On to my next project PA-12

[MT12]

Three years ago after flying my first PA-12 for 13 years it was time for a recover and general clean up. That involved basically striping it down to nothing and starting back up, the biggest mod was the addition of flaps but included new cables, wiring, plumbing, X brace,one gas tank, sight gauges, 18 trim, x brace, cathedral, floor boards, radio, elt, intcom, etc. Been flying it again now for just over a year and loving it.



Halfway through that 2 year, 1400 hour process I was having so much fun I bought another PA-12 project, this project came with good paperwork,No FWF, square wings, flaps, new in the box dakota cub 24 gal tanks package, new in the box 3" extented 18 HD gear with safety cables, and a fuselage with all the popular mod's but with some bad welding on it. I have the wings ready to cover, the control surfaces all covered and the fuselage about done being sand blasted and ready to go into the jig for welding. I bought the cross winds 1935# upgrade and that will go on. My plan is to put a 160hp 0-320 in it. I also plan to put float fittings on it while its down.

So here (finally) is my question. I understand from searching this site that edo and bauman floats use the same fittings, Will that type of float fittings also fit other brand floats. And what floats do I want to start looking for for this bird?

 

[Paul Heinrich]

I would say Aerocet, but they STILL haven't gotten off their rearends to get them approved on a 12. They have only been promising pa12 approval for 4+ years now.

Otherwise EDOs are the only affordable option.

 

[Bill Rusk]

The fittings that are welded to the longerons are compatible with all floats.

Sooo......it really does not matter what brand you get, but you may have to machine a fitting or two depending on the rigging set up you end up with.

Bill

 

[DAVE B]

I am going to start my PA 12 overhaul in about a year with most of the same upgrades. Would you have any interior pictures of what you did. And did you put shoulder harnesses in. Can't seem to find legal ones. Looks great

Dave,

 

[MT12]

Dave: Thanks, of all the pictures I have taken of the rebuild I don't seem to have any interior ones, I'll snap a couple and put them up. I used the new FA Dodge STC for the overhead X brace above the pilot and attached the front shoulder harnesses to that. Dodge is working on an STC for the rear PA-14 style cathedral to which the rear shoulder harness attaches to but it isn't approved yet so I ended up going through a DER engineer to supplement a 337 to get the cathedral and shoulder harness attach points approved. Fortunately the project I am working on now has the X and the cathedral done in the 70's.

doug