 |
Matronics Email Lists
Web Forum Interface to the Matronics Email Lists
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
jtayloraaf(at)yahoo.com
Guest
|
 Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:42 pm Post subject: Floats on kolbs & others. |
 |
|
hi daniel, tnx for sharing the info on ur experience with floats. i'm coming to u off list cause i'm not a real kolber (trying to cover my home built avid flyer here in south la where i hope to do some float ops if i ever get the thing finished) . so i try to gather all the actual experience info from u guys who have actually used the floats. i've been following the kitbuilt planes since i retired from af in early 90s. loved the kolbs (folding wing a key feature for me) since i saw them flying all the time at sun n fun & met homer & hauch et al. great aircraft, but decided on the avid for nostalgia - started a club at baylor with t craft & have been partial to the image ever since.
anyway, i've also followed the lotus floats. gotten mixed reviews on them. most negative related to their being "draggy" to use term of some very experienced float flyers. then after offering an amphib gear early on (90s) full lotus withdrew the amphib gear for the dual floats, but continued over the yrs (if i've gotten my history right) offering a gear for the mono float. i 've asked the co rep, but never got direct answer, as to why. so users have suggested that it was difficult to design a strong attachment for the dual float?? i've seen at sun n fun people offering an amphib gear for the lotus, electric & mechanical, but never heard on the kolb or avid lists of anyone using these. so i have a question or 2 for u if u have the time to answer. feel free to share ur answers on the list if u think others would be interested.
1) how heavy a plan can the mono float handle in ur experience. i know there are numbers on the lotus web site. wondering what u've found.
2) what's it like to fly the mono float. have u had experience with the standard dual floats.
3) seems like that mono would solve the drag problem??
4) any other observations or recommendations about choice of floats for a plane of about 500 lbs .
tnx again for sharing with us. john bowman. prairieville, la.
From: daniel myers <h20maule(at)hotmail.com>
To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com
Sent: Tue, October 6, 2009 10:31:20 AM
Subject: RE: Floats on Firestar II
That is my plane. Jim Lee built in 1993 and I refurbished it. It is the 2nd Kolb amphib that I have owned...It is the ultimate Kolb Bushplane. Although I have only owned two of these monofloat kolbs, I have helped build several.. I have info and pics for most kolbs on monofloats...firestars, MkIII's, Extras, etc...I would be happy to answer any questions on it.
Daniel
From: russkinne(at)mac.com
Subject: Re: Floats on Firestar II
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 10:59:54 -0400
To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com
Eric FWIW I saw a retractable gear on a mono-Lotus float installation once. I think they said a Jimmy Lee made it? Someone on the List will know I'm sure. It used bicycle-chains to raise & lower the wheels, and worked well. The wheels did contact the float tho. Possibly a hinged gearleg that would let the wheels swing up, somewhat like the SeaBee? I'm told the Lotus mono can be landed on grass, wheels-up, without damage.
I was more concerned with the wing-float attachments. I think they'd damage the wing before too long.
Ideally, your wingtips could rotate down & become wing-floats, as in the PBY, but that's a lot of complexity & weight & would have to be aerodynamic too. Maybe retractable sponsons would be easier.
I think you'll be spending some time at the drawing-board! --
good luck,
Russ K
do not archive
On Oct 5, 2009, at 8:46 PM, Eric Marenyi wrote:
| Quote: | I just saw this on YouTube and was pretty amazed, its retractable gear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPrAbIK-Xsg
There is also some other videos of the Amphib Float here:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kolb+seaplane&search_type=&aq=f
Does anyone have any info on either of them. I would love to do this one day! I see it is a Full Lotus FL1000 float, but I have never seen the retractable gear and dont know where to find that at all.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Eric
| Quote: |
href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-Listhref="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com
href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution
|
|
Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security rel=nofollow target=_blank>Get it now.
[quote][b]
| | - The Matronics Kolb-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
h20maule(at)hotmail.com
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:15 pm Post subject: Floats on kolbs & others. |
|
|
Hi and thanks for the email. Well C to answer your 1st question C my friend has just completed his MKIII Xtra which is on a monofloat. I think his is around 700 lbs. As for the "draggy" feeling C that could mean that the float isnt inflated to the proper PSI. I would recommend these floats to anyone out there. They are literally bomb proof and could land on cement and just scratch the bottom shell. I LOVE the monofloat system on the Kolbs. I have owned two C and flown about 8. Anything from Firestars to MkIII Xtra. It is like having a jetski with wings. great control and stability. I have flown dual floats and have found that they are also great C and very forgiving. It is like landing on air...literally. I think that you could experience the drag problem with mono or dual ( I have exoerienced it with the mono-just add air) another reason for the dragginess would be improper float positioning-the plane could be sitting too far forward on the floats C which I have also experienced. It all has to do with tweaking C but when you install them the right way with the correct amount of air C its a breeze. Also C make sure you have the right size float as that can cause some "plowing" through the water if it is too small or too big for that matter. Don't get me wrong C there is a wide range of where you could install the floats without any problem. As for the 500 lb plane C a monofloat would work C just get the right size...like I said C i would go with Full Lotus whether it be mono or dual . If I were to have a Kolb C I would surely do the mono float...cheaper and way less drag.
