Float fittings & rigging

[zkelley2]

Those that have a QB fuselage and installed float fittings(after the fact) and preferably have run floats, what, if any, reinforcements did you make to the rest of the air frame, specifically under the rear cargo door? I've seen a couple posts of upgrading tubing diameter/thickness for a couple tubes and adding a tube. I know Maule has you weld a plate in back there. Just trying to see what, if anything, is commonly done.

On that note I'm probably going to start messing with my rigging, so curious on some dimensions.
1) distance between the floats you went with, normally it's in the 40-50% of the length of the float range, but just curious what you went with.
2)Height above the aircraft - minimum is 12" prop clearance off the water, but most are more than that. This does effect step position, so I'd like to know what you went with, why and how that's working.
3)Angle between datum and floats(this is called throat, I think) and then of course the angle of incidence you installed your wings at and the HP of your motor. Following Edo's rule of thumb, for my aircraft - angle of incidence(2) and HP(260), I come up with -3.15 degrees to datum.
4)Where did you put the step in relation to the CG datum? Why?

I'm using these two articles as guides on this - https://glasair-owners.com/glastar-s...n-maintenance/ http://www.stoneylake.org/pipcom/floatgeo.htm

[whee]

I wish I had foat experience and had my BH on floats. Someday.

I’m sure there are more but I only know of 3 BH one floats; one in AK, Heath’s in MN and Matt’s on amphibs in Brazil. I’d just call each of them and have a chat.

[zkelley2]

Who has the one in AK?

[Mark Goldberg]

There are two in Canada apart from the yellow one that got damaged in a windstorm. Another one on floats soon to fly north of Dallas TX. Mark

[Chris In Milwaukee]

This should be the one in Alaska:

[jaredyates]

The fuel flow discussion is moved here: https://bearhawkforums.com/forum/bea...float-mounting

[whee]

Zach, What floats do you plan to install? I was thinking I'd do the same as shown in the above linked YouTube video. I planned to wait several years since there is very little float flying around here and it is something I just wanted to try for fun. Plane would only be on floats occasionally so I gotta do it cheap. I've come across some cheap EDOs with C180 rigging which is exactly what I planned to buy in a couple years.

Zero float experience here. Haven't even read a book about it

[zkelley2]

I ran into some Tuff floats out of MN for a good price. They're rather rare and it took a bit of digging to find info on them. They're a composite 2700. They were previously on a 2+2 and were a bit big for it I guess. Came with the 2+2 rigging, but I don't expect much of it to work.

[whee]

Thanks Zach.

[JimParker256]

In the "for what it's worth" category, Zenith (the same folks that sell the CH-750 kits) sell a couple of different kits for making your own floats...

[zkelley2]

Anyone who has actually put their airplane on floats - where did you put the step in relation to datum(or in relation to anything that I can measure)?

Doesn't really seem to be much info out there for floats on the bearhawk. The one in the video in Alaska isn't actually on floats yet.

[alaskabearhawk]

Rob Taylor is putting his on floats now. I have NUMEROUS books on the subject, but this is good guidance:

https://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/f...9/#post-101188

[MattS]

After doing some research before mounting our Murphy Rebel and then our BH, what I concluded is all the stuff about where the step is, etc isn't nearly as important as is where your CG will end up being. Get the weight and CG of your floats (with the rigging) and then do some calculations to make sure your CG doesn't get thrown way off. Obviously both EW and when you want to stuff the compartments full. It won't do much good if you get the step exactly right but as soon as you get off the water it goes nose down. email me if you have more questions; mattjanelle6@gmail.com