the aeronut

Hi folks. Somewhere in these threads, I'm sure, this or a similar question has been asked but someone please save me the time to do a search.

Question: I once built and flew RC (many years ago). I wasn't a great flyer but had a lot of fun with my little three funtion trainer. The main problem I had at that time was finding a place to fly. I'd like to start again and since we now live on a lake I can overcome that initial problem by building a bird on floats. So I need some advise or thoughts on what would be a good entry level float "trainer" if there is such a thing.
I've always liked the look or the full scale J3 on floats. Would a Goldberg, Great planes or other Cub be as good as any to start? And floats: What are your opinions on an economical set of floats for the 40-60 typical plane?

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

The best trainer on floats is the typical 40 size trainer (every company has one) with floats on it. The best floats are Falcon-Trading floats. (http://falcon-trading.com/product.cfm?prodID=149) Follow their directions for installation and you will be set.

The cheapest floats are probably the Gee Bees, but they are almost universally hated. They just don't work well at anything over taxi speed.

OK, here is the boilerplate; don't try to teach yourself to fly (again). You may do it, but you will break some airplanes and who knows what you will hit. Get a knowledgeable RC flyer with a buddy box and trainer cord to help you get it up and down safely on your first few flights.

Jim

PS, Unlike full scale, model Cubs are not good trainers. Their ground and water takeoffs can be a challenge.

MalcolmL

That's good advice about learning to fly RC again. Suggest you follow it. I quit for about 4 years (new house etc) and then started again - it works OK but you forget some checks and overlook other things which can be fatal. I know - I've already had 2 minor crashes which wouldn't have happened 4 years ago - just silly mistakes which I recognised as soon as I did them.
About floats, I've flown built-up and foamies - both types worked OK - also flown hull models. After you've re-learnt RC flying on wheels, come back here for advice about setting up a floatie etc. Goos luck. MalcolmL

JAkridge

Great advise Jim, If he use's it he'll have nothing but fun ahead of him. I'd sure like to live on a Lake like that. I guess the only thing I could add is, he has to have a retrival boat handy, even the best flyers need one of those.
Good Luck aeronut, your going to have a blast.

fledermaus

I have a SIG LT-40 that I learned to fly on two years ago. At the beginning of last season I put it on some home-built floats and found that it makes a FANTASTIC float trainer. With a .46 turning an 11x7 prop, and weighing in at just about 8 lbs wearing the floats it flies in a really scale-float-plane-like way. Nice smooth lift-off and really slow approach if you want that.

I recommend the LT-40 as a float trainer - admittedly it is the only float plane I have ever flown!


[link=http://image.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryimages/lg-17571.jpg]Floatin' In on Final[/link]


[link=http://image.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryimages/lg-17570.jpg]Floating Along[/link]

iflyj3

My Feedback: (7)

I currently have these planes on floats. LT40, Aviastar, North Star, Seamaster. My favorite all around seaplane is the LT40 with the Tower 75 engine. I recently put together a new wing for it with only 1/4 inch of diehedral which helps with inverted flight. It is fun to take off in 5 feet and then go straight up. It lands great and will side slip like a champ. Try one you will like it.

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

Every Newbie should be required to memorize this article before being issued floats:
http://www.flyinglindy.homestead.com/skisandfloats.html

Click on the images and they pop up to readable size.

rtc_71

How do floats effect flight performance? I was thinking floats on an ultrastick .40?

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

Their weight adds to the wing loading. Get the lightest floats you can.

They create some drag below the center of the airplane, so you will need a little up trim. If you are really picky, you might add a hair of upthrust instead.

They create lift. If you set them up parallel to the wing chord line, they will make knife edge and inverted flight easier. If you set them up negative to the chord line (conventional wisdom) the inverted part of maneuvers can get a little spooky.

Light floats, set up properly, will actually make the Ultra Stick a better aerobatic flier.

Jim

the aeronut

Thanks to all for your input.
I've decided to try a Kadet Senior to get my feet wet--(and probably all the other attached body parts.)
with some Great Planes .60 size floats.
Anybody tried that combo please jump in again if you have time, labor, trial & error, or heartbreak saving tips you can offer up to this poor, ignorant and scared newbie.

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

OK, the Great Planes 60 size floats are huge and very heavy. I have a set on my Four Star 1.20 and they weigh 4 pounds. (Monokoted. Don't even think about glassing them.)

Although the Senior Kadet will probably carry them alright, you will undoubtedly be happier with something a couple of pounds lighter. Try http://www.geocities.com/planefunfloats or one of the other suppliers who post here.

The Senior Kadet is a good flying float plane, but on the water it will blow over easily in any kind of a cross wind, so try to always land into the wind and downwind of yourself so you don't have to make any turns to get it back.

Jim

jrf

My Feedback: (551)

Just read your other thread, where someone recommended the Goldberg 60 size floats. Do not assume that the Great Planes 60 size floats are anything like the Goldbergs. The Goldbergs are not the lightest, but they are at least a pound lighter than the Great Planes.

Jim

JimCasey

My Feedback: (1)

The club I was in when I lived in Florida was thoroughly populated with Kadet Seniors. Probably the best floatplane in existence, closely followed by my Senior Telemaster. The overwhelming choice for the Kadets was 40" long foam core floats. I made most of 'em, but some of them were the John Sullivan floats from RnZ models http://users.cwnet.com/zdgreg/index.html.
Ralph Smith makes floats that look like (but better than) the ones I make, for less money than I can. http://www.geocities.com/planefunfloats/

The goldberg and GP floats are larger, heavier, and make a great place to conduct a science project on fungal growth. Icch. You don't need large, heavy floats on a Senior. They're so light you can get by with much narrower floats.

And, like jrf says, your inverted flight with a senior will actually be improved with floats.

lupy

My Feedback: (3)

I went through a very similar experiance, I flew little in the early 80's, dropped it untill about 7 years ago. I didn't want to go the conventional club, and haveing the lake, I decided to go the self taught route. I built a Aquastar with a little Norvel motor. If you do a little research, you will find these to be very poor for take off, but it gave me enough stick time to get interested again. My next plane was a Zagi, a electric pusher wing. No it's not a float plane, but I waterproofed the reciever, esc and servos in case of a dunk, and tried to land on shore most of the time. It is so tough it will withstand a full power dive into the water, or most impacts on land. And it's light enough to be relitivly safe as compared to most anything else. Since it's just a wing, it's a little harder to tell visually if it's coming or going, esp in bad light, but once you master it, you will be much better with normal planes, and it will last through many crashes that would have made a pile of sticks out of a LT40. From this, I transitioned to a fun flyer on floats and others. I have a unflown LT40 that I will be putting on floats this summer, it looks to be a nice flyer, but I would never consider it for a self teaching plane. Too big and dangerous if nothing else.