86583 wrote:
well looking at the pictures one prop is feathered.. there is no reason to feather a prop for trouble shooting or replacing a starter so I would think there is an ulterior motive..
having a little experience herding a PBY on one engine I couldn't imagine attempting it, unless it's a matter of life or death..
replacing a starter while standing on a sea stand isn't a lot of fun but it's not the end of the world.. especially when a wrench or nut goes "plunk" into the water to be gone forever.. now an engine or prop change using sea stands is another story..
I assume the aircraft is fully insured.. I somehow suspect if the underwriter was presented with a claim for any damage or loss of the airframe being caused by a single engine water takeoff "attempt" they would be very quick to send you a "claim denied" notification...
I can perhaps see why they gave it a go, if the water surface on the Loch had been flat calm, and with such a long length of Loch to play with. Inverness airport is only about 15 miles away, and from the end of Loch Ness, its only about 5 miles over land along the valley until getting back over water of the Moray Firth giving a bit of leeway to skirt around Inverness over water for the approach to Inverness which is right along side the Moray Firth.
While not in the book, and having a degree of risk, in the circumstances of the location and proximity to Inverness airport, I can sort of see why they'd give it a go just to see - especially with a 20 miles long water runway at their disposal.