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Baumann Floats on a c-172

Tx
Hey guys whats your opinion on baumann andibs on a c-172?

Our 172 has a fixed pitch 180hp lycoming, powerflow exhaust and vg's

What would be the best anfib floats for it?

Were trying to weigh our options and find out whats best

Thanks

Tom
 
I have a C172 with VG's, 180hp fixed pitch prop on Baumann 2550A's and it works fine for what I want it to do. Have 720 lbs useful load and 50G tanks, so it becomes a 2 seater pretty quickly. Have lots of photos of the airframe float kit installation and the float installation too. Don
 
Tom,

I think you'll find that the Baumanns are the lightest floats currently certified on your airplane. They also permit you to go to max weight legally, and have lots of reserve bouyancy. They are great floats, and work well.

PK (Alton Bouchard in your neck of the woods) has a new amphibious float out now, based on their older B2300 float, called the 2250A float. It isn't approved yet on the 172, but I'm sure Alton will be working on that soon. I've flown those floats, and they perform really well. If you can wait a while, or are just "window shopping" at the moment, give Alton a call and see what his time line might be.

MTV
 
Tom

Craig Gebo has a 172 0n Baumman amphibs.He is over at Fitchburg.If you call Joe Birkmeyer at Baumman he can put you in touch with him.

Are you going to the Seaplane seminar at Naples?

Bill
 
mvivion said:
Tom,

I think you'll find that the Baumanns are the lightest floats currently certified on your airplane. They also permit you to go to max weight legally, and have lots of reserve bouyancy. They are great floats, and work well.

PK (Alton Bouchard in your neck of the woods) has a new amphibious float out now, based on their older B2300 float, called the 2250A float. It isn't approved yet on the 172, but I'm sure Alton will be working on that soon. I've flown those floats, and they perform really well. If you can wait a while, or are just "window shopping" at the moment, give Alton a call and see what his time line might be.

MTV

Wouldnt you rather want the 2550's for more bouyancy? Wouldn't the 2250's be a little underfloated?

Thnaks
Tom
 
Aerodon said:
I have a C172 with VG's, 180hp fixed pitch prop on Baumann 2550A's and it works fine for what I want it to do. Have 720 lbs useful load and 50G tanks, so it becomes a 2 seater pretty quickly. Have lots of photos of the airframe float kit installation and the float installation too. Don

Don, would you be able to email me some?

Thanks

Tom
 
It has also been brought to my attention, that a float kit, isnt included, and it is quite a bit more money to have one installed on a 172, what does it consist of?

Thanks
Tom
 
Floats

I have EDO 2000's on my cub.
I got them on the advice of my friends at Belle Chase just below New Orleans that have been doing this for over 50 years. They lift the float planes out of the water with a trailer that slides under the front between the floats and then lifts up on spreader bars. The US Fish and Game has a new Husky stationed in the hanger on baumans. they have to but a 2x4 under the spread bar so it will not bend them on these floats. Also they tell me the bent aluminum is stronger than the flat aluminum on the baumans.
Just tellin ya what I hear and see.
jim
 
Tom,
You should look at the wipline 2100. I have a set on a 170b with 180 conversion, it works great.
Jeff
 
Hi Jeff, would you mind saying what your empty weight/useful load is on the Wipline amphibs. Thanks,

Tim
 
Tim,
My empty weight is 1487. useful load is 712 pounds, gross weight is 2200.
The floats weigh 268 pounds, they are not amphibs. I have had no trouble with them, I like the flat tops, you can have a square dance on them, they are so big.
P.S. I hardly ever fall off of them.
Jeff
 
Tom
A float kit on a Cessna 172 involves installing doublers and re-enforcing angles in the firewall and lower fuselage.It also requires a v-brace from the top of the instrument panel to the wing root area.Some aircraft require doublers in the rear cabin/baggage area.Factory float planes had corrosion proofing and stainless cables installed.
It is probably a good weeks work to install a float kit in a 172 if you know what your doing.
I haven't priced the parts lately but last time I did it was about $2500 for the parts.
Any of these float manufacturers can do the install.

Bill
 
cessnapilot,
Several years ago I found floats and rigging for a 172. I was thinking of putting them on my 172. After inquiring as to putting a float kit on my plane to accept these floats I declined. VERY expensive unless you can do the work yourself. In my opinion it would be cheaper in the long run to find one already on floats. I ended up buying a Champ that had floats with it for about what I would have had invested in getting floats on the 172.

There are a couple of 172's/175 around here that I have seen with the Baumann amphibs and I have heard nothing but good about them.

Good luck
 
Cmon, Guys, you're comparing straight floats to amphibs here. Different world. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all operate on straight floats, but that simply isn't the case.

Rooter, have you considered that the Baumann equipped Husky is probably at least a couple hundred pounds heavier than your Cub on EDO's? Also, not sure what "flat aluminum" vs "bent aluminum" you refer to. If you're talking bottom skins, the Baumanns actually are curved metal, while the EDO 2000's are flat metal bottoms.

