Help How to fit my floats to my Cessna ?

[solentlife]

Here's a good set of floats ... $10 from HK ...



With complete hardware kit and also water rudder.

Just right size for my HK Cessna (Skyartec) :





BUT ... how to fit ? The mount struts - the rear one sits right over the battery hatch ....





Here you can see that I can even get away with leaving the wheel legs on ...



The main wheels legs are permanent fit into wood block in fuselage so only wheels can be removed. I know I shall have to change or at least tape up that hatch to stop water going in ...

HOW to fit the floats ?

[BradT]

I would move the back float mount rearward on the floats, so that it meets the fus. just behind the fixed gear legs and battery hatch. Epoxy a piece of ply inset into the foam where the float mounts touch the fus. front and rear, drill holes to match the float mount spacing, screw them to the ply plates, and go fly! :-) And yes, tape over the holes in the battery hatch.

[Wildflyer]

The step should be directly under the center of gravity or very slightly in front of it.

Your last picture looks like you are close to that point.
If the step is too far behind the CG, the plane will not rotate to a takeoff angle.
I put home made foam floats on a 60" J-3 cub, step directly below CG, flew great.

[solentlife]

Originally Posted by BradT

I would move the back float mount rearward on the floats, so that it meets the fus. just behind the fixed gear legs and battery hatch. Epoxy a piece of ply inset into the foam where the float mounts touch the fus. front and rear, drill holes to match the float mount spacing, screw them to the ply plates, and go fly! :-) And yes, tape over the holes in the battery hatch.

Simple !! Why didn't I think of that ... I just bolted up the mounts to floats as supplied (fittings are already set into the floats). Just means making plastic tabs to set into foam as alternate fixing.

[solentlife]

Originally Posted by Wildflyer

The step should be directly under the center of gravity or very slightly in front of it.

Your last picture looks like you are close to that point.
If the step is too far behind the CG, the plane will not rotate to a takeoff angle.
I put home made foam floats on a 60" J-3 cub, step directly below CG, flew great.

Agreed ... this was just for photos to show problem.

Nigel