Full Lotus Floats on a PA-18

Me again with another float question. I've got the video and have seen the Full-Lotus 2150 floats installed and tested for a STC project for PA-12/18 etc., etc. The Fed's got cold feet and bogged down the effort with a bunch of crazy test data and stuff. I was wondering if any of yoose guys can help me out with anyone that has experience with getting a 337 for float installations or talking to someone that can get these floats field approved instead of an STC. Cause the alternative is to go experimental class when the floats are installed and back to standard class when back on gear. Geez a regular dating game with da Fed's.

What do ya think?

[SuperCub MD]

I only have personnal knowledge of one Cub (J3) that had Full-Lotus floats. I never flew the plane with them on, but the owner quickly removed them and replaced with a pair of old Edo's. Apparently dragging two huge innertubes through the water does not give very good performance. I'd leave these things for the experimenters to play with, and put on some real floats.

[Dave Calkins]

Hey Vinnie, Forget aboudit.

There were a set installed on an 18 in this area about 10 years ago that I heard about. I know the individual, but never discussed the floats with him.

I heard that he worked really hard to figure them out. He scared himself bigtime when he finally got the things yanked out of the water on the initial flight.

I guess he then changed strut lengths in order to affect an incidence (decalage???) change to the float/airframe relationship.

They never became the latest rage around here. Even though they offer a toughness that our aluminum floats don't offer. Aluminum is great as long as you don't park on a sharp beach. (seems like most beaches are pretty sharp when put up against .032 2024 T3. But it's still working for us, and I don't often have to get out the sheetmetal tools. In fact, I have yet to get them out for our Edo 2000's or 1400's. The 4930's and Wip 6000's on my Beaver customers are the one's I spend alot of time on, but they put in 400 hours of float time a year.)

Come on, Aerocet. Don't they make a suitable float as an experimental for a 2000 lb. aircraft? Changing airworthiness certificates is easy as long as that little plastic sleeve isn't screwed down too hard.

Dave Calkins. Anchorage, Alaska.