My F'd up new full lotus floats

[akflyer 1427]

#$%%^#%$^#& damnit... Finally got around to putting my new floats on today. Got the rigging out and took the new floats out of the box... sumbitch if one of them does not have the tail section sewed on crooked. CAlled Full lotus and they are going to send out a new one. Guess I did not want to go moose hunting this year anyway. Maybe they will have me the new one and I can salvage part of the duck hunting season.

[Av8r3400 1179]

So the float is actually bending the tubing down?  Wow.

[dholly 718]

Whoa, that blows...

[akflyer 1427]

well talked to full lotus again today.. he said to try it and see if it will fly OK, he is still sending out a new float, but it may salvage the hunting season for me.  I will try it today and see how she goes.  Hoping it does not impart a nasty roll so I will just barely break water and see if it will fly OK.  Probaly not one of the more prudent things I have done, but what the hell, Columbus took a chance

Hopefully I will have a good report this evening.

[akflyer 1427]

ok guys riddle me this... I put the floats on and I gained about 8-10 MPH in cruise and a bout 150 FPM climb... WTF.. I guess my big tires were a bit more drag than I thought   The nasty twist did not seem to affect the flight much, if any at all, however FL is still sending me out a new one.  I should pick up even more performance with the new float :oh yeah baby:

[jackak 20]

Leni,

That performance increase is amazing!  Can you imagine the loss guys with the 31" tires are seeing.  Then there are those who are using the 35 inchers. No wonder they're putting the big engines on their cubs.

Jack 

[akflyer 1427]

well I just remembered yesterday why there is NO substitute for horse power.  I took off dual from a mile long lake.  Was about 3-400' and damn near at the end of the lake (about 100 yards, when I hit a HUGE sinker.  dragged the floats throught the tree tops, dropped down into the road bed missing powerlines by about 15'.  I know the on coming cars were FREEKING out as I cleared them by about 10' clawing for airspeed and altitude.  I got out of the crap and climbed out again to about 2000' and got my heart rate back under control ( I flew for 2 hrs and found a butt load of sink and very little lift).  I am now on the hunt for a new engine if I am gonna stay on floats.  The ole EFI Arctic Cat 800 is right back at the top of my list.  Double the HP and double the Tq of the 582 at 6800 RPM, oh yeah baby    Right now I am back to a single place float plane till I put more ponies under the hood!

[Trackwelder 12]

If you figure out how to make that arctic cat 800 work I want to know. finding wrecked low mileage snowmobiles is fairly easy. of course I was looking at the 1125 buell I wonder if its transmission would work for a PSRU. I haven't heard a whole lot of good about the twin cam that somebody was trying a while back too bad I have a couple of extra of those in the garage.

[Russ. 7]

Hi Leni,

    Sounds like you guys are having all the fun. Keep up the good flying and thansk for the welcome.

                                                                                                                        :nutkick:Russ.

[C5Engineer 1170]

I'd stick an Artic Cat engine in my bird in a second. Both my cousins are riding turboe'd cats this season. One is on an M1000 the other M8. They are running some serious boost turning stupid rpms and those engines have held up great.

[akflyer 1427]

I was searching and found some pics that a guy put up of an adapter plate he made for putting a rotax gear box on a AC 530.  Would be stu[id simple to do the same thing for the 800.  I have a couple 600's here, but I know the 800 has been bullet proof so far.  One of my good buddies has an Arctic Cat shop here localy and that is about the only engine that has been 0 problems.  07-09 are the years to look for.  The 2010 800 had 4 pounds taken off the crank (they basically cut the counter balances off the crank)  Now instead of being smooth as silk like it was, it shakes and rattles like the 1000.  It will rap up alot faster, but I am looking for smooth running and long life.  The 800 would be loafing along at 66-6800 and the dyno chart shows it to be 120 hp and 111 ft# of tq at 6800.  My brother has an 08 M8 that I keep eyeballin  He turns his back and it will be sans engine in about 30 minutes.

[Av8r3400 1179]

A 912 sure would be a lot easier...

