sky shark

My Feedback: (20)

I'm new to float planes. I would like some opinions on this set up before I go any further. Does the CG (laser line) look correct in relation to the float step? Does the incidence look correct? I don't have a incidence meter, at this point it is all guess work for me. Is it necessary to use a incidence meter? Any help with this will be greatly apprieciated.

Wine Country Flyer

My Feedback: (5)

Hey Sky Shark--I'm no expert, but it looks right on to me. Step at or slightly behind the CG, length of floats about 75 to 80% length of fusalge, tips about 2 in. beyond the prop arc, and trac, or distance apart 18 to 25% of wing span. Those look like "Sea Commander" floats, are they. I have a set of 42 in, Sea Commanders on my Four Star 60. Just love 'em. Not cheep and a little heavy, but they sure work great, and they are pretty strong. Tested 'em out on an oak tree !! (ouch) Totaled the plane, but the floats made it through without tooooooo much damage. Made repairs and put 'em on a new "Four Star" 60. And we're back on the water. Also heard good things about Falcon Trading Co. floats here on RC Universe. So, I just put a pair of them on an Avistar. And they work just great, too.
Good luck, you'll love flying off the water. Splash & Dash are the most fun. Trying to make the smallset splash is a challenge. By the way--Nice looking Harley in the backround.
Hope this helps. Get it on the water and have a ball. John Reade--Wine Country Flyer

Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

Too cool,
I just bought my first set of floats as well. It looks like the step is correct but, according to my research, (which has just begun) you want your wing to be 1 or 2 degrees positive to the floats. In your picture it looks like your wing incidence is negative to the float!
I believe this will make for a struggle at lift off. You don't need an incidence meter. Just level the float and then measure from LE and TE to the top of the float. Use a square to find the center of the LE (bottom of the square runs flat then where it hits the LE is the center point) Check your plans make sure the stab and wing are 0-0, level stab level float etc etc......
Please correct me if I'm wrong anyone, I will be here soon
Nice looking plane!

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

Sky Shark:

You can do the incidence two ways. You should set the chord line of the wing 1-2 degrees positive to the top of the floats. As Wine said, the chord line is a line passing through the center of the leading edge and center of the trailing edge. An easier way, which will give essentially the same result is to just make the flat bottom of the wing parallel to the top of the floats.

I see two things in the pictures that may be a problem. 1- To keep the prop from sucking up water, you want a couple of inches of clearance between the bottom of the propellor arch and the top of the floats. It looks like your floats are too close to the fuselage. 2- As Wine also noted, to keep the airplane from blowing over during crosswind turns, the distance between the floats should be about 25% of the wingspan. Your floats appear to be too close together.

I realize that the way you have it set up looks more scale, but what works for full scale often doesn't work for models.

Good luck with your Super Cub. Float flying is great fun.

Jim

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

We all have "Rules" which are really guidelines. Your floats will work as shown.

They may be "tuned" to perform better if necessary.

As jrf pointed out, if you get blowovers more than any other ninny trying to taxi on a windy day, your floats may be too close together.

If your plane does not want to take off and the transom of the floats is dragging in the water when you try to rotate, increase the incidence of the wing.

If the plane gets all squirrelly just about the time you think you have flying speed, the floats may be set up with too much incidence, making the nose of the floats dig in.

Your floats appear to be well within all guidelines for a starting point, and I'd give 'em a test flight or 2 before tweaking anything. There's a pretty wide range between too much incidence and too little.

Just be sure that they are parallel with each other when looking down from the top.

Taxi and Start your takeoff run with full UP elevator. This will help keep your prop dry.
When the plane pops up on top of the water, relax elevator and let it pick up speed. Once it reaches takeoff speed, breathe a little back pressure on the elevator and she should lift off. Don't horse it off the water or you may have to take a boat-ride. You will not be happy if that happens. Whiskbrooms do not work well on the lake surface.

sky shark

My Feedback: (20)

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to give the floats a little detail once everything is fitted properly. The spread on the floats is 20% of the wingspan and I do have a couple of inches from the prop arch to the top of the floats. These are $ea Commander$ wich are very nice floats. The strut system is nice but it takes a lot of time and patience to put them together. They are not exact scale and neither is the plane so it really doesn't matter. I still have a ways to go before the maiden flight. The only other concern I have is the weight of this setup, it seems heavy. This is the hanger 9 super cub which will be powered with a G-26. I'm hoping this will be enough power. Before the maiden flight I will purchase a video camera to catch any mishaps. As my wife put it "you need to video this, you may make the crash hall of fame". Well anyway thanks again to you all and I'll keep you posted as I progress.....Donnie