fat frank

Thanks for the reply. Love the floats. That is next. I have 5 inch balloon tires to install now. What engine are you running and how much weight did it take to balance the plane up front, or did you put her on floats fro the start? If so How much additional weight up front for the floats?Thanks in advance.

BarracudaHockey

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G26 and it balanced on wheels with no weight.

The floats needed about 3oz of weight in the front of each float. I mixed lead shot and 30 minute z-poxy and poured it into the hatches in the front so it ran all the way to the front. In fact, it's sitting in the dining room with the tail sticking straight up right now (my girl friend is not amused)

It's a review plane for Fly RC magazine, so the first article is wheels only, then a separate piece in the next issue on the float conversion. If the weather is decent I'm flying it this weekend with the floats.

Jeepindog

What issue will the big writeup be in? Can't wait!

BarracudaHockey

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I'll let you know when I find out, or more likely, see it in the magazine LOL

BarracudaHockey

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Ok, I'm officially nervous!

Tomorrow is the maiden on floats day and the only experience I have float flying is the micro Carbon Cub I reviewed a few months back......

You'd think, living in Florida and surrounded by water I'd have done this before.

fat frank

Anxiously awaiting the results. When I'm ready, Ill be trying it also. Let me know what to expect flying from floats. Good luck

RC_AVIGATOR

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Could you please post a pic of the cowl and engine installed on the plane.

BarracudaHockey

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Ok...whew....I did it!

I let the takeoff run build up some speed, you could tell the difference when the plane came up on step, then it was let it gather speed and just eased in a bit of up elevator and it flew right off the water.

The floats weigh about 4.5lbs and the gear that came off weigh around a pound. There's a good bit of drag from the floats but it flew well. No yanking and banking, coordinated turns, and smooth power transitions were the order of the day.

I had knees knocking and fingers shaking, which considering I average a review plane per month or so plus I do a lot of test flying at the club, so I'm not bragging, just saying, it takes a lot to give me the jitters.

Landing, got it low, about 6" and started easing off the power and let it settle on to the water. It slows down fast and needs a touch of up elevator after touch down to help keep the tips from digging in, but not so much as it jumps off the water. LOL after a few landings I had the hang of it.

hanko

could have saved your self a servo, dont need two water rudders. Ive got 20 flights on mine now. try your flaps at about 20 degrees for take off. A tad of up elevator helps it up on the step also. I tend to try and fly mine like my full scale cessna 185 on anfibs, which doesnt work well. 40 degrees flaps works well for landing, but it needs quite a bit of down elevator mix. I have a DLE 35 RA and with the 2 A 123's and the ignition battery at the front seat location, the CG came in at the aft limit, which it flies real good there. did you glass the bottom of your floats?


henry haigh

BarracudaHockey

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No glassing. The float conversion is a follow on to the original review so I built it as supplied (2 servos, no glassing)

That said, I'm keeping this plane, I love it, so I'll be keeping an eye on the bottom of the floats.

fat frank

Nice pics and congratulations on your float maiden. Still working on my plane. still trying to figure out how to handle clearance for my wraparound muffler on the EVO GX33 and keep the cowl distance within reason. Again, congrats.

bikerbc

Congratulations on your maiden.. Keep a close watch on your floats for water.. They can get enough water to suddenly shift the CG aft .. also if they get just a tiny bit and you put them away mold will start to grow inside and distort the former's and the next time you go to fly kablooey , they disintegrate.. I have not had this happen personally but I have seen evidence and heard horror stories of others problems.. I put an extra layer of glass on the bottom of mine and it made a big difference.. I realize if you are doing a review you may not be able to do that ..When I bought my floats I had to get the left float replaced because it was defective . Horizion was great about replacing it however it took 4 Replacements before I received one that wasen't broken and full of holes...They seem to be quite fragile..After the quality of the PA18 and how well it is built , how precision everything is I was quite disappointed with the floats . They look fantastic but mine feel like egg shells.. I am afraid they are going to crack apart...

