Best model to put on Amphibs

[109JB]

https://teamkitfox.com/Forums/thread...=kotm+nov+2009

The above link is to a nice write up of one of the members Kitfox IV on amphibious floats. In the article he mentions that the empty weight of this airplane is 779 and it is a 1200 gross weight Kitfox IV. That leaves 421 pounds useful load. He mentions that the airplane has some extra weight in terms of paint, so a few pounds might be saved by using minimal coats of paint, or something like oratex for covering.

I have a Kitfox IV project that I would like to someday put on amphibious floats. Using the above as a guide and with myself and wife total weights at 330 pounds leaves 91 pounds for fuel and baggage. I wouldn't anticipate needing baggage if she were flying with me so I could get 15 gallons of fuel in which would be plenty.

While this amount of useful load isn't winning any awards it could very well be enough depending on you and your mission, and this is for the Kitfox IV. For the newer models, keeping weight as low as possible during construction would yield even more useful load.

[Puddle Jumper]

EXCELLENT write up by Paul! Lots of good info.
Desert Fox 4 suggested earlier that I contact Paul for amphib info, I sent him a private message but apparently he isn’t logging in lately, probably busy building something or flying .
My plans are to purchase an already built model 5,6 or 7 which should give me a gross weight of 1550 lbs., I fly solo 95% of the time so weight shouldn’t be an issue.

Thank you for pointing me to this write up, very informative and helpful.
Hope you put floats on your Fox, water flying is lots of fun.

[N213RV]

I’m painting my ZenAir 1450A’s right now..... hopefully have good data on weight and balance this fall/ winter.....

[PapuaPilot]

What is your current EW?

If I lived in Michigan I would have floats on my Kitfox, our family has a cottage on Pickeral Lake near Petoskey.

[Puddle Jumper]

I’m painting my ZenAir 1450A’s right now..... hopefully have good data on weight and balance this fall/ winter.....

Mike,
Beautiful plane, love the color scheme! Floats look great, float flying fun heading your way.
From what I’ve seen so far Zenair 1450’s seem to be the only ones put on KF’s.
Wondering if someone has installed Clamars and how they like them.

Phil.
I live on a lake in Central Florida, I see you understand my need for floats.

[PapuaPilot]

Mike,
Phil.
I live on a lake in Central Florida, I see you understand my need for floats.

I miss fling floats. I spent 7 years flying float planes (out of my 20) in Indonesia with Mission Aviation Fellowship. I have over 2700 hours on floats. I started in a TU206 with Aerocet 3500 straight floats, then with Wipaire 4000 amphibs, but most of my float time was in the amphibious Caravan. I also helped take the first amphibious Kodiak to Oshkosh in 2013. The Kodiak photo was taken in the river next to the Homedale airport, home of the Kitfox factory!

Boma Dec 06.jpg

kodiak-floats_snake-river-idaho.jpg

[Puddle Jumper]

I miss fling floats. I spent 7 years flying float planes (out of my 20) in Indonesia with Mission Aviation Fellowship. I have over 2700 hours on floats. I started in a TU206 with Aerocet 3500 straight floats, then with Wipaire 4000 amphibs, but most of my float time was in the amphibious Caravan. I also helped take the first amphibious Kodiak to Oshkosh in 2013. The Kodiak photo was taken in the river next to the Homedale airport, home of the Kitfox factory!

Boma Dec 06.jpg

kodiak-floats_snake-river-idaho.jpg

WOW! What a super float flying record!
You got to fly some of the best out there.
Move near water!