The Buttonville Flying Club COPA Flight 44

The Airplane of the Day is the Grumman Goose.
 
Six degrees of separation
 
Leroy Grumman partnered with Grover Loening, who produced large Liberty-powered biplane amphibians in the 1920s, and collectively built the Grumman Goose. The first flight was on the 29 of May, 1927. The Goose was the first monoplane to fly and the first twin-engined aircraft, and also the first aircraft to enter commercial airline service in the US. The Goose was also the first “Executive Aircraft” which ultimately led to the Gulfstream.
 
Like the Beech 18, the original Goose came equipped with Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engines. Over the years there were numerous engine modifications, everything from “flat” Lycoming engines to turboprops. Rare and expensive, the Goose will carry eight or nine people, depending on the seating arrangements, and will cruise at about 140 mph.
 
The Goose also became a good and effective transport aircraft for the US military, including the Coast Guard, and served with many other air forces.
 
In November 2007, Antilles Seaplanes of Gibsonville, North Carolina announced it was restarting production of the Goose. PWC PT6A-34 turboprops will replace the original Pratt & Whitney piston engines and the airframe and systems will be updated, increasing the seating capacity from eight to ten; the aircraft will be known as the Antilles Super Goose.
 
 

 
General characteristics

• Crew: two
• Length: 38 ft 4 in (11.7 m)
• Wingspan: 49 ft (14.9 m)
• Height: 12 ft (3.7 m)
• Wing area: 375 ft² (34.8 m²)
• Empty weight: 5,571 lb (2,527 kg)
• Loaded weight: 7,200 lb (3,273 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 8,200 lb (3,720 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior SB-2 air-cooled radials, 450 hp (340 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 184 mph (296 km/h)
• Range: 1,050 mi (1,690 km)
• Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,240 ft/min (380 m/min)
• Wing loading: 21.9 lb/ft² (106.9 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb (0.18 kW/kg)

Armament!

• 2 x .50-cal machine guns
• 2 x 250-lb depth charges