AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2013 - 46

FLYING LOW along the shoreline of California's

Catalina Island at sunset (right) while comforted by
the sonorous drone of two Wright Cyclone engines is
a pilot's dream come true.

SPEC SHEET

Grumman HU-16B Albatross
TYPICAL USED PRICE: $300,000
PRICE AS TESTED: $400,000
SPECIFICATIONS

Powerplants | (2) 9-cylinder Wright
R-1820-76 Cyclone, 1,425 hp
TBO | 1,600 hours
Propellers | 3-blade, constant-speed,
full-feathering, reversible,
11 ft diameter
Length | 62 ft 10 in
Height | 25 ft 11 in
Wingspan | 96 ft 8 in
Wing area | 1,035 sq ft
Wing loading (civil) | 33.3 lb/sq ft
Power loading | 12.1 lb/hp
Cabin (main) length | 26 ft 2 in
Cabin width | 7 ft 6 in
Cabin height (average) | 6 ft 3 in
Empty weight | 22,883 lb
Max gross weight (civil) | 34,500 lb
Max gross weight (military) | 46,100 lb
Useful load (civil) | 10,005 lb
Max takeoff weight (civil) | 34,500 lb
Max landing weight (military) | 37,500 lb
Fuel capacity, std | 680 gal (676 gal
usable) | 4,080 lb (4,056 lb usable)
Fuel capacity, w/float tanks | 1,101 gal
(1,091 gal usable)
| 6,606 lb (6,546 lb usable)
Fuel capacity, w/float & drop tanks |
1,709 gal (1,681 gal usable)
| 10,254 lb (10,086 lb usable)
Oil capacity, ea engine | 27 gal
PERFORMANCE

Takeoff distance, ground roll | 1,700 ft
Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle |
2,500 ft
Takeoff from sheltered water, flaps,
32,000 lb | 1,300 ft
Max recommended crosswind component | 15 kt
Rate of climb, sea level (37,500 lb) |
1,450 fpm
Single-engine ROC, sea level | 320 fpm
Max level speed, 15,000 ft | 209 kt
Cruise speed (typical) | 150-160 kt

46  |  AOPA PILOT  December 2013

Range (no reserve) | 2,500 nm
Endurance (no reserve) | 20+ hours
Fuel consumption, cruise (typical) |
110 gph
Service ceiling (37,500 lb) | 21,500 ft
Single-engine service ceiling | 4,800 ft
Glide ratio (propellers feathered) | 14:3
Landing distance, ground roll (34,000
lb, w/reverse) | 1,350 ft
LIMITING AND RECOMMENDED  
AIRSPEEDS

VR (takeoff rotation) | 85 KIAS
VMC (min control w/critical eng. inop.)
| 92 KIAS
VX (best angle of climb) | 115 KIAS
VY (best rate of climb) | 125 KIAS
V XSE (best single-engine angle of
climb) | 95 KIAS
VYSE (best single-engine rate of climb)
| 105 KIAS
VG (best glide speed, 33,000 lb) | 103
KIAS
VB (turbulence penetration) | 130 KIAS
VFE (max flap extended) | 140 KIAS
VLE (max gear extended) | 150 KIAS
VLO (max gear operating)
Extend | 150 KIAS
Retract | 150 KIAS
VNE (never exceed) | 254 KIAS
VS1 (stall, clean, 32,000 lb) | 79 KIAS
VSO (stall, in landing configuration,
32,000 lb) | 70 KIAS
All specifications are based on manufacturer's calculations. All performance
figures are based on standard day,
standard atmosphere, sea level, gross
weight conditions unless otherwise
noted.
EXTRA

The Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines
are essentially the same as those
used on the Boeing B-17 Flying
Fortress.

unnecessary, you cannot help but duck. The tips clear
the water by four feet. Each of the two nine-cylinder
Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines produce 1,425 horsepower and are essentially the same as those used on
the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
Normal entry is made by hoisting yourself up a
boarding ladder and stepping through a hatch on the
left side of the rear fuselage. When flying an Albatross,
by the way, one becomes accustomed to using nautical terms. It is, after all, a boat. Ropes are called lines,
the nose is the bow, the rear of the aircraft is the stern,
and so forth. Once inside, you can turn right and go aft
through another hatch that leads into a voluminous
tail compartment. Turn left and you are led forward
through the cavernous cabin to a spacious flight deck.
From there, you can duck under the instrument panel
and through a crawlspace into the bow compartment.
There you are treated to a fabulous, bird's-eye view
of the outside world through this Albatross' Plexiglas
nose dome, which replaces the original radome.
Cummings graciously invited me to take the left seat
during my instructional flight. He has extraordinary
experience with big radial engines and knows how to
make them sing, so I was grateful when he volunteered
to start them. As on many seaplanes, engine controls are
mounted on the cockpit ceiling between the pilots' seats,
a configuration that simplifies routing cables and linkages to the engines. Taxiing requires differential braking
to steer the castoring nosewheel. Recovery from a taxiing turn, especially a tight one, is facilitated by adding
a tad of power from the inside engine when about 45
degrees of turn from the desired heading.
The Albatross yaws noticeably left during the initial part of the takeoff roll. This is easily countered
by advancing the left throttle slightly ahead of the
right. As airspeed increases and the rudder bites the
air more effectively, maximum power (51.5 inches of
supercharged manifold pressure and 2,700 rpm) can
be commanded by both throttles. Noise-cancelling
headsets are a must. Cockpit visibility is quite good, a
requirement for search-and-rescue operations.
The nose is rotated at 85 knots and then lowered
after liftoff to accelerate the Grumman to 105 knots,
the best single-engine climb speed (VYSE). Minimum
controllable airspeed following an engine failure (VMC)
is 92 knots. The rudder is hydraulically boosted during takeoff and landing to lend a helping foot in case
of a low-speed engine failure.
Because of the manner in which hydraulic plumbing is routed, the landing-gear legs retract irregularly.
The nosewheel retracts first, followed by each of
the tall main-gear struts-but not in unison. One leg
retracts into the side of the fuselage faster than the
other, resulting in asymmetrical drag that yaws the
airplane slightly right or left during retraction and
extension cycles. The split flaps also are hydraulic.
AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2013

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