The Europa has only one tank of 68 l behind the seats. The cause for this ditching was engine failure dur to carburettor icing IIRC, at least the tank was not empty.
Yes, sorry…my observation was uncalled for….
The pictured Europa may well be the Classic model with foam core in the wings. That provides enough buoyancy to make it an ideal plane for ditching. The later model, XS, is not able to float for so long (sources say, no personal experience).
It was a Europa XS http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=90188
I believe some congratulations are in order:
Absolutely brilliant
Apparently the video is on youtube but I can’t find it.
Jacko is there a speed range and max tyre pressure for the manoeuvre? This clip of the Harvards in formation suggests bushwheels are optional?
It seems a good technique to wash the winter mud off the Super Cub.
Thanks @kwlf. And thanks also to my Counsel, Stephen Spence, whose well-informed and careful cross-questioning of a CAA witness resulted in the trial being halted after less than two hours of its scheduled three days.
@RobertL18C, yes, Dreher and Horne’s 1963 formula applies regardless of airplane size, albeit with a constant of about 6.4 instead of 9 for modern radial tyres. I think that my article (link below) answers most questions about the technique, but if not I’ll happily expand it.
PHENOMENA OF PNEUMATIC TIRE HYDROPLANING
NASA TN D-2056
by Walter B. Horne and Robert C. Dreher
Langley Research Center, Langley Station, Hampton, Va.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION • WASHINGTON, D. C. • NOVEMBER 1963
This NASA Technical Note is widely regarded as the seminal work on pneumatic tyre hydroplaning. It establishes the importance of tyre inflation pressure, not only to avoid hydroplaning on a flooded runway, but also to make use of the phenomenon for water-assisted landings.
HYDROPLANING AND WATER-ASSISTED LANDING
by Peter H. Jackson, MA CEng MICE
This article analyses the technique of flying a stable approach to land with the main wheels of an aeroplane with conventional undercarriage hydroplaning on water. One of the aeroplane’s degrees of freedom is thereby removed, so that it can move in only two dimensions. Spot landing at the water’s edge is guaranteed, and at a ground speed which may be less than half of the normal touch-down speed. By halving the speed, the ground roll at constant deceleration, or the deceleration required for a given stopping distance are reduced by a factor of four.
This classic from Henny Productions has some neat water assisted/hydro planing examples, and a great soundtrack.
Thanks Robert,
Do you see how clean the sidewalls of their tyres are? People who treat bushwheels like that really don’t deserve them… 
I can’t recall whether you’re going to the Carcassonne rassemblement, but there’s a Cub-friendly do in Kemptepn-Durach the following weekend. Bushplanes, sausages and beer – what could possibly go wrong?