There is no doubt in my mind that the EDO 2000 is a tougher float than ANY of the newer floats, but it's also heavy, even for a straight float, and useful load is everything when it comes to amphibs.

cessnapilot: The PK B2300 float was a redesign of the PK model 2300 float. They added a 16 inch section to the float, redesigning it for the Hawk XP airplane, which had a GW of 2550, I believe. In any case, the reserve bouyancy of the 2250A float is over 2500 pounds. They are VERY big floats. I ran a set of B2300 straight floats on my airplane--see the avatar--and they work very well, and are incredibly tough.

MTV
 
Personally, having gone down the path you are embarking on, I would not even consider Wip 2100's on anything bigger than a super cub, husky, champ, etc... There is simply not enough float to make it safe. I had considered Baumanns for the Hawk XP but I was not a huge fan of the landing gear, especially the nose gear. Every time I looked at the nose gear I had flashbacks of the EDO's that always seemed to break when working off anything but pavement. In the end, I settled for the Wip 2350's and have not looked back. The landing gear has been bullet-proof with anything that we have thrown at it and the floats are fast off the water. In addition, Wip's customer service has been great and should you need parts, they are less than 24 hours away.

I am curious to see how Alton is going to do with the PK's.... Having run his straight floats on a 172, they are arguably the best rough water float out there hands down. But we have found a few flaws with the 185 installations that we have done that need to be corrected before I would consider them. The big one is the lack of grease zerks for the bearings. Plan on going through a set of bearings every few months. Also, the landing gear actuation system is in need of refinements. Lastly, I am not sold on the pump being in a float locker. I have yet to see a pump that will survive in a wet environment. But I think with some fine tuning, the PK's will soon be the thing to have for the rough water....

Let us know what you decide....
 
Tom:

Before you invest in the Baumanns, call Curtis Air in Pittsfield, ME. They have some strong experience with their amphips on a new Maule last winter. Max Folsom in Greenville will charge you a minimum of $8K for a float kit install, and that was 2 yrs ago. Very good advice here about getting a hawk with the kit in place. A 180 Hawk on PK2300s is a great float plane. Havent flown a float hawk with fold up wheels.

Jim
 
do you have any information on there anfibs? and a number?

Does folsoms still do Float kit installs? have a number for them too?

Thanks
Tom
 
Tom:

Folsoms Air is not flying much anymore. Not sure if the old phone numbers are any good. They are still tinkering planes at the airport.
Maybe AmphibXP has a contact for Max? I would check Twitchells at Turner ME also, they have done several Hawk float installs but honestly havent seen an amphib hawk done at all, mostly all straights.


Jim
 
Try 695-2993... When it comes to float planes he is one of the best and I am sure you could work something out with him. He put a float kit in my XP and did a great job. If you are thinking about painting the airplane, after putting the float kit in is a great time to do it.

If you are going the amphib route, I would stick with the wip 2350's unless you operate from pavement only. They are relatively fast in the air and fast off the water. If you are looking for a rough water float that may not be as tried and tested, wait for the PK's.
 
cessna_pilot said:
Hey guys whats your opinion on baumann andibs on a c-172?

Our 172 has a fixed pitch 180hp lycoming, powerflow exhaust and vg's

What would be the best anfib floats for it?

Were trying to weigh our options and find out whats best

Thanks

Tom

Tom-

I know you guys already own the 172 but why not sell it and get a 180 on floats???

Tim
 
the 172's are cheaper to run from a fuel standpoint.... and insurance is typically easier to obtain and cheaper...
 
A 180 will get better mpg than a fixed pitch 172 ANY day, and probably better than a constant speed 172 as well.

Bigger engines do not necessarily equate to higher fuel burn per mile.

The 180 is a MUCH faster aircraft, and fuel flows can be almost as low as a 180 hp 172, but with higher speeds.

MTV
 
172

After running many flying tours from MN through the Arctic and Mn to FL and back on staight floats and amphibs. The 172 is the most fuel efficent other than a 180 Lake! I have a 172/180hp fix pitch prop with wip 2350, C180-edo 2870 and C185-3430 edo, speeds are 100-105, 120-125 and 130-135 mph loaded with gear. Fuel burns are 9-10 - C172, 13-14- C180 and 12.3 lean of peak and 16 rich of peak on the 185. Comming back from FL to MN a month ago the 172 burned a fair amount less fuel than the 180 and the time difference was not a big deal on a 200-300 mile leg. Maintainence is less on the 172, 2000 hour TBO, although i have 2000 TBO on a O-470U in my 54 C180. The Baumanns are a bit faster in the air than the Wips and built better but the Wips have a better nose gear. You can test PK, Baumanns and Wips at Surfside SPB if you want, but they are straight floats for straight folks! The 172 and 180 are both great 2 place or light 3 place personal planes, the 185 hauls the load though! We are loaded and off to Manitoba fishing this a.m when the weather breaks.
 
Tom,

I posted some pictures in my album.

As to costs, the parts alone were over $6000 in 2005, labor should be 100-150 hours for the floatkit, then another 100 hours for the amphib installation.

Don
 
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