Seaplane Conceptual Design: A Tool for Float-Planes and Flying-Boats Sizing

Seaplanes played a pivotal role in aviation before and during World War II, valued for their ability to operate in remote locations with minimal infrastructure. However, the expansion of airport networks led to a decline in their usage. Today, with increasing congestion in the air transport system, seaplanes are once again being considered for their unique capabilities. This paper presents OpenAD-Seaplane, a novel tool for the conceptual design of seaplanes. The tool employs semi-empirical and statistical methodologies to quickly size a seaplane, including its buoyancy structures, given a set of top-level aircraft requirements. To demonstrate the tool's capabilities, a validation study is conducted, where a float-plane and a flying-boat are designed and compared to reference data. OpenAD-Seaplane demonstrates reliable performance in seaplane sizing, enabling informed decisions during the preliminary design phase.