U.S. Patent No. 6,164,591
Ground-Effect Flying Boats
(Michel Descatha)
I first met Michel Descatha at the
Experimental Aircraft Association Sun ‘N Fun fly-in and Airshow in Lakeland
Florida. Michel is a Frenchman,
living in Mexico. His experience
with aircraft design goes back before World War II, and he was a contemporary
at the time of Henri Mignet, designer of the flying flea (La Pou de Ciel) as
well as Saint Exupery, author of
many books (including “La Petite Prince) and P-38 pilot, later lost in the
Mediterranean. Michel built and
flew his own flying flea before the war.
After the war, he settled in Northern Mexico.
Ground effect aircraft are well known in the
art. When an airplane comes within
one wing chord of the surface of the ground or water, unusual things
happen. Efficiency of the wing
increases dramatically, causing ground effect or “float” which can actually
become a problem in landing some airplanes. The ground effect aircraft actually takes advantage of this
efficiency and remains close to the ground or water, capable of high speeds
with little energy wasted on lift.
However, flying so close to the water does has its disadvantages. Crashes can occur.
Michel applied his tandem wing flying flea
experience to the problem of ground effect aircraft. The result is an inexpensive and easy to fly craft (not
truly an airplane, as it can never leave ground effect for long). Michel is more than a dreamer – he is a
builder, as the following pictures
attest.
An enlarged view of a Patent Figure. . . . . . . . and a view of the working
prototype
Michel’s newest
toy: His restored 1986 Citroen
Deaux Cheveaux
Right: Testing the Controls