Arcturus: A distinguished amphibian in the history of Coast Guard aviation
William H. Thiesen, Ph.D. —
In the early 1930s, Coast Guard Commandant Frederick Billard decided to acquire state-of-the-art flying boats capable of performing rescues by landing on the open sea. The first aircraft designed from the start for Coast Guard use, these new amphibians became known as the Coast Guard’s “FLBs” (for Flying Lifeboats).