BarracudaHockey

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Not the steadiest video or flying but someone shot this while we were tinkering.

http://youtu.be/CqMOewEDth4

hanko

Flew with a buddy last night that had a G26 powered Super cub. Flew very scale, but lacked the climb and get out of the water balls compared to mine with DLE 35. 43 flights now and all is still tight and good (like my wife) yuk yuk.

RC_AVIGATOR

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hanko, could we please see some pics of your DLE35 with and/or the cowl?

hanko

If you look back through this thread I have alot of photos. also check the sea plane forum.

hanko

a s the airplane is designed around the G26, The DLE35 fits in nice. The only mod is extending the cowl mounting blocks a 1/4 inch and pulling the cowl out about that much. I have 2 A123 packs where the front seat is supposed to be, and the ignition battery is under the floor. Needs no extra weight up front. You can go back to 3 1/2 inch on the CG mines right about there with empty tank, Flys good there

BarracudaHockey

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Yours wasn't at Nall by any chance?

RC_AVIGATOR

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Thanks

hanko

No sir I was not

Jeepindog

Where are most people putting their throttle servo? I guess I'll use one of the mounting holes under the front seat, but I was hoping to stash the receiver and on-board glow batteries in that location. I guess I could put one of the batteries under the floor and behind the front seat- seems to be room to stuff one under there just fine and still be able to mount a throttle servo.

BarracudaHockey

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I put the throttle servo and flight battery under the front seat, the receiver in the back.

bikerbc

We have two big float fly events coming up so I decided to switch my PA18 over to floats .. Its maiden will now be on floats .. Anyway I have had the plane sitting on a Styrofoam cradle with no weight on the wheels since I completed the plane a month or so ago.. When I took it down and placed it on my work table the gear collapsed .. The rubber bands have disentigrated already....That is with no fuel on them or weight , no use at all etc.. So don't expect them to give you much service .. I picked up some 3/16" shock cord from Canadian Tire and I am going to use that...I am not sure if the strut covers will still work with the shock cord in place however if they wont it is a small price to pay for gear that you dont need to be constantly be messing with.. I use the shock cord on my 1/3 Cubs and other 1/4 Cubs Robarts gear and it is for sure better than o rings or any thing else I have tried.. Cub Man makes these nice little strut covers that you tie on over the Strut so if the fiber glass ones wont work you could use them...Has anybody else had any problems with these elastic bands ? I am sure it can't just be me...What are the rest of you clever fellas doing to solve the problem ? Oh I am switching over to Du-Bro's 1/3 scale Cub wheels while I am at it... I have them on both my Sig 1/4 J3 and my B.U.S.A. 1/4 Cub and they work great on our grass field.. They look pretty good too.. Not quite like tundra tires but good sized rubber just the same and the price is rite...

bikerbc

Well I maidend my Cub on Floats at about 3500 ft.. It felt a little under powered but I am not sure that I had enough prop on it.. I was using a APC 16-6 and my buddy was using a 17-6 and getting much better performance .. I am going to try switching props and see what happens..Other than that the floats worked much better than I expected.. ..Once the plane was on the step it was very easy to control and when flying speed was achieved a little back pressure on the stick and it was airbourne .. It need almost no trim but it seemed like it was dragging its tail just a bit..Like it could easily stall .. I have checked my balance and it seems fine..I didn't try using the flaps yet.. I will wait untill I am a little more farmilliar with how the plane behaves...I have 9 other Cubs but none of them have flaps ..This PA18 seems like it is going to be a really nice plane..I think the G-26 will work out fine with a little more running and once I get it propped right ..

fat frank

Just finished my cub. I installed the evolution gx33 engine. Had to really butcher the cowl. Moved the cowl forward by 1/2 inch. I also had to cut up and reweld the exhaust. Going to take it out and fly it soon. running an 18 8 Mejzlik prop. Lateral balance was good but I. had to put my rec'r battery in rear seat location. Probably should have tried to find a different exhaust. That is the reason for having to move the engine forward.