Here is a picture of my Tower 60 trainer. Since I finished it late in the season and only had one flight before the snow fell, I thought putting floats on it would provide me with more options this winter and next spring.

My instructor and I haven't flown it off of the snow yet but we are looking forward to it. And this summer it will make a great float plane. (At least I hope so) As a matter of fact my instructor thought it was such a good idea he bought himself a float plane and plans to do a little snow and water flying himself.

Anyone else convert any planes for water or snow flying???

AlStack

Looks good, Let us know how it turns out.

I flew a Nosen Citabria off snow a few times but with skis, it was fun. My first take off was real long and the skis caused a lot of trim changes. But until My friend crashed his plane we made a day out of it. Big Bear has a flat area around the backside of the lake and it was solid ice with 3-5 inches of snow pak. was a good spot back in 80

Keep Your thumbs warm
Dan Z.

AlStack:
I fly a Venture 60 with skis off the snow. It did make some trim changes but nothing to radical, it took some down trim to keep the plane form climbing but other than that it flew great.

Jim

All my planes have skis that can be installed in a few minutes. I fly all year round.

Yes, I just whipped up a set of my famous 15 min. skis to fly an Alpha on.

Jetts

Oh man! I'm hopin to be good enough by the next winter to be able to throw some skis on mine and fly it around here! I have 35 Acres in the back and it'll be perfect!

I had the same Idea and since my trainer was just sitting around collecting dust I put some U.S. Aircore floats on it. (hobbico Superstar) I checked the CG and attached the floats correctly I even put a .46 on it since I was told I would need a little more power with the floats. So I took her down to the lake with me for her maiden float fly and she was a handful. I think the flat bottoms on the floats created extra lift and with the high lift wing it just kind of floated around with the tail dropped a lot. It was almost a 45 degree angle. I got her down safely but the flat metal pieces that hold the floats together popped off and sank. Hopefully you'll have better luck than I did.

.Alstack,
I saw the PIC but it did not open to a full size when I clicked on it.
Can you give me more info on the skis since I live 1/4 mile f rom a big lake I may as well try them.
What is the cost with all the hardware?

.Dan,
Are you flying with skies now?
If so let me know what plane.

.
Can't you add some nose weights?
What about locating the skies closer to the nose?
With the tail down at 45* your flying behing the power curve of the engine.
Doing this can make your plane just fall out of the sky and if your low you have no room to recover

.
If you get some skies please let us know what kind your going with.
I see there are several and one set is in the $100.00 range

.Jetts,
What type of skies do you have?

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXKH36&P=7

This is a link to the floats I have. They are US Aircore and they went together pretty well.

I also have two rudder kits for the plane but won't put them on till spring.
AL

.
.Thanks for that link.
YUP,There the ones I saw in the TH catalog.
They are big and my trainer should haul them up with no problem.
The price is also VERY GOOD

Hi All,
I use the Dubro Skis on my Alpha, they work great on packed snow. If you have alot of powder I wouldn't recomend it. I have some of the Gee Bee floats that came ready made for about $45 on my superstar 40. Just need to reinforce the area you attach the floats to. Also, make sure the step of the floats is below your center of gravity. These do work on powder. Happy winter flying!


http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJ290&P=7

Thanks for the tips.DUBRO maks quality items.
I have the superstar 40 and it's the one I just can't tear apart.Very strong plane.
Now it's time for the water landings

Whirley Bird,
I think the 46 LA did not have enough power with the extra drag of the floats. Nose weight may have helped but I was discouraged after my initial tests and bought a Ace Seamaster. It is a great flying sea plane.

Alstack,
This is how I set up my rudder. I just used a Y-cable and an extension and plugged it into the rudder channel. I had great water handling with it. Let me know how your setup works.
This is the rudder I used http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXE981&P=7

Here is another angle

.Lookinup,WOW!!!!,
Now I see why you need something bigger then a 46 LA engine.
Those are some big floats you have there.
I can see where the plane will struggle getting altitude.
I have to look in the TH catalog and price out the rudder and floats.
Thanks for the pictures

Thanks,
I am still trying to decide where to mount the servo. I was wondering if I could mount it in the fuse and use a flex cable or something like that. I have two of the Williams water rudders and would like them to work in tandum for more of a scale effect. Maybe asking for way more then I need. Hers is what they look like. http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXKK27&P=7
Al

Damn!
I need to check my posts a little better!

Hers = here is

Bad case of s**t fingers. Old Coast Guard injury. :stupid:

I was able to fly my Avistar w/ Dubro skis in powder. The prop was in the snow somewhat, but once I throttled it up, and it started to move forward, it came right up out of the snow. Landings were fine as well, except that the engine would quit once the plane slowed, and the prop hit the snow, otherwise no problems except for a little down trim to counter the extra lift that the skis give you. Good luck with the snow flying, we hit about 50 today in Cincy, it was a great day to fly, ton of guys at the field.

Yeah,
Too rudders will give you that real cool look

Alstack,
I originnaly wanted to do just as you suggest with the flex cable but to attach the pushrod housing to the floats would have made it more difficult to convert back to a land plane. Also I decided it would be much less work for me If I siliconed a servo into the float. Either way would work great I'm sure.

You folks may or may not know this, yours truely wasin the dark, once again, :spinnyeye , RC Universe has a "Seaplane" section, go figure. Those folks have some very kool ideas and some mighty fine airplanes.
I tell you if RC Universe dosen't have you don't need it.
AL