HELP!!

I have a Kombat 60 which I installed the reccomended GEEBEE floats on... I cannot get this thing off the water. I talked to a very nice guy at "The Airplane Factory" and he had a few suggestions none of which has worked. Its like the plane is stuck to the surface of the water.

I managed to get it off the water one time by running over my own wake (circled) but this tree rose up out of the water like the lochness monster and snatched it.

I have tried several time since then -- no luck. I have a 46f motor on it and this plane will really scream across the surface of the water but wont lift off.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Tony

Seems to be a fairly common problem with some Gee Bee float setups .... apparently the step isn't sharp enough....it is also a rather odd looking step. Anyone have any suggestions?

Try these actions one-at-the-time. (you could do it all at once, but then you won't know which one did the trick...or which one make it worse)

Increase the incidence of the wing relative to the float. 4-5 degrees should work. Airplane nose up/float nose down.

Scoot the floats forward a half inch.

If you have a computer radio and dual aileron servos, droop the flaperons 15 degrees.

Use full up elevator for the first ten feet of your run. Then neutralize the elevator and let the airplane accelerate. Gentle back pressure once the plane has reached takeoff speed should get it airborne. Conversely, Holding a bunch of up just makes the tail of the floats dig in and act as hydro-brakes. You should not, and you should not need to, rotate so far that the tail of the float touches the water.

Be sure the floats are parallel when looking from the top. No toe-in or toe-out.

Water rudder(s)? Make sure they don't stick down from the transom any farther than the height of the step.

I'm no fan of GeeBee floats, but you >SHOULD< be able to get airborne. If it will go fast enough to fly, it should fly. Proper floats DO help. There are a lot of foam float vendors linked on the Florida Float Flyers website.

When the water is as smooth as glass any float set up may have trouble breaking the surface. A pilot of a full sized float plane told me he does a few circles then takes off across his own wake to help break the surface. I have a 60 size Cub on GP floats that I had trouble breaking loose on a dead calm day. Normally no problem. Take Mr. Casey's advice he won't steer you wrong, and happy flying.......Seaplane

Jim

Thank you for your reply. I'm kinda new to this --- flaperons? is this the moving surface on the wing? Do I set them this way by adjusting the push rods? Sorry for a stupid question -- Your probably thinking "..no wonder the guy cant get it airborne he doesnt even know what flaperons are..." :>)

I will do the other mods you suggested this morning....

Hope to get this thing airborne today.


Tony

have been reading some other posts and I just go to thinking...

Before I added floats to my plane it was pretty nimble -- Loops, rolls, chandelles, etc.

Is this now not advisable with the floats on?

KOMBAt 60 with a 46fx

Flaperons are what it's called when the ailerons can be drooped like flaps. Generally you need a computer radio for this. If you can't control them from your radio, don't just adjust your ailerons down. It will make your airplane fly poorly once you get any speed. Just like airliners, by the time they are over the fence after takeoff, the flaps are coming up.

Aerobatics: there is no restriction with floats. Some maneuvers are improved. Inverted flight can be better 'cause the floats make some lift, too.

Thanks Jim,

So what your saying is if I could upgrade my radio -- to a computer radio than I could the flaperon thing -- I will start looking around.

Thanks for the tips --- I am going to try and get this done today so I can give it a shot this afternoon!!!