Floats on small aircraft

[[email protected]]

I want to get a small float plane to fly from my lake to salmon streams
abt 20-40 miles away
in Ak. Land on the lakes or mouths and fish for Kings and then fly back
to my lake. Flight time prob abt 20 min one way.

wld i be better off:

1. just buying a supercub
2. buying a cessna
3. buy a fox built kit
4. Build a fox float kit

Hope someone can comment on this question -

5 Which kit wld be the best for that use? Short hops hauling several
hundred lbs + 1 or 2 passengers.

I have private liscense but not float rated yet but am retired and
ready for fun.

Are these questions too open ended?

Blueraven

[Toks Desalu]

Keep in mind that I am not the expert.

1) 20 to 40 miles away trip
2) landing on lakes or mouths

Sounds like a day trip and a lot of planes can fit into that bill. Why not
look into UL on float since it is cheaper and will do the job?


> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I want to get a small float plane to fly from my lake to salmon streams
> abt 20-40 miles away
> in Ak. Land on the lakes or mouths and fish for Kings and then fly back
> to my lake. Flight time prob abt 20 min one way.
>
> wld i be better off:
>
> 1. just buying a supercub
> 2. buying a cessna
> 3. buy a fox built kit
> 4. Build a fox float kit
>
> Hope someone can comment on this question -
>
> 5 Which kit wld be the best for that use? Short hops hauling several
> hundred lbs + 1 or 2 passengers.
>
> I have private liscense but not float rated yet but am retired and
> ready for fun.
>
> Are these questions too open ended?
>
> Blueraven
>

[Morgans]

> wrote

> abt 20-40 miles away
> in Ak. Land on the lakes or mouths and fish for Kings and then fly back
> to my lake. Flight time prob abt 20 min one way.
>
> wld i be better off:
>
> 1. just buying a supercub
> 2. buying a cessna
> 3. buy a fox built kit
> 4. Build a fox float kit
>
> Hope someone can comment on this question -
>
> 5 Which kit wld be the best for that use? Short hops hauling several
> hundred lbs + 1 or 2 passengers.
>
> I have private liscense but not float rated yet but am retired and
> ready for fun.
>
> Are these questions too open ended?

If you want to haul several hundred pounds, most of what you listed are out,
because they don't have a high enough useful load. Cub, way under. Either
fox, not even close. Cessna, yes, if it is a pretty big one, most likely
with at least 250 plus HP.

A Beaver would be ideal. Big bucks, hard to find.

I think the Bearhawk (?) might work. Look it up.

Good luck.
--
Jim in NC

[[email protected]]

T,

Im lookin online now for the price of the kits..I fnd one whose floats
were only ard $1500 new.

BR

[Morgans]

"Toks Desalu" > wrote in message
news:CeQHf.2876$lG.2530@trndny01...
> Keep in mind that I am not the expert.
>
> 1) 20 to 40 miles away trip
> 2) landing on lakes or mouths
>
> Sounds like a day trip and a lot of planes can fit into that bill. Why not
> look into UL on float since it is cheaper and will do the job?
\
That ignores the request to carry one or two people, and several hundred
pounds.
--
Jim in NC

[Morgans]

> wrote in message

> Pipers are used up here a lot by many people. A guy at work used to
> take his PA22 and fly, with his wife, to west Ak. Get a carabou and
> then fly back so I know they can do it. Lots of folk have them on
> floats.
>
> My experience is mostly with 172's except abt 10 hrs in a 210. The
> 172's wld carry 3 guys and camping gear.
>
> A neighbor is an old A&E guy and he suggested an Aeronica. I rem my dad
> flew that long ago along and the L-19's.
>
> I thgt the Fox kits wld do floats.
>
> Well thaks for your input. Im gonna file all this so i can decide.

A PA-22 (some models) have a useful load of up to about 900 lbs. If you
want to take 2 people, subtract 350 pounds, and another 150 lbs for gas.
Subtract around 200 lbs (or more?) for the floats. What are we up to? 700
pounds. That means you only have 200 lbs left for gear, or whatever you
want, but you said you wanted to carry several hundred pounds. Therefore,
this does not meet your stated needs.

The C-172 I looked up has a useful load of 940 lbs, but some of that will be
eaten up by the need to carry more fuel for the thirstier engine, so once
again, the load carrying will not be enough for what you stated.

I just think that you need to be realistic, about the size of the plane you
will need, or be prepared to downsize your requirements.

By the way, I love your idea, and hope that one day, I willl be doing much
the same thing. :-)
--
Jim in NC

[Morgans]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> T,
>
> Im lookin online now for the price of the kits..I fnd one whose floats
> were only ard $1500 new.
>
> BR

Keep us up to date, on what you find, and what you end up doing, if you
will. It sounds like an interesting goal, and project!

I would like to see more kits of a real amphibian, preferably ones of a
weight and performance that would put them solidly in the new light sport
aircraft. Now for the real kicker; one that does not use the "overpriced"
Rotax. (plus I don't like Rotax!) <g>

I know! I'll just design and build one! (I wish/hope)
--
Jim in NC

[Drew Dalgleish]

>
> wrote in message
>
>> Pipers are used up here a lot by many people. A guy at work used to
>> take his PA22 and fly, with his wife, to west Ak. Get a carabou and
>> then fly back so I know they can do it. Lots of folk have them on
>> floats.
>>
>> My experience is mostly with 172's except abt 10 hrs in a 210. The
>> 172's wld carry 3 guys and camping gear.

Maybe on wheels but mount either of these planes on floats and they
become 2 seaters .

