PA12 Flight Characteristics Vs. PA18

What's a typical drop test on floats involve? I read CAR3 and it lists some +% safety criteria (like +1.5-1.85) but missed the actual method of conformity.

Gary

Gary, That is a subject beyond a few sentences. The only one I've participated in was for the Twin Bee. The tail wheel of a bare fuselage was mounted high on a solid fixed stand. We had to cut a hole in the ceiling for the aft fuselage. The front of the fuselage was hoisted to the rafters loaded with a lot of lead. Ramps were made so that the landing gear would hit at the proper angle. Then the fuselage was dropped.

I would suggest that for a float installation the process is done mathematically. The weight of the floats is not considered since it is the airframe which is being investigated.

We dropped a Fairchild 24 when we hung a Jake on it, the same way. Interesting...and fun, once the initial spook wore off! I would imagine the float one would have to be calculated or done on water to keep from banging things up.
John