[akflyer 1427]

too heavy.. gotta think light, and NOTHING will touch a 2 stoke power to weight.  Besides, the 800 will put out ALOT more power than a 912 or a 914...

[Av8r3400 1179]

Then candle that burns twice as bright... 

I've owned enough snowmobiles to know I would never fly behind one of their motors.  Call me crazy...

[C5Engineer 1170]

A 912 sure would be a lot easier...

If ya got $25,000 to blow sure

[akflyer 1427]

Then candle that burns twice as bright...   

I've owned enough snowmobiles to know I would never fly behind one of their motors.  Call me crazy...

Hey Crazy, hows it going

I have put way way way too many miles on sleds to worry about them lasting.  I have total confidence in the AC 600 and 800 engines.  Once we got the fuel mapping issues sorted out up here ( they are set up at the factory to run corn fuel, which makes them 25-30% too rich for up here on good ole straight gasoline), we have not had an issue as long as they are left stock.  You start getting into trouble when you start modding engines withou knowing WTF you are doing.  I have seen a shit load of guys put on a boondocker box, and never take the time to dial it in.  Usually results in a lean burn down when you come off the power on a long down hill run.  If we can run them at 50 below on wide open river runs for 15-20 mile stretches at 8200 RPM, I am not too worried about cruising them at 5600-5800 all day long at -20 (my personal flying cut off point).

[Av8r3400 1179]

If ya got $25,000 to blow sure

I'd bet Leni'll have more than this or this in that project once it flies.  Ant it would still be extremely experimental and unproven.

I just don't want to loose our forum owner to some    2-stroke.

An 80 hp would be even less.  Without even digging I bet I could find a 80 hp 912 for less than $10k.

[akflyer 1427]

No worries.. worst case will be a nice ride into the trees   I can crash pretty damn good when need be.  I can get a new 800 with EFI, computer wiring etc for around 4800.00  No way it will be over 6,000 to have 120 HP in the nose.  I can buy a new sled, then sell the rolling chassis and be into it for less than 2,000 bucks.  Hell that is why they call them experimental.  The 800 is alot less weight and alot more HP than the 912, not to mention alot less cost.

[akflyerbob 41]

This is going to be an endles argument

We use our planes for different purposes, we like dirt and creek banks

All I can say is in all my snowmachine days I have never walked home

and I have a fox mod 1, stock 582, that will make your 912 go hide when

you fly like we do.

Bob

[akflyer 1427]

yeah, the airplane will outperform any 912 I have seen, but what makes people run and hide is when you fly

[Av8r3400 1179]

(I can't argue with weight vs performance!  You have me there. )  But, we'll agree to disagree on durability and safety of 2-strokes and move on.  Both of you two are still welcome here on the way to Oshkosh 2010.  I'll be waiting on and looking for you!!!

There has been some talk of a "Flapperon Society" fly-in to Airventure 2010.  Avids, Kitfoxes, Ridgerunners, Justs, etc.  We'll fly into the ultralight area for better exposure and more fun to a grass strip!!  More to follow on this...

[akflyerbob 41]

I will admit that when a dependable 4 stroke in the 2 stroke price hits

the market, I might not be first to get it but close.

I guess I'm great convert, 15 years ago I bought an Avid kit, I sold it because

I couldn't beleave any one would get in any an airplane with wings built

with wood glued to water pipe spars,,,,,well "DA", now now I fly the hell out of

a Fox mod 1, "I" rebuilt with the same glue and love it,,, "DA"

[akflyer 1427]

well the new float showed up at the house yesterday!  FL said they inflated it at the factory and it is nice and straight so I am hoping to have the new float installed Wednesday or Thursday and getting some good stick time in this fall on them!  Duck season is in full swing now so it is time to make some more FL playing in the mud and grass videos!

[jackak 20]

All right!  Always fun to see you put that Avid through it's paces.  Say, I wonder if they make a turbo-charger for a 582?  Probably blow out the case seals, but that would give you mucho power to fly floats. Oh well.  Have you found a cat engine yet?

Jack

[Av8r3400 1179]

Now, you're talkin'...