[Drew Dalgleish]

>
> wrote in message
oups.com...
>>I want to get a small float plane to fly from my lake to salmon streams
>> abt 20-40 miles away
>> in Ak. Land on the lakes or mouths and fish for Kings and then fly back
>> to my lake. Flight time prob abt 20 min one way.
>>
>> wld i be better off:
>>
>> 1. just buying a supercub
>> 2. buying a cessna
>> 3. buy a fox built kit
>> 4. Build a fox float kit
>>
>> Hope someone can comment on this question -
>>
>> 5 Which kit wld be the best for that use? Short hops hauling several
>> hundred lbs + 1 or 2 passengers.
>>
>> I have private liscense but not float rated yet but am retired and
>> ready for fun.
>>
>> Are these questions too open ended?
>>
>> Blueraven
>>
>
The only plane on your list that meets your stated requirements is a
cessna. At least a 182 more likely a 185. If you want to build
consider a murphy moose or a bearhawk. Since all you want to make are
short hops you could reconsider your requirements and use a smaller
plane making several trips.

[Gig 601XL Builder]

Which UL would that be that would fit the requirements of 2 + several
hundred pounds of cargo?


"Toks Desalu" > wrote in message
news:CeQHf.2876$lG.2530@trndny01...
> Keep in mind that I am not the expert.
>
> 1) 20 to 40 miles away trip
> 2) landing on lakes or mouths
>
> Sounds like a day trip and a lot of planes can fit into that bill. Why not
> look into UL on float since it is cheaper and will do the job?
>
>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>I want to get a small float plane to fly from my lake to salmon streams
>> abt 20-40 miles away
>> in Ak. Land on the lakes or mouths and fish for Kings and then fly back
>> to my lake. Flight time prob abt 20 min one way.
>>
>> wld i be better off:
>>
>> 1. just buying a supercub
>> 2. buying a cessna
>> 3. buy a fox built kit
>> 4. Build a fox float kit
>>
>> Hope someone can comment on this question -
>>
>> 5 Which kit wld be the best for that use? Short hops hauling several
>> hundred lbs + 1 or 2 passengers.
>>
>> I have private liscense but not float rated yet but am retired and
>> ready for fun.
>>
>> Are these questions too open ended?
>>
>> Blueraven
>>
>
>

[Gig 601XL Builder]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> T,
>
> Im lookin online now for the price of the kits..I fnd one whose floats
> were only ard $1500 new.
>
> BR
>

Look at the Zenith 801 @ http://www.zenithair.com/

[[email protected]]

> If you really want to get funky a Ranger
> powered Fairchild 24 on straight floats

Awesome plane! I learned to fly in one of those!
I think the cost won't be as friendly as the plane, though...

Piero

[Ed Sullivan]

>
>I would like to see more kits of a real amphibian, preferably ones of a
>weight and performance that would put them solidly in the new light sport
>aircraft. Now for the real kicker; one that does not use the "overpriced"
>Rotax. (plus I don't like Rotax!) <g>
>
>I know! I'll just design and build one! (I wish/hope)

A couple of guys on our airport just purchased Mermaids which I think
are Czech built. They are beautiful, mostly built, but expensive and
are light sport aircraft eligible. Engine used is optional.

[Morgans]

> http://www.douglasdc3.com/float/float.htm
> Too big? <g>

You know, the old lady looks completely different, sitting on the ground -
without the butt sitting down on the ground! <g>
--
Jim in NC

[LJ]

A kitfox would do it,But Skystar is bankrupted.A used series 6 or 7.
LJ

wrote:
> Jim,
>
> Pipers are used up here a lot by many people. A guy at work used to
> take his PA22 and fly, with his wife, to west Ak. Get a carabou and
> then fly back so I know they can do it. Lots of folk have them on
> floats.
>
> My experience is mostly with 172's except abt 10 hrs in a 210. The
> 172's wld carry 3 guys and camping gear.
>
> A neighbor is an old A&E guy and he suggested an Aeronica. I rem my dad
> flew that long ago along and the L-19's.
>
> I thgt the Fox kits wld do floats.
>
> Well thaks for your input. Im gonna file all this so i can decide.
>
> BR
>

[Smitty Two]

In article >, LJ > wrote:

> A kitfox would do it,But Skystar is bankrupted.A used series 6 or 7.
> LJ
>

Kitfoxes on floats can carry two men and a couple of hundred pounds of
gear? I flew a demo at the factory a few years ago, and it didn't seem
quite that big.

[[email protected]]

Well there's a heap of ideas and I appreciate it:

So far, I've looked at some nice machines:

The Mermaid looks nice. Might need larger engine for better useful
load. I've always wanted a widgeon. Are there other single engine
pushers? Here's some intereresting videos:

http://www.skyshops.org/mermaid-main.htm

The Rebel looks good and I really like the SR3500 but don't need that
capacity.

Also, the BearHawk http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepBearhawk260.html
may be an option also. It has 51% complete option.

Dang, So much to do so little time..<G>

Thanks All for your comments. I looked at all the ideas..

BR
=====================

[Morgans]

> wrote
>
> The Mermaid looks nice. Might need larger engine for better useful
> load. I've always wanted a widgeon. Are there other single engine
> pushers? Here's some intereresting videos:

Aircraft Spruce and Supply has plans and materials for another
pusher/seaplane/amphibian, but I can't for the life of me think of the name
right now.

It (and as will most other offerings) fall well short of you desired useful
load.
--
Jim in NC

[kumaros]

For such a relatively short flying distance of 20-40 miles
and given the fishing objective I'd compromise on the load
carrying capacity and take a look at a flying inflatable boat:
http://www.polarismotor.it/
Kumaros
It's all Greek to me