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Top Cub Straight Floats

A

AkTopCub

Registered User
New to this site here but hoping someone can answer a few questions. I'm a new owner of a CC-18-180 Top Cub with the 2300# gross. The cub is currently on 29"ABW's but I'd like to put it on straight floats by next spring. I'd like to put it on Areocet 2200's but I was informed that there is currently no STC for these floats for the Top Cub. Does anyone know if the attachment points are identical to the PA-18? How hard will it be to get a field approval (337) for the Aerocet 2200's? Seems that most Top Cubs have been outfitted with the Wipline 2100A's which cuts into the usable a fair amount.

Thanks Jim
 
All of our DOI (Fed Gov) CC-18s are on the Wiplines. They work great. I'm sure the Aerocets will also be great, but have not run them on the cubs. Good luck.
 
That depends on the office... The attach fittings should all be identical. Call Aerocet and talk to them, they might be happy to help you get the STC done, as it will make future owners able to do the same.

Loved flying Aerocet floats. That was my next purchase for the cub, but the contract was not renewed so never made the jump.
 
Cubus Maximus said:
Troy, I would assume Wip 2100 straights are also approved on the CC-18, not just the amphibs?
Click to expand...

This is off the CC18-180 type cert

"Airplanes are eligible for installation of Wipaire 2100A amphibious and 2100S straight floats whenstructural modifications and installation are accomplished in accordance with the latest FAA approvedrevision of Drawing No. TC10000. Installation requires approved flight manual supplement pages."


Even though technically the fuselage, wings struts gear and tail is the same its a different airplane. The aerocets will fit, except for the paperwork

Tom
 
Wipline straight and amphibious floats are both approved on the CC-18-180 aircraft. Don't look for much help from the manufacturer of the airplane on this, the TC now resided in China, I'm told.

The Wip 2100s weigh 282 lbs ready to go on the airplane. The Aerocet 2200s weigh 265 lbs ready to go on the plane. So, 17 pounds difference in weight. Not significant in my opinion, and not worth trying to get a field approval.

Although the Wips are designated as 2100s, they are actually approved to 2300 pounds GW, and have plenty of reserve buoyancy.

As Troy said, the Wipline floats are good solid floats and offer very good performance. They'd certainly be my choice, unless there was an approval for the Aerocet floats. Trying to get an approval could happen in a month, or several years.....and a lot of that depends on the certification office you're dealing with.

Unless I already owned a set of the Aerocet floats, I'd buy a set of Wips and call it good. Good company, and a good product.

MTV
 
Cubus Maximus said:
Troy, I would assume Wip 2100 straights are also approved on the CC-18, not just the amphibs?
Click to expand...

Yes, I was referring to the straight floats. I understand DOI has a couple of them on amphibs, but out our way we have been using the straight float version for years and that is one of the configurations I fly. MTV said the rest of what I would say...the weight difference in this case is so small that it would not make up for the time, effort, and money involved for an alternate float approval. In my opinion.
 
AkTopCub said:
New to this site here but hoping someone can answer a few questions. I'm a new owner of a CC-18-180 Top Cub with the 2300# gross. The cub is currently on 29"ABW's but I'd like to put it on straight floats by next spring. I'd like to put it on Areocet 2200's but I was informed that there is currently no STC for these floats for the Top Cub. Does anyone know if the attachment points are identical to the PA-18? How hard will it be to get a field approval (337) for the Aerocet 2200's? Seems that most Top Cubs have been outfitted with the Wipline 2100A's which cuts into the usable a fair amount.

Thanks Jim
Click to expand...

Jim,

I’m a bit late to the party (story of my life), and it sounds like you have all of the answers but I’m chiming in just in case. Wipline 2100 floats are approved via TC in both the amphibious and straight varieties.

The fuselage fittings on the Top Cub are identical to a standard-width Super Cub fuselage. So technically a Super Cub set of floats will fit. However, Top Cub rigging on the Wipline 2100 is a little different. The rear struts are beefed up to take the extra weight and are different from the Super Cub. Keep in mind they would technically bolt up so if you look for a used set of floats you will either need to buy new rear struts, or verify they are the right ones.

Since the floats are approved via the type certificate there is no STC required. Drawings are sourced through CubCrafters. I believe the fine folks in Yakima can still provide these drawings since it is an existing airplane but that would be a question worth asking.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. If you haven’t guessed already, I work for Wipaire [emoji41] agesch (at) wipaire.com or 651-414-6839.

Congrats on your new-to-you Cub!

—Amy
 
Thank You All

Amy - Thank you and to everyone else who has responded with all the solid info. I really appreciate it. It's nice to hear firsthand from folks that have real world experience. From the several responses, sounds like either choice would be outstanding, but the paperwork required on the Aerocets may be a uphill battle that I'm not willing to fight. I better start writing my letter to Santa....

JIm

JIM
Amy said:
Jim,

I’m a bit late to the party (story of my life), and it sounds like you have all of the answers but I’m chiming in just in case. Wipline 2100 floats are approved via TC in both the amphibious and straight varieties.

The fuselage fittings on the Top Cub are identical to a standard-width Super Cub fuselage. So technically a Super Cub set of floats will fit. However, Top Cub rigging on the Wipline 2100 is a little different. The rear struts are beefed up to take the extra weight and are different from the Super Cub. Keep in mind they would technically bolt up so if you look for a used set of floats you will either need to buy new rear struts, or verify they are the right ones.

Since the floats are approved via the type certificate there is no STC required. Drawings are sourced through CubCrafters. I believe the fine folks in Yakima can still provide these drawings since it is an existing airplane but that would be a question worth asking.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. If you haven’t guessed already, I work for Wipaire [emoji41] agesch (at) wipaire.com or 651-414-6839.

Congrats on your new-to-you Cub!

—Amy
Click to expand...
 
There's a DOI 180 Cub on straight Wipline floats that parks near me. The pilots I've met are very pleased with the performance and the wide flat tops and storage appear great. There's another private set for a 160 Cub nearby. The experienced owner claims better than his former EDO 2000's and he would know. One local set of Aerocets for a Cub have sat unmounted for years so no 2nd hand feedback.

Gary
 
Straight Floats

Thanks Gary for the info. Is the DOI cub at Chena Marina or International?
BC12D-4-85 said:
There's a DOI 180 Cub on straight Wipline floats that parks near me. The pilots I've met are very pleased with the performance and the wide flat tops and storage appear great. There's another private set for a 160 Cub nearby. The experienced owner claims better than his former EDO 2000's and he would know. One local set of Aerocets for a Cub have sat unmounted for years so no 2nd hand feedback.

Gary
Click to expand...
 
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