tldr; need pitch control on the water so we can realistically simulate takeoffs, landings, and idle/plow/step taxi.
I recently got my real-world seaplane rating in a Cub so I thought I’d try the seaplanes in-game - namely the Cub Crafters X Cub at Renton Municipal Airport (KRNT) and the adjacent Will Rogers Wiley Post Meml. Seaplane Base (W36). The water physics in-game is a bit unrealistic and needs improvement in takeoff, landing, and taxiing.
Starting with takeoff, in-game it feels like the seaplane skates across a flat slab of asphalt rather than being on the water - the surface seems impenetrable and the aircraft’s pitch attitude can’t be changed. In real life, takeoffs are started with the stick full-back and the nose immediately comes up to a high pitch upon application of power (think cowl on the horizon, if the cowl is normally well below it from the pilot’s perspective). A moment later, as the floats are ready to come up on step, the nose rises farther (the ‘second rise’). From here for a normal takeoff the pilot releases back pressure to keep a slightly nose-up attitude. There is no rotation like in a landplane, the seaplane flies itself off the water in this attitude. Long story short: managing the pitch is really important. In the sim, because pitch angle can’t really be changed, a real-world takeoff can’t be replicated. With some back pressure, the seaplane seems to rotate and jump off the water all at once, which is unrealistic.
For landing, I have to say I was pretty impressed with the sim’s glassy water effects - you absolutely cannot tell how high you are off the water, exactly as it is in real life. My main comments for landing are similar to takeoff - there’s no control of pitch once you get on the water and it feels like you hit a slab of asphalt. In real life, you touch down in a nose-high attitude similar to how you would in a landplane, but in a seaplane, you then keep the nose up after touchdown, maintaining a high pitch attitude and slowing yourself down. Because there’s little pitch control on the water in the sim, this felt unrealistic, like the airplane slammed down and forced itself to a level attitude.
Some of taxiing has already been mentioned in a previous post - lowering the water rudders doesn’t add extra steering authority when it would in real life. It also seems like after a couple moments of idle throttle, the seaplane comes to a complete stop in the water - in real life seaplanes are always moving on the water, with idle power enough to taxi at slow speeds, and even too much if you’re approaching a ramp, beach, or dock. Even with the engine off, the seaplane can be sailed using the wind (note: I have not tried sailing in-game). In-game, idle taxi is not possible without adding a bit of power. Plow taxi (high power/stick full aft) is not possible due to the lack of pitch control on the water. Step taxi is similar to a takeoff but executed by removing some power and staying on the water - it relies on similar cues to takeoff, so it can’t be replicated realistically.
I hope this doesn’t come across as nitpicky - I was really excited to see more seaplanes come to the sim, so I just wanted to offer my thoughts in the hope that the physics can be updated to offer a really realistic experience in an amazing segment of aviation. I have not submitted to Zendesk yet.