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Baumann Floats for Taylorcraft

Thanks Dan. As of now, purchasing them is on hold until I can find drawings and/or an installation manual. So any leads for 1420 drawings or other info would be much appreciated.

Gary, best I can tell is the 1500s are a foot shorter and slightly fatter because there were some complaints about the float tails dragging on takeoff. Also according to Joe Birkemeyer, the rigging was lengthened to raise the plane and help with wing clearance a bit and the angle was changed because they floated at a different angle. My guess is they also had to change them a bit when they were designing the amphib 1500s.
 
So basically they built three floats...the 1420's originally followed by the 1500's and amphibs? I talked by phone with Bud but not Joe years ago. It was confusing even then about the evolution and changes to dimensions/fittings. I guess today prints and paperwork would be important to do the installation. I'd rather have the longer float after walking back on the three sets of EDO 1320's I've owned and watching them sink. There's a need for monitoring aft CG when loaded or submarining the bows when light at forward CG on the similar EDO's.

Gary
 
My IA is going to look at the drawings this afternoon and see if they cover the 1420’s as well as the 1500’s. I actually sent a set of drawings to a shop on Lake Hood 2 summers ago that was putting a PA-11 on 1500’s. Can’t remember the name but they’re right down close to where Ketchum’s used to be. Anyway, I’ll let you know later today.
 
Thanks. Tomorrow I’m gonna call around to all the float shops in the Anchorage area and see if anyone has copies.
 
Sorry EdH, my IA just called and said the STC covers 1420’s and 1500’s, but it calls out for separate drawings. The one I have is for 1500’s.
 
Ehh,

I found the STC and it covers 1420 and 1500s. I have drawings for 1500s so it would require a title block change. If you do buy those floats, I can send you dimensions for the bottom belly panel. I just made a new one.

Jim
 
Mark and Jim, I appreciate y’all looking for me, too bad I didn’t find a set of 1500s. Someone has to have the 1420 drawings and install manuals, seems like those are the key for me right now.
 
BC12D-4-85 said:
Did you try contacting the company in Post #28? They may no longer exist, but?

Gary
Click to expand...

EdH said:
Yes, they replied back saying they don’t have them.
Click to expand...
With that knowledge, you can contact the FAA controlling office of the STC. Their address in on the STC. Look it up on FAA.gov. They will be able to supply you with the information and drawings which you need. They may have you get permission from the STC holder for them to release the information to you. You may have to go to your local FSDO to view the information and may possibly be required to order the information through your local FSDO. If you are nice to them they may even let you make copies on their copier machine. Have your IA contact his PMI. That is one of the duties of the PMIs to assist the IA.

No one here has mentioned the STC number. It should only take a couple of minutes to find the controlling office once the STC # is known.
 
Skywagon, that was just a parts supply company, seems like they just search for a part then send you a quote when they can find one.

The problem is not that it has an STC, but that the STC holder (Basler Turbo Conversions) doesn’t want to work with anyone, necessitating getting approval by other, non-STC, means. I know it’s possible to go other ways, but I’m not going to buy them until I am positive it’ll work out.

Timing is also pretty crappy, as I’m overseas until summer and my IA is at a remote cabin until the lakes melt, so no visiting with the FSDO. I do have buddies that’ll take care of them for me until I get back if it does work out though.

Thanks again for all the help. At this point, I think this thread has more information than the rest of the internet on these floats. Hopefully that’ll help others in the future as well.
 
Were these the set that were for sale lately on Anchorage Craig's....came off an F-19 the seller owned and sold (as he described it to me)? If so did the sold F-19 paperwork include the required docs? Find the N-number of that plane and get the 337 records from the FAA. Might help if so.

Edit: Buy them and I'll trade my rebuilt and approved set of EDO 1320's for your BC12D-4-85.

Gary
 
Last edited:
Yes, those sound like the same ones. Sold the F19 but the buyer didn’t want the floats. The seller said he would dig out his paperwork copies, as he thinks he may have the 337 for the F19 somewhere. If not, I’ll go the FAA route for them.
 
