<span style="font-size: medium"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS">i've never had a chance to fly off snow before. i was curious if anyone had any input on which i should put on my beautiful cub. i've heard about people using floats because the have them, but never heard of how it worked out. i was thinking about going with skis, but with it being a taildragger, how would the tail wheel affect the roll out, being like an anchor hanging back there? does anyone know where i could get a small ski to use instead of the wheel? the cub is a .40 sizegreat planes. and which would actually be better? how is it with the extra friction compared to "wheel" takeoffs? </span></span></p>

I'm sure Goirish can and will add something to this.. I've never done it, when we get snow here in lower NJ, it's usually not worthy of flying off because it doesn't normally get cold enough for it to remain fluffy for flying. It usually will get slushy then freeze.

CGr.

I fly mostly with floats and it works better than off water. I found that if the snow is fluffy skis have a tendency to sink in, In Michigan we don't get a lot of powder, most of it is corn snow or hard pack. In that case skis will work OK. Skis have to be bigger than you would think to keep them from sinking. Try the floats, the bird will track very good and lift off quite quickly. Just my 2c Sometimes on Ebay you will see skis for taildraggers that include the tailwheel ski. I will look around and if you decide to go with skis I will send you a tailwheel ski if I can find it.

I flew a Hots in the winter in Minnesnowta. I put skis on the mains and never had a hint of trouble with the tail wheel. I went with skis because the conditions often gave exposed ice on the runway. The wind BLOWS there a lot. I didn't want to bust floats. I did fly it off a lake (frozen) but didn't go back because there were always fishing shacks here and there and the ice there can make ridges that're hidden just under the snow.

The skis were aluminum, and really benefitted from waxing.

The Hots has a very good power loading. It's success was partly a function of that.

I have been using Dubro plastic skis on my planes for tha last few winters. All of the planes I have flown with them have been taildraggers, and they work good. If you have deep powder, they won't work, but we rarely have deep powder for more than a couple of days before it crusts over.

One good thing about flying on snow is that the runway becomes much bigger, and you can pretty much take off and land anywhere on the field.

This is a video of the first plane I flew in the snow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1g047ZLfeM

If you're flying off hard-pack snow or ice, skis are better, but it the snow is soft, floats work great.

I have used both ski,s and floats . Prefer floats as I have many lakes around and they work off snow really well too.

I think floats are more versatile...they will work well on just about all snow conditions, except ice crusted.
I've got a Gee Bee models Sea Hawk that I keep the floats on year 'round...we fly off the lake in Summer, and when it freezes over in Winter...don't have to change a thing.[8D]

I even fly my seamaster and seadancer off the snow. Sure is pretty kicking up that rooster tail of snow

Here are some pics of a snow-fly we had last winter

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=8426469

Nice pictures..... looks like it was fun.

Breaks my heart, because come February here, and there ain't gonna be a drop of snow. Heck the temps won't even be in the 30s during the day.

It's hard to take......
ok, it's not really that hard............
ok, my heart isn't breaking.............
matter of fact, I can't get the grin off my face.
Geez, I miss Minnesnowta.

(actually I do, but not all the time, and it's mostly the people I miss)

You can come up and visit and fly with us any time you would like.

Here is a link to some skis that I use [link=http://www.MAIDENUSAMMP.COM]maiden skis[/link]

Floats work better in fluffy snow where skis can get caught up. I'm planning on going with a strong 4 stroke engine as well for my LT40 along with floats for flying out of snow this winter.

Have never tried floats (they're on my "eventually" list) but have done much with skis. The tail-drag part is only a problem in very mushy snow. You can even make a tiny tail ski out of sheet aluminum (or a "tin" can) to straddle the tail wheel if you wish. Generally, I find getting the model up on the mains and flying the tail makes it easier to taxi, anyway. Most of mine have had a tendency to weathervane badly if I try and move around on the skis much.

Here,

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...ter+minisport#

you can see my ski design in action. This was a day, just a few degrees below freezing, the snow was dry and powdery. No wind and lots of sun makes it a very enjoyable experience. Note that the tail has a small ski as well, this makes it all work just gang busters.

I always have used Skis. Here in Chicago we'll get everything from heavy, wet snow to sugar...

I made a little ski for my tail wheel...some times it'd work, other times it wouldn't...depended on the snow, or ice!

Coldest day I've gone flying: 8 degrees below zero.

Hey Articcatrider

The pres didn't get Chicago for the games.

Yah..it would have been neat....

Although I don't agree with hardly any of his policy, it was nice for him to go to bat for Chicago. I think a lot of people were hoping for Chicago.....
But...South America has never had them, so I guess it's their turn.

Either way, I'll sleep soundly tonight [8D]

Thanks for that article.
Everyone making skis should read this. Note where they place the pivot and then go look at most commercially available skis. You can use skis in a foot of powder with no problem if they are designed properly.

Hi Tom,

You're welcome and thanks for the thumbs up. We DO get snow, and this ski design, if you can get the cementable teflon, will work in most snow conditions. Placement of the axle is also quite important, as you say, and most commercial designs overlook this. If you can't get the Teflon, a smooth finish with glider wax works well too. This is used on waxless, cross country skis, the ones with a unidirectional pattern on the bottom. We had one local apply Monokote to the bottoms and that worked well for the season. For the next season, he'd just redo the bottoms and good to go again. Indoor flying is great but it's good to get out in the fresh air during a long, cold, dark winter.

I've made a few aluminum ones that worked pretty good but I never really had a great system for a spring or bungee. Even easier is a hand launch plane. I'm in thunder bay now so we'll see how much snow they get here. I have to make a pair of skis for my CL plane which is a little big to hand launch.

Used to rip on goldberg cubs with Dubro Skis with the little bungies on them. Worked great. A big weight savings so much more agile that floats. (which is fun too). Tail wheels were never a problem.

I like Rock Miss MN Too! Sometimes. Rock maybe ill catch you next year up there at the Fair.

You missed a great state fair this past year, lots of people and great food. It feels like it will snow one of these days.

Jon

Damn,

I miss that. I get my wifes taffy sent up by friends and have tried for 6 years to get to Texas's but its like driving to Canada from Plymouth.