Simviation Forums

I was wondering if anyone know how amphib aircraft steer on the ground?

I have yet to work on any amphibian aircraft or know much about them, as I live quite far inland... and ive only done one float change on an aircraft (which is at school on a Cessna 185 for training).  However, after actually doing it, i notice that the cables from the rudder go mainly to the water rudders.  Theres nothing mechanical that goes to the wheels on the floats.  The only thing I can see in regards to steering is differential braking... which seems kinda strange to me to just depend on brakes for steering.  So does anyone have any insight?  And do these aircraft actually land and take off on paved surfaces? or is the wheels really there just to pull those things outta the water?

I know these questions sound dumb  ;D

I have a friend with a Volmer-Jensen Sportsman here on Vancouver Island, and have seen a few Republic SeaBee's along with many other float planes.....let me show you....

First, here is the Sportsman.....it has standard tail-dragger rudder cables.....the rudder is then connected by small chains with springs, between the tail wheel and the rudder..........


Here are both examples......
Sportsman on the left and SeaBee on the right.....


And the SeaBee itself uses a castoring tailwheel and differential brakes to steer on the ground, I believe.....




This Turbo Beaver, appears to have free castoring nose wheels and must have differential brakes also to steer when not in the water........


And finally, a regular DH Beaver, showing proof that they do indeed use the paved surfaces to take to the air.....

Differential braking is not unusual for steering on the ground. I don't know about the C 185 but even comparatively large aircraft like the DH Dove & Heron are steered on brakes alone, possibly with the help of engines & rudder. The nosewheel on both types is fully castoring & fitted with a sprung self-centring unit. I haven't been in one for a very long time but I seem to remember the DHC Chipmunk is steered on differential brakes, with rudder assistance. The Spitfire used basically the same pneumatic differential brake unit as the Dove/Heron & I don't think the tailwheel was steerable or connected to the rudder, not on earlier Marks anyway.

Most quad-style amphibs use castoring forward landing gear that is steered using differential brakes on the rear landing gear. FS 2004 is wrong in that aspect, you cannot order steerable nosewheels on the Caravan Amphibian. Some large and very expensive floatplanes offer steerable front gear, but all the popular small ones have the castoring differential system. And it works good for them.

thanks guys for clearing that up  :)

Hey that's our job!