page_title: Amphibious helicopter
section_title: Boat hull design
hierarchical_section_title: Amphibious helicopter / Boat hull design
caption_attribution_description: English: Mil Mi-14PL - Polish Navy anti-submarine helicopter during Air Picnic in Plock (Poland) Polski: Mil Mi-14PŁ - śmigłowiec Marynarki Wojennej RP służący do wykrywania i zwalczania okrętów podwodnych podczas Płockiego Pikniku Lotniczego
context_page_description: An amphibious helicopter is a helicopter that is intended to land on and take off from both land and water. Amphibious helicopters are used for a variety of specialized purposes including air-sea rescue, marine salvage and oceanography, in addition to other tasks that can be accomplished with any non-amphibious helicopter. An amphibious helicopter can be designed with a waterproof or water-resistant hull like a flying boat or it can be fitted with utility floats in the same manner as a floatplane.
context_section_description: The Sikorsky S-62 Seaguard was the first amphibious helicopter made with a flying boat hull—the prototype flew in 1958. Utilizing many components of the earlier S-55, the S-62 proved the idea, and Sikorsky flew their S-61 Sea King prototype in 1959 for the U.S. Navy, a model intended for anti-submarine warfare. Both the S-62 and S-61 were ready for delivery in 1961. Sikorsky produced 1100 S-61s, including some that were not watertight: a longer cargo-carrying version was given rear doors and a ramp. Sikorsky licensed other manufacturers such as Agusta, Mitsubishi and Westland to produce variants of the S-61.
  Amphibious helicopters came into their own in the 1960s when robust boat-hulled designs were produced in quantity for military and civilian operators. Amphibious helicopters paid dividends for rescue personnel who enjoyed greater safety and success during operations. Overwater operations that used non-amphibious helicopters relied to a higher degree on hoists, rescue baskets, and rescue swimmers. Nevertheless, beginning in the 1970s, amphibious models were steadily replaced by helicopter models unable to land on water, because of high amphibious aircraft development costs. The last amphibious helicopter model used by the United States Coast Guard was the Sikorsky HH-3F Pelican, retired in 1994.
  Resting on the surface of the water with the rotor stopped, in conditions of brisk wind and mounting surface waves, a boat-hulled helicopter with stabilizing floats on either side is less likely to remain upright than a non-boat helicopter fitted with utility pontoons. Difficulty in lifting off can be encountered, especially when heavily loaded or in increasing seas.
  The Mil Mi-14 has the same boat hull design as its rival, the US made Sikorsky S-61R.
  The Canadian Forces developed a technique called water bird for landing their CH-124 Sea Kings in water.
caption: Polish Navy Mil Mi-14PL
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