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Wheel ski design

jimboflying

MEMBER
If you could have a new retractable wheel ski designed for your experimental Cub what features would you like to have in that design?
 
Just buy a set of Rosti Fernandez 8001 skis. I really don't think you could improve on their performance or weight.

Two problems with them: They are not currently STCd on the Cub, but if you're experimental who cares?

and: They are expensive.

Why re-invent the wheel?

MTV
 
I am currently building a fernandez style experimental wheel ski all carbon, electric pump 850 tire. should have the first set mounted and rigged within a month. first ski is built and building # 2 today and thursday. Its a big ski 10 sf per ski but light. first ski without plastic, yoke or pump is 14# Plastic is 3# pump 7# yoke 3# so each ski should come out under 30#.
 
Anybody heard of a way to have brakes while on skis? Seriously....I don't "want to re-invent the wheel", but has it been done, and if so how? A few ways come to mind, ala Fred Flintstone's foot powered car, I suppose a big johnson type bar activating some kind of snow grabbing device would be a design start. Anybody know if this has been tried lets hear about it.
 
Novak ski brakes. STC'd for Landes Airglas straight skis.

Very effective on ice. Marginally effective on hard pack. Ineffective on soft snow, but brakes are rarely needed on soft snow.

skis3.jpg
 
MTV wrote: Just buy a set of Rosti Fernandez 8001 skis. I really don't think you could improve on their performance or weight.

Two problems with them: They are not currently STCd on the Cub, but if you're experimental who cares?

Mike, I have been in Europe last week and it seems that the STC is in progress for the Cub. - However I don't have any good news about the problem # 2.

Cheers, Martin
 
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Fernandez skis on an interesting cub.
I have a set of ERCM skis that I am hopping to try, but I can´t find a set of rigging manual for them. I was hopping to get some training for Ski flying this year, but not been able to find the manuals. I plan to rebuild and paint the skis in the meantime, and I will try to pay with Autocad and a laser scanner to see if I can generate plans for the ERCM skis. I believe they are made of Titanium and weight is about 55#s. Not sure how that compares to the Fernandez skis, but I least I have them :)
 
Ask him how he certified them on that cub? What does it cost to fly with these people? Where in Alps?
 
Skis ERCEM

We fly on our Piper PA18/150 from many years without any problem. If you want more details of skis ERCEM (drawing), write me.

Good fly

Glaciers ]
 
I'll take a set of plans or an affordable kit! The skiis I have seen cost more than some floats!
 
I would like to build a set of wheel penetration skis that will go with the Goodyear 26" tires. Just something simple. How about wood covered with fiberglass?
 
Check out the Datum's, experimental only. Very robust, I can't break 'em, been trying. Not sure about the kit, but mine (2000 lb gross) were around 5K.

I have to post this I guess: Due to a mis wiring by me, I had double the amp rating breaker, so when one ski got in a bind when retracting (huge chuink of ice, going to ski mode after taxiing out of my hangar) the industrial linear actuator overloaded instead of simply popping the breaker way before overload, again, MY screwup since resolved. Even mis wired it took many, many cycles to have this happen. I took off, flew to my destination about 30 miles away, hoping they still had a bit of snow left, nope all gone, so I chose to set her down on the grass along the runway, I knew that would be no problem, as I had already slid off of snow onto grass a few times in the past.

After concluding my business at the airport, got in, full throttle, nothing. So.... about 10 minutes with 2 other helpers with a pickup we stealed enough snow that was piled up close by to give me a 35' long ski way. While that wasn't of course long enough to launch, it was long enough to build up a head of steam, and once on the grass (even over the muddy ruts left by the pickup) I continued to accelerate and lift off in the usual fashion.

Replacement of the actuator took 10 minutes, rewiring under the panel to the proper breaker configeration a bit longer (like most of a day), problem solved.
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Haven't seen much action on this thread lately. Seems you could take extra large snowboards (maybe double up per side) and come up with a set of wheel skiis for experimental.
 
I`m building a set of these for my experimental supercub.

12v electric actuators

I will post a video of the building process when i`m done

Frenchy

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Yah.. they'll work great Frenchy.. but you'll be a lot happier if you make that tailwheel retract!
 
I`m building a set of these for my experimental supercub.

12v electric actuators

I will post a video of the building process when i`m done

View attachment 4408
Today I'm re-installing my electric Datum skis http://www.datumair.com/(non cert) for my third season of winter flying, they are holding up great. The electric concept is pretty simple, it is the powerful relatively new style permanent magnet linear actuators that make them possible. Lots of power in a small reliable package. Good hard surface operation on the tires and lots of surface area on the snow. Good to see your project Frenchy, I look forward to the finished project pictures.
 
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Frenchy, very cool! Would appreciate what you can share. I could see a set of those working for me! ;-)

For you wheel/ski experts, what does the mini tailwheel do for you, benefits?
 
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Here's a shot of the ones we've been building here for over a decade. Frenchy's are very similar (as are flightlites and many others). As I noted above, Frenchy, if you do some mods and make that tailwheel retract you'll be a MUCH happier camper. Ours deploy the tail wheel during the last inch or so of plate retract.

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Frenchy, very cool! Would appreciate what you can share. I could see a set of those working for me! ;-)

For you wheel/ski experts, what does the mini tailwheel do for you, benefits?

The "mini tailwheel" keeps the tail of the ski from dragging on pavement/gravel/etc when the wheels are down. As Irishfield notes, however, those things sticking down when on snow create an INCREDIBLE amount of drag.

I too would strongly recommend that the tailwheels be made retractable.

MTV
 
Thanks. Is that drag not beneficial on landing for shorter stopping? Like an ice brake? For takeoff, not ideal but perhaps not an issue for a STOL type plane such as Cub?
 
Yah.. they'll work great Frenchy.. but you'll be a lot happier if you make that tailwheel retract!
Here in Rimouski(Quebec) the owner of the jigs i will use to built mine, he has build 2 sets an one pair of skis has the retract on that small rear wheel an he told me he doesn`t really see any difference between the 2 (the drag is very low on this small wheel)

Frenchy
 
You get into some real wet snow and you'll find out that isn't so Frenchy !
 
You get into some real wet snow and you'll find out that isn't so Frenchy !

I will go a small roller skate wheel and if it`s of a real problem it will be easy to modifie and go retrack, i like the way you did yours, thanks.

Frenchy
 
Most snow conditions the tail wheel is no issue, but worse than a good slush is a crust that the ski floats on, and the tailwheel digs in and has to break snow every inch forward...
 
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