I am specifically looking for a 40 size plane for floats (also gonna use them off snow). I would like to try to get a pretty scale looking setup. I am a fairly good pilot, and would like to get something to do basic Imac aerobatics if possible.

Thanks 871

Anyone????? looking for a good plane for floats. I was looking H9 cub with a saito82, but I think something a touch more aerobatic would be nice so I could practice imac sportsman over the water

Thanks 871

You may have created a problem by saying that you want something scale. There just aren't any full scale aerobatic float planes.

Problem number two; scale aerobats like caps, extras, edges and especially yaks, in 40 size tend to be too heavy to start with and adding floats makes them nasty tip stallers.

The best 40 size aerobatic float planes I've seen were 1)Cermark Graduate; 2)Goldberg Tiger II; 3)Great Planes/Hobbico Kaos, none of which are scale, although 1 and 2 are "scale-like".

I personally love the Pacific Aeromodel Knockabout, which is a stand off scale Piper Cherokee, but it uses a Clark Y airfoil and is not as good at precision outside maneuvers as the fully symmetrical examples above.

Regardless of your choice, make sure you use the lightest floats you can. to keep the wing loading down. Hobby Lobby's glass floats are about the lightest, and tough enough for snow. Foam cores like Planefunfloats can be light if you go easy on the finish, but you will need glass on the bottom for snow.

Above all else, do not use Gee Bee floats. If you don't already know about them, do a search.

Jim

I disagree VERY strongly about not using GeeBee floats and have used them since 1976 on various airplanes. The larger ones are a bit flimsey but the smaller ones are excellent, very tough and my pic for snow flying and funning areound on sand and rocks. You will not find a better float for toughness.

A good easy to fly and assemble aerobattic plane is the great planes Dazzler. One of my favorites used to be the original Midwest Hots on the GeeBee floats, the GP Dazzler is similar and now it's an ARF so it's that much easier...

OK, I'm from California and I only fly float planes from water. You may be right that the Gee Bees are great for flying from sand, rocks and snow. I suspect it also has something to do with the type of airplane you use them on. Any float will work fine if the airplane will take off in a couple of feet. They definately are tough. I wonder how cold they could get before they got brittle.

My experiences with them on water, and the experiences of the many other folks who agree with me, are that ANY other float works better.

Jim

I guess originally I saw a access problem with the low wingers & floats.....but maybe not.

I have a seagull pc9 with a tt .46pro. I guess i assumed it would be tough with the low wing, and was going to sell it. I love the plane, it is a ripper with a mac tuned pipe. Would this make a good floater???????????

Thanks 871

Yes, mount the floats to the fuse just in front of and in back of the wing saddle. At over 5 pounds the smaller GeeBees won't work well off water but would on snow. They are at their limit weight wise on water. I would build a set of the GP floats and fiberglass the crap out of them for water and snow. The nice thing about the GeeBees is no matter how icy or hard the snow is they work well.

Jim, yes there are other floats that work better in some applications but the GeeBees work good, best, in certain applications. In some applications you have to design and build your own...

The Quaker needed long skinny floats to match a light big plane. The Skeeter needed short buoyant floats because of it being a delta.

I don't know what you mean by an "access problem", but low wing airplanes generally make better balanced, and certainly more aerobatic, float planes. Plus, they are much more resistant to blowing over in a turn and usually don't require a water rudder. (I know you don't use a water rudder on snow, but if you don't fly it on water next summer you are going to miss out on a lot of fun.)

Your biggest concern should be wing loading. The floats will add 1 to 1 1/2 pounds to the weight of the plane. Your PC9 will start out with a pretty heavy wing loading and, with the floats on, it may not fly the way you like. The three I recommended all have a low wing loading to start with and, with floats on, they will fly about the same as the PC9 does without floats. My Graduate on Hobby Lobby floats weighed under 6 pounds and had a 625 sq. in. wing. That is a wing loading of 22 oz/sq. ft. on floats. I suspect that your PC9 is higher than that on wheels.

Jim

By access I believe he meant access to the fuse,,
typically on a low wing sport model, you'll mount the floats to the wing, so when the wing comes off so does the floats
easy access

A buddy had a world models t-34 arf,, very very far away stand off scale
The thing flew great with a Saito 52,, a stock 40 2c would fly it great
If I remember it had a full symmetrical wing,, the thing was very aerobatic

We'd fly it til we were out of fuel every float fly

Good luck

A simple way to mount the floats on a low wing. This is from http://www.pacaeromodel.com/Knockabout/Float/struts.htm

The floats swivel around the spreader bars. To remove the wing, you remove the wing bolts, tip the floats forward and lift the wing out. You can take the front strut off also, or just tip the floats back and reinsert the wing bolts to hold them on the wingless fuselage.

Jim

OHHHHHHHHHHH. I see, you mount right to the wing! I was thinking fuse the whole time. Actually, the pc9 is similar to the t34 (had one till I let my bro fly it)

Is there any low wing float attachment examples out there anyone has????????????

Thanks 871