i got my floats and i wanted to get some tips from experts on how i should take off and land my avistar do i land fast or slow?? some tips!

Your frist elights want to be in calm air. the plane will takeoff an land the same as on land. landing is really neat. hold it off as long as you can try to touch the back of floats frist it just looks neat. enjoy...
Falcon

I can't help you with the take-offs because I had problems with that. I think having the floats set up correctly is the most important thing to good take-offs. Landing was no different than on land, I just brought it in and set it down.

Well, my first experience with my Eagle II on floats was a real learning situation. The first thing I noted was that the takeoff run was longer even though the .46 engine was at full power. Then I noticed the amount of drag the floats made in the air. Throttling back to half power as I did with wheels attached caused the plane to begin loosing altitude which forced me to increase the throttle to the three quarters position. Even then the plane suffered a much slower flight speed. When time to land, I headed into the wind, and reduced the throttle like for landing on land. Immediately the plane started to drop like a rock from about an 8ft altitude. Being slow to react to this sudden change, my throttle increase did not take effect in enough time which caused the model to smack the floats heavy into the water causing the plane to flip over onto its' back. In reviewing this flight, and a lot of reading after, there is a real difference in landing on water than land. The first item is the difference in the drag of the wheels when touching down on a runway verses the high drag the floats will make when touching down the water surface. This effects both the takeoff and landing. My research brought out that in takeoffs, the floats have to reach planning step speed to reduce the drag enough for the wing lift to bring the model airborne. How long the takeoff will take depends on the how fast the floats reach the step position. This is where a larger than necessary engine is helpful. Now on landing, it was written that a soft contact is needed in order for the float drag be taken by the plane slowly while the pilot compensates more elevator needs to keep the float noses from digging into the water. The fuselage will have a high nose attitude until the plane speed is down to a slow taxi. I am sure more information will come forth to make some changes to what I have said here, but just understand that the two different surfaces present different drag situations to the landing gears.

Drying out my Eagle fuse and radio gear was a learning experience doing once was enough.

Good luck on your float flying!

Rich S.

I'm sorry Rich had a bad experience but that is unusual.

Taking off: taxi out and line up into he wind. The plane will weathervane into the wind if you're idling and neutralize the controls.
Hold full UP, advance the throttle, and when the plane pops up onto the step (2 seconds maybe) relax the elevator, let the plane gather speed and gently pull a little elevator to lift off.

Landing:
Make a normal approach from downwind. Flare and try to hold a small (1-2" ) altitude. WHen the plane runs out of airspeed or lift it will settle in. If the plane skips or bounces you were too fast or you landed too hard. WATCH THE REFLECTION OF THE PLANE TO JUDGE ALTITUDE. When the plane touches its reflection you are on the water.