brianengy

Do I need a rudder for my floats? I have a set of air core floats for my easytrainer 2. I'm worried they will just tear out of the plastic. I was told at the local HS that they just help with taxiing.

jtiller

My Feedback: (21)

You can probably get by without a rudder, but I wouldn't recommend it.

In most cases getting out to a takeoff position is not much more than letting the plane weather vane into the wind before applying power.

You will have trouble retrieving your airplane after anything other than a perfect landing. If there is any wind at all, crosswind or downwind taxing is difficult without a water rudder.

Another option for a rudder is to put it on the plane, not the floats. Mount a piece of music wire to the plane's rudder in such a way that one end dips in the water in the planes normal float stance. Then solder a brass rudder to it.

jetranger-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

Go to Tower they sell them. Ernest make two realy nice ones. !/4 and reg size. They mount on rear of floats and if you hit some thing or run up on shore they flip up and out of the way. They are held down by a small rubber band . Check them out

brianengy

I just ordered the rudder set. I ordered two. Do I need to use two? I tried the plane and it could barely get off the water. Its seems like to much weight for a older .40 series engine. I going to try it with the tower hobbies .46. That seems to have a lot more HP.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

On any airplane that must be flown off the water on the wing, two rudders are not only unnecessary but also very detrimental to T/O performance.

They are never needed. It makes no differance what side they are on. A typical forty/sixty size airplane needs only around two square inchs in the water for good handling.

Twin water rudders especially if the throws are not toned down from that of the air rudder can also cause directional instabilty on T/O.

I,am not a fan of single rudders on a long extended wire from the tailpost except on the lightest of airplanes.

One of the easiest and effective way to set up a typical airplane is to use one water rudder on the opposite side that the air rudder control horn is on. An additional horn is added to the other side using the same bolts. From here and external flex cable and housing goes forward and and down back around to the floats tiller arm on that side. One cable clamp on the fuselage and one on the float. This makes float removal or installation a snap just undo the clevis on the air rudder and one or two screws for the cable clamp on the fuselage.

John

cf-drg

My Feedback: (1)

I don't run any water rudders on any of my float planes.. But like the other guys said it can get a bit difficult if there is a breeze or a lite wind.. There is a nack to taxiing in these conditions, but with some practice you can get the hang of it.. And you'll get your plane to shore every time, I still have all of mine... But if you do mount the rudder(s) it's nice to have a 5 ch or more radio so you can use the retract switch to pull them out of the water.. Then when you take off you don't have to worry about them...