---------------------------------------------------------- Seaplane-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 12/19/05: 10 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 05:08 AM - Messages (Peter Cowan) 2. 05:26 AM - Re: Messages (shorty) 3. 06:32 AM - Re: Messages (Paul Seehafer) 4. 06:37 AM - Floats added -- Msgs - 12/18/05 (Scott Perkins) 5. 06:41 AM - Re: Messages (Jean-Paul Roy) 6. 08:08 AM - Re: malcolm michigan (Malcolmbru@aol.com) 7. 09:19 AM - Re: Floatplane vidoes -- FREE (shorty) 8. 09:21 AM - Re: Floats added -- Msgs - 12/18/05 (shorty) 9. 06:07 PM - floats (Malcolmbru@aol.com) 10. 06:40 PM - Re: floats (John Perry) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 05:08:05 AM PST US From: "Peter Cowan" Subject: Seaplane-List: Messages --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "Peter Cowan" What a breakthrough to finally get some float chatter. Shorty, I recently had 1100 amphibs on a Rans S7. They were a beautiful float operated by compressed air and performed pretty well but I frequently had the tip of a float go under water and found that unnerving. I was also nervous about forgetting to put the wheels where they should be some time. So, I'm now back with Lotus 1260. Ugly but VERY forgiving of rocks and rough water (hard landings). Peter ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 05:26:36 AM PST US From: "shorty" Subject: Re: Seaplane-List: Messages --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "shorty" I got a 582 so the nose of floats stay up nicely. the black bumper is entirely outta water with 2 on board. Only complaint is the high caster angle on the front wheels and small wheels. I used 6 inch solid tailwheels on nosewheels but the casters are the weak link in them. And on water it has AOA about 3 to 5 degrees But on land about - 3 degrees so it takes a bit more runway and speed to get it to rotate . this willl be another issue to deal with over winter with nose gear. Sure I could shorten the read strut or use longer front and/or diagonal strut but my water config is near perfect and increasing that angle will cost a few mph in flight i think. Many told me that 582 Kitfox would not carry amphibs, Hell it still climbs 600 to800 fpm solo on warm day. Dual well 400 to 500 fpm . Shorty ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Cowan" Subject: Seaplane-List: Messages > --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "Peter Cowan" > > What a breakthrough to finally get some float chatter. > Shorty, I recently had 1100 amphibs on a Rans S7. They were a > beautiful float operated by compressed air and performed pretty > well but I frequently had the tip of a float go under water and > found that unnerving. I was also nervous about forgetting to put > the wheels where they should be some time. So, I'm now back with > Lotus 1260. Ugly but VERY forgiving of rocks and rough water > (hard landings). > Peter > > > ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 06:32:08 AM PST US From: "Paul Seehafer" Subject: Re: Seaplane-List: Messages --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "Paul Seehafer" Peter, I know exactly what you mean about the Aerocets. I have a Model IV-1200 Kitfox with a 912ul in it, and everything but the kitchen sink (weighs 627 on wheels, 775 on floats). When idle taxiing the front of the floats have water coming over them regularly with just me and 20 gallons of fuel. Plow taxiing is almost dangerous if you get any wind under your wing. But they seem to work well otherwise. (although I agree with Shorty about the nosewheel issues). I have a video of my first flight posted on a really cool kitfox site http://lazair.com/kitfox/index.php?act=idx under the videos section if you want to see it. I will probably one day put a set of Czech floats on my airplane as I've flown a friends Rans S-7 with them a lot and like them. And I have an other airplane I am working on that is much lighter than the Kitfox that would work well on the Aerocets. One day... Btw - I flew a Kitfox model IV/582 on full lotus and loved them. Was never impressed with full lotus until I flew them on that airplane. Were great with the exception of rough water. But who wants to be in rough water anyhow? Worth mentioning, if you ever want to sell your Aerocets (should you ever go to the czech floats?) let me know as I have a friend that is looking for a set. Paul Seehafer ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Cowan" Subject: Seaplane-List: Messages > --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "Peter Cowan" > > What a breakthrough to finally get some float chatter. > Shorty, I recently had 1100 amphibs on a Rans S7. They were a > beautiful float operated by compressed air and performed pretty > well but I frequently had the tip of a float go under water and > found that unnerving. I was also nervous about forgetting to put > the wheels where they should be some time. So, I'm now back with > Lotus 1260. Ugly but VERY forgiving of rocks and rough water > (hard landings). > Peter > > > ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 06:37:55 AM PST US From: Scott Perkins <2scott@bellsouth.net> Subject: Seaplane-List: Floats added -- Msgs - 12/18/05 --> Seaplane-List message posted by: Scott Perkins <2scott@bellsouth.net> Remember for most two seater aircraft the extra weight of the floats equals the passenger weight. Nearly impossible to fly any other way but solo with going way over gross weight. There is a yahoo group for Seaplane builders here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seabuild/ It works a little better for photos and files archival etc. ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 06:41:34 AM PST US From: "Jean-Paul Roy" Subject: Re: Seaplane-List: Messages --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "Jean-Paul Roy" Peter, what was the brand on those 1100 air activated amphibs? Trying to find something suitable for the Zenith 701 I just started to build. Jean-Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Cowan" Subject: Seaplane-List: Messages > --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "Peter Cowan" > > What a breakthrough to finally get some float chatter. > Shorty, I recently had 1100 amphibs on a Rans S7. They were a > beautiful float operated by compressed air and performed pretty > well but I frequently had the tip of a float go under water and > found that unnerving. I was also nervous about forgetting to put > the wheels where they should be some time. So, I'm now back with > Lotus 1260. Ugly but VERY forgiving of rocks and rough water > (hard landings). > Peter > > ________________________________ Message 6 _____________________________________ Time: 08:08:47 AM PST US From: Malcolmbru@aol.com Subject: Seaplane-List: Re: malcolm michigan --> Seaplane-List message posted by: Malcolmbru@aol.com flew a catalina last sumer real fun it had a 618 flew off land then water 8 times I am a ul bfi with seaplain rating catalina is to heavuy for my catagory the one I flew is for sale $16,500 I work at sun fun 15 years now hope to see U all there at ul head quorters also I have found no float plans for sale except for wag aro and they are for 1100lb to 15lb grose I want to build some 950 max I have a half set of old zenair plans modafied and have ben cuting wood for the forms and got$5000 worth of alum skin ready mal ________________________________ Message 7 _____________________________________ Time: 09:19:27 AM PST US From: "shorty" Subject: Re: Seaplane-List: Floatplane vidoes -- FREE --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "shorty" Found this great site http://lazair.com/kitfox/index.php?act=SF&f=5&st All kitfox info there too. Tons of free movies Shorty ----- Original Message ----- From: Subject: Seaplane-List: Re: malcolm michigan > --> Seaplane-List message posted by: Malcolmbru@aol.com > > flew a catalina last sumer real fun it had a 618 flew off land then > water > 8 times I am a ul bfi with seaplain rating catalina is to heavuy for my > catagory the one I flew is for sale $16,500 I work at sun fun 15 years > now > hope to see U all there at ul head quorters also I have found no float > plans > for sale except for wag aro and they are for 1100lb to 15lb grose I > want > to build some 950 max I have a half set of old zenair plans modafied > and > have ben cuting wood for the forms and got$5000 worth of alum skin > ready mal > > > ________________________________ Message 8 _____________________________________ Time: 09:21:53 AM PST US From: "shorty" Subject: Re: Seaplane-List: Floats added -- Msgs - 12/18/05 --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "shorty" Scott, perhpas you could clue us in to your float experinece to make that statement. I agree that you will cut your useful load but there are many that will surprize you and many are fully flyable and safe dual. A Kitfox or Avid on Floats is a very useful floatplane for 2 people. member you not gonna fit 2 300 pounder in a ealry avid in the first place as the cabin is only 36" wide :) Scott what do you fly ? Shorty ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Perkins" <2scott@bellsouth.net> Subject: Seaplane-List: Floats added -- Msgs - 12/18/05 > --> Seaplane-List message posted by: Scott Perkins <2scott@bellsouth.net> > > > Remember for most two seater aircraft the extra weight of the floats > equals > the passenger weight. Nearly impossible to fly any other way but solo > with > going way over gross weight. > > There is a yahoo group for Seaplane builders here > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seabuild/ > > It works a little better for photos and files archival etc. > > > ________________________________ Message 9 _____________________________________ Time: 06:07:09 PM PST US From: Malcolmbru@aol.com Subject: Seaplane-List: floats --> Seaplane-List message posted by: Malcolmbru@aol.com realy need a set of float plans for a 1000 max kit fox ________________________________ Message 10 ____________________________________ Time: 06:40:40 PM PST US From: "John Perry" Subject: Re: Seaplane-List: floats --> Seaplane-List message posted by: "John Perry" Best place to get custom float plans http://www.ultralightfloats.com/ Fly safe fly low fly slow John Perry kitfox 2 N718PD ----- Original Message ----- From: Subject: Seaplane-List: floats > --> Seaplane-List message posted by: Malcolmbru@aol.com > > realy need a set of float plans for a 1000 max kit fox > > > > >