Exotic Airplane Checkout: Grumman Widgeon

We visit with a Grumman G-44 Widgeon owner for advice on how to navigate the quirks of the airplane. Proper technique prevents this seabird from swimming like a porpoise.

[@floribamaguy4113]

When I finally got a Widgeon I had Brian as an instructor. He came down to Florida and we spent quite a few days flying her off the water and landing after landing, after landing till I said I’d had enough for one day. Slept like a baby I was so exhausted. Great man great friend. Thanks Brian. Henry.

[@wolfgangwind788]

Ja ,ich habe sofort erkannt, es gehört viel Konzentration dazu , es ist ein Beispiel warum Piloten früher als andere Menschen in Rente gehen - es fordert alle Sinne

[@BrandonLee-ys1oc]

You’re not the guy I’ve seen land on blackwater river in Milton are you?

[@ShariBley-ie4nv]

My Dad owned one of these when he was part owner of Viking Airways in Petersburg, Alaska back in the late 1960’s, early 1970’s. Is was a blast to fly in!

[@Bigu47]

Nice to see a great Grumman Amphibian still strutting its "Stuff" on the Water for which it was designed and the Company I retired from. Real nice narrated Flight Video, Thank You!

[@ivanlussich8146]

I am from Uruguay, no pilot. Very fine video. Practically a flying lesson. Also loved the neat grass runway the amphibian takes off from.

[@larrycarmody8325]

I got started in sea planes by flying for a CO. in Alaska back in the 60's, when they struck oil on the North Slope, flying a Widgeon, then I move South to Florida flying a Goose for Chalks Airlines in Miami, then a 10 yr break & got a job flying a Super Widgeon & a Lake for Everglades Nation Park, servicing Ft Jefferson NM, retiring in 1986, with total hrs of just over 5k hours. in seaplanes I had Multi engine sea license before I had single engine sea, then I flew a single engine sea plane, flying tourist around the Florida Keys till I quit when I turned 70 yrs old, 10 yrs ago, enough was a enough.

[@stranraerwal]

Wow, there aren't a lot of pilots around with your experience. I envy you for having been able to spend thousands of flying hours with seaplanes! Chapeaux!

[@bmac3394]

That thing looks very stable!

[@JMOUC265]

Good to have a subject matter expert pilot explain all of the procedures during flight. Very nice!

[@umami0247]

Love the nothing leaking out of engine’s classic. This is one of my favorite planes ever built. Wish they still made something like these. Great pilot his skill is legendary.

[@jvisser57]

Would love to have that guy as an instructor for a seaplane endorsement. Great communicator and knows his stuff - great cockpit patter 👍

[@creigiihtondenynis39]

Sounds like a great instructor! He explains everything!

[@robinhilliard]

Didn’t realise the engine upgrades increased the performance so much - I’d read the original Widgeon described as a split power plant rather than twin engined aircraft.

[@larrycarmody8325]

I have over 5000hrs in the G44 Widgeon & G21 Goose, I flew them in Alaska & the North Slope, also in South Florida, for Chalks International Airlines & the US Gov. for Everglades Nation Park. The porous in the Widgeon is easy to stop it, once you find out how to do it, I've had students that cld never figure it out.

[@ChizAfterHours]

My uncle flew for Chalks way back. I believe in the Mallard mostly

[@marklittrell3202]

I've always had a fascination with the Goose from its history of flight. I never thought about how it was to fly. Any comments about that?

[@Sarge-xg6kx]

Beautiful aircraft, flown by a true professional. Thanks for the vid..😀

[@johnrichards3773]

Great Landings in a Widgeon. More videos like this one please.

[@burtvincent1278]

I had Brian for ground school back in the 70s. Great pilot.

[@johnbeaulaurier6267]

Wow, I never knew about this Grumman. Such a beautiful aircraft! 😁

[@helioslow9244]

I’m here to hear him talk about the GO-480. Same as in my Helio. Good comments. Great engine.

[@ericbullock3188]

my dad had one back in the 60's love the plane .

[@abugden]

Dad flew a Super Widgeon commercially for a bunch of years 70's-90's. The Widg has a reputation but Dad was trusted more than most. Last I heard S/N1415 is still flying in Alaska after two successive owners had wrote it off, Twice. It is not forgiving. Glassy water once and a "tail wheel/arrester hook" story. Yet it was rebuilt.

[@wolfgangwind788]

Es sieht so elegant u leicht aus wenn sie startet u landet... aber es gehört wohl einiges an Flugerfahrung des Piloten dazu es gut und richtig zu machen - Respekt

[@Robert-ff9wf]

This guy is definitely a pro!!!

[@mothmagic1]

Oh how true. No adjustments on the approach it should all be done by the time you turn final other than maybe adding the last bit of flap and shutting the throttles. I get his point. There comes a time where it changes from porpoising to PIO and that 's the point to throw away the landing and go around

[@wjggmt1180]

Awesome ride.

[@dillonpierce7869]

I wish theyd build more of these and the goose..... Feel like theres plenty of people that would rather have either than something like a cessna 172 on floats. Instructor definitely knows the plane is he still around?

[@MinhTháiTrần-o8i]

Cảm ơn video chia sẻ của bạn rất ấn tượng hay lắm chúc bạn sức khỏe và hạnh phúc.

[@brightondale72]

My grandfather owned a Widgeon in Michigan in the 1960s. He owned it and my uncle was his pilot. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of it nor do I know the tail #. Do you know it there is a way to see where that plane is at?

[@kmg501]

That is a boss plane.

[@danweyant707]

Thank you!

[@ditzydoo4378]

It's quite happy to land with the gear up... until you remember this isn't a water landing... then the Widgeon is not so happy...

[@BurgerBoyda3rd]

My boss has restored one a few years ago in New Zealand Zk- CFA

[@alistaircowley2]

Grow up,,LOL lived with these all my life

[@thegneech]

Nice!

[@roberthartzell7104]

Looks like a mini me version of the PBY5

[@MattelTomy]

Ace from wings sky force heroes

[@klm20079]

is it possible to build a modern version of this one?

[@ericbullock3188]

someone is building one very similar called the gweduck (experimental).

[@mikesmith7249]

It seems like no matter how much preparation, you could never plan for an object submerged just below the surface.

[@PandiTheBear]

Same for boating or freak accidents in cars. It helps knowing the lake. Also, plenty of lakes have a sea plane ban like deep creek lake in garret county Maryland. Very popular lake in the summer, with seasonal time restrictions for PWCs between holidays, and no fixed docks or any docks left in past a certain point in the fall. Still no seaplanes.

[@docjeffry]

Where do I sign up?

[@mochabear88]

neat

[@demonorb8634]

Anyone selling an un airworthy widgeon?

[@marcdemmon208]

A lawyer up in 100 mile house British Columbia Canada lived next store to on hoarsefly lake

[@ryanlowery2888]

I fly a aircam

[@DanFrederiksen]

The 1940s... It was july of 1947 when the Roswell Army Air Field announced they had retrieved a crashed flying disc. Fun fact, that base was the only nuclear weapons carrying base in the world from which the nagasaki and hiroshima missions flew. Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say.