Dornier Seastar
Dornier Seawings · Germany · first flew 1984 · transport aircraft
The Dornier Seastar is a German twin-turboprop amphibian flying boat designed by Claudius Dornier Jr, characterised by its unique tandem back-to-back engine nacelle mounted above the fuselage and all-composite construction.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Twin turboprops mounted back-to-back above fuselage in tandem push-pull nacelle |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin turboprops mounted back-to-back above fuselage in tandem push-pull nacelle
- Flying-boat hull, no wingtip floats, anhedral wingtip extensions
- All-composite construction, 12 passengers
The highly distinctive tandem push-pull turboprop nacelle sitting above the fuselage between the wing roots, combined with the absence of wingtip floats and the curved flying-boat hull, make the Seastar unmistakable.
Specifications
- The Dornier Seastar has a length of 12.7 m (42 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17.74 m (58 ft).
- Typical crew: 1–2 + 12 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1984 as a revival of the Dornier flying-boat tradition, the Seastar was developed and refined over decades, with the substantially redesigned CD2 variant flying in March 2020. The CD2 achieved German type certification and offers scheduled amphibian transport capability.
Variants
The original 1984 prototype led to the production-standard CD2, which features updated engines, avionics and an entirely composite airframe.
Where you'll see it
The Seastar has been evaluated for island-hopping and remote-area transport services; the CD2 is marketed for resort and charter operations.
Related aircraft
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