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Thread: floats, which ones

  1. #1
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default floats, which ones

    Ok here's my problem. Which floats. My wife wants me to get the rating and put them on the fox. It's the model 4 1200 with 912uls medium IVO inflight adjust. I'm looking at the Zenier floats but see that the standard 1450 floats weigh 80lbs, the anphibs weigh 200. If I take off my landing gear I have the grove gear that should take off 40lbs. So If I stay with the standard floats I only gain about 40 lbs. that should make a decent float plane. But the convenience of having anphibs would make a world of difference for me.

    I would like to know what you guys think of the performance of the standard floats vs. anphibs on the model 4, my wife will be going and flying with me. We want to take it up to our lake cabin on the weekends, save a bunch of driving time. Me and my wife weigh in at 340lbs combined. the plane right now weighs in at 540lbs

  2. #2
    Newkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    Hey Steve, Remember Daryl Jones, he had that Speedster that was painted like the flag of Texas on Zenair amphibs. I rode in that plane a couple of times off of the water and wasn't too impressed with the floats. The angle of the keel behind the step was too shallow so when he went to rotate the tail end of the floats would dig into the water and slow us back down. More speed would have helped but that plane would hit a wall where it would quit accelerating on the water. With a 912UL and at gross weight it took us about 30 seconds to struggle off of the water, way too long. Jerry Deitz out of Couer d' Alene had a IV on Aerocet amphibs with a 912S. It weighted 710 empty on the floats and performed very well. He did say the Aerocets were a bit underfloated though.
    Ty
    Kitfox IV-1200
    912

  3. #3
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    Sorry to say Jerry is no longer with us, but there is a fella locally that baught the plane. I'm thinking to go with the standard floats, but than I have the problem of no landing on ground. I have thoughts of building a trailer to remove it at a boat launch, at felts to be exact. Well see, have to see what it takes to get in and out at the river at felts. Like mauring it there to be exact. I know what it takes, for the tower is in control sort of on that. thanks for the report on the amphibs, I kind of thought that.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    one more question. How does the fox slip with floats on?

  5. #5
    Newkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    Ya I heard about Jerry. Straights are the way to go as far as performance and simplicity. Good choice!
    Ty
    Kitfox IV-1200
    912

  6. #6
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    here is another question, how do they land on snow?

  7. #7

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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    Full lotus... AWESOME on snow and ice. Aluminum floats??? well, in powder they are OK, but the first time you hit a snowmachine track it will be your last.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default

    what's your opinion of the full lotus floats?

    so tell me, what kind of performance and handleing loss do you have when you go from wheels to floats, oh and the video was awsome.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    Believe it or not, I lost more speed going from wheels to skis than I did from wheels to floats. I lost around 250 fpm on the climb but cruise is within a few MPH of wheels. Take off on floats is significantly longer than on wheels, but with your 912 I dont see that as any sort of issue! I would LOVE to have a 912 on mine but if I am gonna spend that kind of money I will just put my pacer back in the air and keep my Avid for doing what it was designed for.

    People look at the full lotus floats and think they are super draggy because they dont "look" like a conventional float. If your into boats, which one length for length, weight for weight and HP to HP would get on plane quicker... Flat bottom or deep vee. Flat bottom wins out every time. It seems to be the same in the air. I have had the same results on a PA 12 and a PA-20 on the full lotus. Little to no MPH loss versus 15+ MPH loss in cruise on EDO 2000's.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Slyfox's Avatar
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    Default Re: floats, which ones

    I'm sure you do this kind of flying, 20feet off running through trees and following a small creek with one tire in reference to the creek. Oh and using rudder to make the turns, you know flat turning. can you do that sort of thing with the floats.

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