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180 Skywagon Float Options - Knowledge base

MSS

Registered User
Madison, Cheeseland
Please share what you know about 180 Skywagon floats.
I am in the market for a set of amphibs for a PPonk’d late model 180 and need to know what I need to know if you know what I mean???

There are many posts that discuss opinions on brands and performance.
For this post, I would like to know more about the mechanical particulars;

Are the xyz floats available in 12 and 24 volt and are they convertible?
Which is available - electric or engine driven hydraulics - better/worse?
Do they all come with hand pumps and powered pumps?
Can you use the same pumps for skis?
What are model year changes of the same float?
Are there better years and bad years?
Rudder sizes and options?
Do they have hatches - stock, custom, STCd
What STCs and other modifications are available?
Are spray rails standard?
What is the parts (un)availableility?
Repairs and Maintenance - easy, difficult, impossible?
Painting and sealing - what works and what does not?
Is a ventral fin required or not?
Return to service inspections
Interchange of bearings, tubes, tires, brakes...
Floats are considered an accessory and they don't have their own logbooks. So how do you know about the history of the floats?
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
Please share what you know about 180 Skywagon floats. What year/model 180? Use Straight not Amphibious
I am in the market for a set of amphibs for a PPonk’d late model 180 and need to know what I need to know if you know what I mean???t Very little useful load even with higher gross wieght STC. A 185 is a better choice for amphibs due to the higher legal useful load. Even the 185 is marginal.

There are many posts that discuss opinions on brands and performance.
For this post, I would like to know more about the mechanical particulars;

Are the EDO floats available in 12 and 24 volt and are they convertible? Yes, It is the hydraulic power pack and indicator lights. Nothing other than wires and switches in the floats.
Which is available - electric or engine driven hydraulics - better/worse?Must remove engine driven pump when floats are removed to prevent destroying pump for lack of lubrication. Electric pump helps with CG control.
Do they all come with hand pumps and powered pumps? Yes
Can you use the same pumps for skis? Yes, hand pump.
What are model year changes of the same float? None
Are there better years and bad years? No difference
Rudder sizes and options? one size
Do they have hatches - stock, custom, STCd Not standard
What STCs and other modifications are available?
Are spray rails standard? No
What is the parts (un)availableility? http://www.kenmoreairharbor.com/edo-floats.html
Repairs and Maintenance - easy, difficult, impossible? Keep the gear greased
Painting and sealing - what works and what does not?
Is a ventral fin required or not? Not
Return to service inspections
Interchange of bearings, tubes, tires, brakes...
Floats are considered an accessory and they don't have their own logbooks. So how do you know about the history of the floats? You don't
Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks
EDO has three models which were made for the 180. The 2700, 2705 and 2790. You don't want the 2700 due to electric motors in the floats, troublesome and no parts. The 2705 is the same float except it uses hydraulics. The 2790 is the same as the 2705 with 22" added to the aft end.
 
What Pete said. I fly a Pponk 180 on straight floats (CAP 3000D), and with four big guys and a decent amount of gas, it’ll barely get on step and out of its own way; I can’t imagine throwing amphibs into the mix and operating out of anything less than a mile long unless you were never more than two people, and that still wouldn’t be fun. Ymmv, but for me the whole purpose of the plane is to throw a load in it and go somewhere, and amphibs would really kill that...
 
You really are not going to want to mess with ANY of the " old style" amphibian's.
By that I mean ANY float that has the main gear in the step compartment, not only have you then lost the most boyant compartment, you have also lost the most critical part of the float for it to accelerate
on. When PK and Whipline were both trying
to introduce the "new style" main gear in the 1st compartment BEHIND the step: that was THE biggest innovation to come out on floats since they invented floats!
The 3050 PK amphibian's are great floats, but I don't think they are legal on your plane![emoji848]
If your already Pponked I thing your only option is the Whipline 3000's and only then
after you convert the forward part of your vertical fin, PLUS you will have to install the rudder spring balancer system ( huge pita)
to comply with their STC. The old style amphibian's are pretty doggy loaded, and a 180 on Edo 2790's is very underfloated in much of a wind.........
We had both 3500 PKs and 3500 Edos down in the Fiji Isle on Robertson Stol, C206's and they were both marginal at best
Because they had the gear in step compartments........ So you have been warned![emoji6]

Sent from my moto e5 go using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
These would be my first, second and third choice of amphibs for that airplane. https://aerocet.com/products/3400-amphibious-floats/

Ive flown a K on these floats and they are good performers.

That said, do some math before you jump on ANY of these floats. As noted by ak49flyer, none of these things is going to wind up in a four place airplane, functionally....as in with gas and stuff.

The early EDO amphibs Pete noted above will be underfloated on that plane, even more severely limiting useful load.

You didn’t say what your budget is, though. If you can stomach the cost of new amphibs, the Aerocet are about as good as it gets.

But, in reality, if you’re determined to go amphib, there are few choices.

MTV
 
What Mike said.

I flew a 185 on Aerocett amphibs, oldest and highest time Aerocetts out there in commercial use!! Great float, fast, not quite, but almost trouble free even in salt water use... wires for warning and indicators do have issues once in a while. I put about 600 hours on that bird in a couple years.

That said, I also flew a 180 with stock engine and Aerocett amphibs, the guy loaded it down with more fuel than you can imagine, and gear, and three of us. Mile plus of lake.

If you are going to do this, and want any performance, you should consider Sportsman's STOL, X-wing STOL and VG's.

Get Aerocetts though. If budget does not allow, go strait Aerocetts and buy a wheel plane for runways- the price difference will be the same and mechanical costs will be close in package cost.
 
Thanks for your wisdom. I didn’t expect the performance to be that bad?
It’s a 180K and Sportsman's STOL, X-wing and VG's are next on the list of upgrades.
My problem is storage on straight floats.
i have to depart from the plug and when the wind is wrong, I have to drift through obstacles before start up.
its also a very inconvenient location, which prevents a lot of flying opportunities.
Amphibs would get me in my hangar.
Even if I were to suffer the performance issue, the only amphibs for sale are 2790s?
Hmmm???
What to do?


 
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