

It became the Super Widgeon, which McKinnon revived in 1958 with more hull improvements, larger windows, modern engines, and propellers. Alas, only 76 were built.

THE GWEDUCK ERA

The story starts in 1990 with Ben Ellison and Ross Mahon watching a Widgeon land at the Renton Airport near Seattle.

Both Ben and Ross, seaplane pilots, agreed that a modern version of the classic flying boat aircraft was needed. Ross’s father headed the production of the Canadian-built PBY Catalina for Boeing during the war in Vancouver, British Columbia, and knew a great deal about the subtleties of flying boat operation. Marty, Ben’s brother, and a Delta airline pilot, shared a passion for flying boats, and the four of them laid out the specs for a modern flying boat. 

The size and weight of their new flying boat were targeted between the Widgeon and the Goose. The wing was designed with a high aspect ratio coupled with a modern airfoil. The airframe/hull was primarily fiberglass skin sandwiching a foam core for strength and impact resistance. Carbon fiber was used in the wing spars and control surfaces.

The design philosophy centered around an excellent water-handling aircraft followed by performance in the air. This led to the first priority in the aircraft’s design to be user-friendly when taking off and landing, as well as when moving around on the water in a busy marine environment. Good maneuverability on the water required reversible propellers supplemented by a very effective retractable water rudder. Easy dockside mooring dictated individually retractable wing tip floats, with main landing gear tires protruding just far enough to serve as dock bumpers. Also, the top surfaces of the wings and cabin needed to be tough enough for occasional foot traffic. To mitigate the occasional bumps and bruises inevitable from boats and docks, the Gweduck was designed with a nonstructural wing leading edge, allowing for easy repair or replacement of minor damage. 

The most important and challenging aspect of the user-friendly design goal was to design hull bottom geometry to avoid the porpoising that befell so many Grumman Widgeons. Accordingly, Ben studied numerous NACA reports on U.S. Navy flying boats and consulted with several seaplane experts, the most prominent of whom was David Thurston (a former Grumman engineer who was the designer of the Skimmer Amphibian, which later became the Lake Amphibian). Several potential hull bottom configurations were modeled and tested. Eventually, the secret to pitch stability revealed itself, and work then focused on keeping spray out of the propellers. The spray problem was eventually solved by copying an ingenious Japanese chine duct design used on their post-war air/sea rescue aircraft.

The remaining part of the design effort was to call in well-known aircraft structures expert Martin Hollmann to do a structural analysis of the design and make any changes necessary to carry all flight and water loads. The Gweduck first flew in fifteen years ago, in 2009. 

The aircraft has shown itself to be extremely docile in airports and on water. As one experienced float plane pilot and aviation writer commented, “The Gweduck is as easy to operate on and off the water as any float plane.” When landing at airports, its behavior has been described as what one would expect from a twin-engine Piper Cub.

THE CARBON SEAPLANE ERA

Beginning in 2010, Walter Fellows recognized just how good of an airplane the Gweduck was and collaborated with the original design team to serially produce the airplane with stronger, stiffer, and lighter carbon fiber and Kevlar. With the acquisition of Composite Creations in Prineville, Oregon, a company was formed to serially produce the Gweduck in the experimental category. The Carbon Seaplane era had arrived.

1941 - 1958

1990

2021

Heading 3

M1 Airframe History

One of the most proven airframe designs in all of aviation.

1941 - 1958

THE GRUMMAN WIDGEON ERA

The Widgeon was originally designed for the civil market. It is smaller but otherwise similar to Grumman’s earlier Goose and was produced from 1941 to 1955. The aircraft was used during World War II as a small patrol and utility machine by the US Navy. 

After the war, Grumman redesigned the aircraft to make it more suitable for civilian operations. A new hull improved its water handling, and six seats were installed. In total, 76 of the new G-44As were built by Grumman, the last being delivered on January 13, 1949.

It became the Super Widgeon, which McKinnon revived in 1958 with more hull improvements, larger windows, modern engines, and propellers. Alas, only 76 were built.

1990

THE GWEDUCK ERA

The story starts in 1990 with Ben Ellison and Ross Mahon watching a Widgeon land at the Renton Airport near Seattle.

Both Ben and Ross, seaplane pilots, agreed that a modern version of the classic flying boat aircraft was needed. Ross’s father had headed the production of the Canadian-built PBY Catalina for Boeing during the war in Vancouver, BC, and knew a great deal about the subtleties of flying boat operation. Marty, Ben’s brother, and a Delta Airline pilot, shared a passion for flying boats, and the four of them laid out the specs for a modern flying boat. 

The size and weight of their new flying boat were targeted between the Widgeon and the Goose. The wing was designed with a high aspect ratio coupled with a modern airfoil. The airframe/hull was primarily fiberglass skin sandwiching a foam core for strength and impact resistance. Carbon fiber was used in the wing spars and control surfaces.

The design philosophy centered around an excellent water-handling aircraft followed by performance in the air. This led to the first priority in the aircraft’s design to be user-friendly when taking off and landing, as well as when moving around on the water in a busy marine environment. Good maneuverability on the water required reversible propellers supplemented by a very effective retractable water rudder. Easy dockside mooring dictated individually retractable wing tip floats, with main landing gear tires protruding just far enough to serve as dock bumpers. Also, the top surfaces of the wings and cabin needed to be tough enough for occasional foot traffic. To mitigate the occasional bumps and bruises inevitable from boats and docks, the Gweduck was designed with a nonstructural wing leading edge, allowing for easy repair or replacement of minor damage. 

The most important and challenging aspect of the user-friendly design goal was to design hull bottom geometry to avoid the porpoising that befell so many Grumman Widgeons. Accordingly, Ben studied numerous NACA reports on US Navy flying boats and consulted with several sea-plane experts, the most prominent of whom was David Thurston. (Mr. Thurston, a former Grumman engineer who was the designer of the Skimmer Amphibian, which later became the Lake Amphibian). Several potential hull bottom configurations were modeled and tested. Eventually, the secret to pitch stability revealed itself, and work then focused on keeping spray out of the propellers. The spray problem was eventually solved by the simple expedient of copying an ingenious Japanese chine duct design used on their post-war air/sea rescue aircraft.

The remaining part of the design effort was to call in well-known aircraft structures expert Martin Hollmann to do a structural analysis of the design and make any changes necessary to carry all flight and water loads. The Gweduck first flew in fifteen years ago, in 2009. 

The aircraft has shown itself to be extremely docile in airports and on water. As one experienced float plane pilot and aviation writer commented, “The Gweduck is as easy to operate on and off the water as any float plane.” When landing at airports, its behavior has been described as what one would expect from a twin-engine Piper Cub.

2021

THE CARBON SEAPLANE ERA

In 2021, Walter Fellows recognized just how good of an airplane the Gweduck was and imagined the same airplane serially produced with stronger, stiffer, and lighter carbon fiber and Kevlar. With the acquisition of Composite Creations in Prineville, Oregon, a company was formed to serially produce the Gweduck in the experimental category. The Carbon Seaplane era had arrived. 

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