A conventional seaplane is nothing more than a Cessna
outfi tted with fl oats. Exposed to seawater, metal seaplanes
corrode quickly and require constant maintenance. A nd
without landing gear, they’re as waterbound as a tuna. The
hull of the speedboat-looking Dornier Seastar, meanwhile, is
made entirely of corrosion-proof composite material. For
terrestrial destinations, landing gear lowers from the hull.
The wide boat hull keeps the craft stable on the water, as
does the in-line arrangement of the twin turboprop engines
positioned directly over the cabin. The push-pull action of
the two propellers can see the Seastar take off – with up to 12
passengers – after just 760 metres (2,500 feet) and reach a
maximum air speed of 180 knots (333 kilometres/207 miles
per hour). Short takeoffs and landings are aided by two sets
of cur ved sponsons – side projections that add stabilit y to a
vessel’s hull – located near the middle of the Seastar.Rinspeed CEO Frank Rinderknecht had dreamt
about an under water ‘fl ying’ car since seeing
The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977. 007’s swimming
car was the direct inspiration for the sQuba, a
modifi ed Lotus Elise with three battery-
powered electric motors and ox ygen masks.
When the aluminium-bodied, watertight Lotus
drives into a lake, it fl oats. With the fl ick of a
switch, power is diverted to two propellers and
two water jets to reach a leisurely surface
cruising speed of 5.9 kilometres (3.7 miles) per
hour. Getting the sQuba
to dive requires driver
and passenger to open
doors and windows to fl ood
the cabin. To travel at the
maximum depth of ten metres (33
feet), the driver must use the water jets. On
land, the zero-emissions sQuba can rocket
from 0-80 kilometres (0-50 miles) per hour in 5.1
seconds, but maxes out at just 2.9 kilometres
(1.8 miles) per hour when underwater.A James Bond fantasy car brought to life
Rinspeed sQuba
Breathe easy
The saltwater-resistant interior
features slick VDO displays and
seat-mounted oxygen supplies.Frame
The aluminium and
fi breglass body weighs a
surprising 920kg (2,028lb),
so needs lots of foam and
waterproofi ng to keep afl oat.Road speed
On land, the rear wheels are
powered by one of the three
electric motors, giving the
sQuba pep off the line but a top
speed of 120km/h (75mph).Jet propulsion
The sQuba’s conventional
rear propellers are
supplemented by two
Seabob scooter jets
attached to the sides.To ple ss
The open cabin makes it easier to
both sink the sQuba and swim
to safety in an emergency.Boat mode
The Seastar is a boat that
fl ies – rather than a plane
that fl oats – so it sits low
and steady in the water on
its V-shaped hull.Dornier Seastar Land, sea and air: this fl ying boat’s got it all covered
Seastar
Crew: 2
Wingspan: 17.6m (58ft)
Length: 12.5m (41ft)
Height: 4.8m (15.9ft)
Empty weight:
3,289kg (7,250lb)
Max speed:
333km/h (207mph)
Max altitude:
4,572m (15,000ft)The statistics...
Breaking the plane
Two sets of sponsons make
the hull wider under the
wings. The sponsons act
almost as hydrofoils to
raise the hull when moving.Liftoff
With the nose of the hull
out of the water, drag is
greatly reduced, so the
Seastar can reach takeoff
speed in 760m (2,500ft).Gaining altitude
The push-pull confi guration
of the twin turboprop engine
results in huge thrust so the
Seastar can climb 396m
(1,300ft) per minute.Water landing
The sponsons double up as
‘water wings’. As the
Seastar touches down,
the sponsons create just
enough drag to slow it.SEA