Definition
An auxiliary landing gear configuration for helicopters in which inflatable or fixed pontoon-style floats are mounted on the standard skid landing gear, allowing the helicopter to land on and take off from water as well as from solid ground.
Plain English
Floats fitted onto a helicopter's regular skids so it can safely land on water as well as on the ground.
Context Anchor
Seen in helicopter equipment descriptions, especially for aircraft that may operate near water or need emergency water-landing capability.
Derivation
“Float” means something that stays on the surface of water, and “skid” means a runner that slides or supports weight. Together, the term describes floats fitted onto a helicopter’s skid landing gear.
Why Pilots Care
Provides water-landing capability without the added weight and drag of full pontoons, expanding safe operating areas for offshore or coastal missions.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as ordinary seaplane floats replacing the landing gear. In this term, the floats are added to or mounted with the helicopter’s skid gear.
Example Sentence 1
The operator equipped the helicopter with floats-on-skids before beginning the offshore survey contract.
Example Sentence 2
During the preflight, the mechanic inspected the attachment points where the floats-on-skids connect to the skid tubes.