Have a good one C
DanielDate: Wed C 7 Oct 2009 16:31:33 -0700
From: jtayloraaf(at)yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Floats on kolbs & others.
To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com
.ExternalClass DIV {;} hi daniel C tnx for sharing the info on ur experience with floats. i'm coming to u off list cause i'm not a real kolber (trying to cover my home built avid flyer here in south la where i hope to do some float ops if i ever get the thing finished) . so i try to gather all the actual experience info from u guys who have actually used the floats. i've been following the kitbuilt planes since i retired from af in early 90s. loved the kolbs (folding wing a key feature for me) since i saw them flying all the time at sun n fun & met homer & hauch et al. great aircraft C but decided on the avid for nostalgia - started a club at baylor with t craft & have been partial to the image ever since.
anyway C i've also followed the lotus floats. gotten mixed reviews on them. most negative related to their being "draggy" to use term of some very experienced float flyers. then after offering an amphib gear early on (90s) full lotus withdrew the amphib gear for the dual floats C but continued over the yrs (if i've gotten my history right) offering a gear for the mono float. i 've asked the co rep C but never got direct answer C as to why. so users have suggested that it was difficult to design a strong attachment for the dual float?? i've seen at sun n fun people offering an amphib gear for the lotus C electric & mechanical C but never heard on the kolb or avid lists of anyone using these. so i have a question or 2 for u if u have the time to answer. feel free to share ur answers on the list if u think others would be interested.
1) how heavy a plan can the mono float handle in ur experience. i know there are numbers on the lotus web site. wondering what u've found.
2) what's it like to fly the mono float. have u had experience with the standard dual floats.
3) seems like that mono would solve the drag problem??
4) any other observations or recommendations about choice of floats for a plane of about 500 lbs .
tnx again for sharing with us. john bowman. prairieville C la
From: daniel myers <h20maule(at)hotmail.com>
To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com
Sent: Tue C October 6 C 2009 10:31:20 AM
Subject: RE: Floats on Firestar II
.ExternalClass .ecxhmmessage P {padding:0px;} .ExternalClass body.ecxhmmessage {font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;} That is my plane. Jim Lee built in 1993 and I refurbished it. It is the 2nd Kolb amphib that I have owned...It is the ultimate Kolb Bushplane. Although I have only owned two of these monofloat kolbs C I have helped build several.. I have info and pics for most kolbs on monofloats...firestars C MkIII's C Extras C etc...I would be happy to answer any questions on it.
Daniel
From: russkinne(at)mac.com
Subject: Re: Floats on Firestar II
Date: Tue C 6 Oct 2009 10:59:54 -0400
To: kolb-list(at)matronics.com
Eric FWIW I saw a retractable gear on a mono-Lotus float installation once. I think they said a Jimmy Lee made it? Someone on the List will know I'm sure. It used bicycle-chains to raise & lower the wheels C and worked well. The wheels did contact the float tho. Possibly a hinged gearleg that would let the wheels swing up C somewhat like the SeaBee? I'm told the Lotus mono can be landed on grass C wheels-up C without damage.
I was more concerned with the wing-float attachments. I think they'd damage the wing before too long.
Ideally C your wingtips could rotate down & become wing-floats C as in the PBY C but that's a lot of complexity & weight & would have to be aerodynamic too. Maybe retractable sponsons would be easier.
I think you'll be spending some time at the drawing-board! --
good luck C
Russ K
do not archive
On Oct 5 C 2009 C at 8:46 PM C Eric Marenyi wrote:
| Quote: | I just saw this on YouTube and was pretty amazed C its retractable gear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPrAbIK-Xsg
There is also some other videos of the Amphib Float here:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kolb+seaplane&search_type=&aq=f
Does anyone have any info on either of them. I would love to do this one day! I see it is a Full Lotus FL1000 float C but I have never seen the retractable gear and dont know where to find that at all.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks C
Eric
| Quote: |
href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-Listhref="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com
href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/contribution
|
|
Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security rel=nofollow target=_blank>Get it now.
Hotmail: Free C trusted and /01/' target='_new'>Get it now. [quote][b]
| | - The Matronics Kolb-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kolb-List |
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
Get Email Distribution Too!
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