There's some Baumann floats at Chena Marina in Fairbanks. Not sure about the models but George Hobson the Taylorcraft guy would know. Try to contact him as I don't have his number. Steve at Airframe Alterations 907-474-8832 would be helpful.

Gary
 
Well thanks for all the advice everyone. Looks like the seller sold them. He said the guy was going to put them on an experimental, so I’m guessing he didn’t care about the paperwork shenanigans. Oh well. The search for floats continues...
 
Sorry to hear of your frustration EdH. Without some verification of strut and wire length...even though they came off a Taylorcraft F-19...I'd still want to know. For example I had a set of EDO 1320's on a PA-11. Former owner had them installed locally. Trouble from the get-go as any rear baggage and they went under at the rear especially the rear spreader bar. Come to find out they were rigged for a J-3 with normally no wing tanks and a nose tank so they sat too far forward on the PA-11. Cost me thousands and I eventually changed planes.

If no Baumanns try for a set of Aqua 1500's as they are big and easy to walk on. The EDO 1320's perform well and are better in some regards than the EDO 1400's in my experience. Trouble is they are all old (mine are WWII military vintage) and given to maintenance, especially the ball and socket joints on the floats and top seams that get stomped on for 70+ years.

Gary
 
Yeah I’m open to Aquas, but they’ll be another paperwork problem, as they aren’t certified for older Tcrafts.
 
Ok thanks for that info I missed the early models not being eligible. I'd still try to get ahold of the folks in #45 and ask about floats for your plane. Someone may have something hidden in the bushes.

Gary
 

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The floats in the pics look like Baumanns. Note the rudders and side deck cleats. Also the offset hardware spacing at the top of the struts.

Gary
 
I talked to that guy shortly after he advertised it and he said someone was driving down from Fairbanks to buy it. Pretty good price. I’d have bought it and sold the plane.

I hate Alaska’sList. So much gets left one there after it’s sold. The website is a PITA to delete your posts, so everyone just leaves them up.
 
Going to buy or did? I's still call and ask about the floats. N44047 has been around with a long time flying family and they may know of other floats.

Gary
 
If I get a copy of any paperwork , I will post it up on the taylorcraft forum to preserve it. Tim
 
There seems to be loads of knowledgeable float guys here on this thread. I would love a set of BF1500 floats for my J3 but they are too scarce. My J3 has a C90 and EDO 1320's. It runs in the experimental category. Aqua cannot be contacted on any numbers I have, but the Baumann fluted bottoms, lower weight, higher displacement make them superior on paper. What if you could make a set of experimental floats based off some 1320 barrels and use the same rigging.

- Make them 1" wider
- Make them 1.5" deeper
- Fit a second water rudder
- Fit lockers, screw off inspection plates, 4 cleats

Would a 16% scaled-up version of an EDO 1320 not essentially be a BF1500 by another name?

William
 
Irish what's lacking for you when flying the EDO 1320's? Frequently overloaded? Marginal performance? Do you have the proper rigging for a J-3 and not for a PA-11...they are different as the J-3 sits further back on the floats. Eddie Peck has the strut dimensions.

Someday I should measure the small Baumann floats to confirm their size relative to EDO 1320's.

Gary
 
The Baumann 1500 are exactly 1” wider and 1.5” deeper....same length as 1320’s. That is the difference....plus evrr er thing else Irish listed.
 
Thanks for the replies,
The shortcomings of the 1320's are the single water rudder coupled with lower displacement on windy days. The extra cleats would be handy at the dock on the aft float. The flat decks would have no caps to trip across. The locker would be great for carrying some overnight stuff in a waterproof bag.

I have a quote of 9200 usd to rebuild a set of 1320's exactly like BF1500's. My rigging is all J3 rigging, I've spent alot of money on ball joints/wirepulls/bracewires a few years back.

I would also need to buy some used beat up 1320 barrels in USA and get them here to Ireland. So that would probably make it more like 13500 USD for this project. How close would 13500 get to a set of used BF1500's or Aqua 1500's?
 
I've seen them for sale +- your projected cost for Baumanns. Not many available but these are hard times and placing "looking for" ads might induce an owner to part with a set. Try the usual for sale websites and seaplane oriented forums. Aqua's would be less expensive.

Gary
 
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