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PA-18-95 on floats

B

Baldo

Registered User
Hi, I bought a PA-18-95, 1957, almost a year ago and would like to put it on floats.
I live next to the sea at the coast and have one hour drive to nearest airfield so a floatplane would make it more conviniant for me to fly.
Also having the plane at my house would be more practical & fun. There is a boat ramp 200m away where I would launch it using a trailer and enable storing it at my private parking.
The plane is 100% original and certified today and I would like to keep it that way.

Will it be a good sea plane or way to underpowered?

What floats are cerified for PA-18-95?

I have seen Edo 89-2000 on PA-18-150 are they an option on a PA-18-95?
 
I think Aqua 1500 are also approved.
What's you empty weight on wheels? That will tell if it's going to be a dog or not

Glenn
 
Living next to the sea and flying in salt water creates a lot of corrosion and rust. If you are in southern waters the corrosion is more active than in the far north. An airplane can be converted to junk status in a short number of years.
 
When you say 100% original, are you saying it still has the original fabric on it also?

As Glenn mentioned in the above response, seems a bit on the chubby side. with a set of floats on, you're most likely going to be a 1-person plane with little extra load capabilities. If that's your mission, go for it. Nothing more fun than flying floats. But as also has been mentioned, flying from the sea (salt water), corrosion is going to take a toll very quickly unless yo are very diligent on a thorough rinsing and cleaning. Having lived on the gulf coast for a time, I saw the effects of just the salt air causing problems.
 
I am with the two posters worrying about corrosion. Keep the 95 at an airport inland, in a hangar, and buy a beater for salt water work. Assume it will last about two years, then be scrap. Maybe a nice 7AC Champ - don’t pay too much for it. Runout fabric/engine would be best.
 
I agree that’s going to be a pretty heavy seaplane for 90 hp.

I also agree on the topic of corrosion. UNLESS that airplane was well corrosion proofed at rebuild. The other key to prevent (or rather reduce) corrosion is regular and thorough wash downs, EVERY time that plane comes out of the water. I flew a Super Cub in Kodiak for a number of years on floats. Plane was usually parked in fresh water overnight, but no special wash downs, just land in fresh water and splash around. That plane had been thoroughly corrosion proofed by Piper when built in 1969. Was in Kodiak till it was recovered in 1985. When the old cotton was removed, very little corrosion was found. So, a well corrosion proofed cub can survive salt.

But….is this one well prepared? Would I go there?

Nope.
 
Float flying is more fun than you can imagine. Have you considered a Lake? Might be more suited to your situation.
 
55-PA18A said:
Float flying is more fun than you can imagine. Have you considered a Lake? Might be more suited to your situation.
Click to expand...
Still a corrosion issue. I've seen Lakes used in salt situations as described by Baldo. They won't last any longer. Salt water and retractable gear is worse than straight floats.
 
I have a couple hundred hours in my dads 90 hp supercub on edo 1400 floats. I was 18 and as long as I did what he expected and helped him when he asked, I had free run of the cub. I had the world by the a$$$ and wasnt smart enough to know it at the time. I learned to fly when it was on wheels, then got my SES in it. It sure made you learn to fly the wing. I used to pick up my now wife then girlfriend in it when dating her who weighed 100 lbs. It was a very different plane with a moderate load of gas and another 180 pounder in the back seat. It absolutley would refuse to fly on a hot summer afternoon unless you opened up your bag of tricks. Load of fun when solo, just be aware when maxed out on weight.
jim
 
Hi, thanks for all replies. Yes fabric is still original exept for right wing and stabilizor, they where recovered a year ago. Only change from original is the wing struts, they are of the new sealed version. Thorough rinsing and cleaning needs to be done after each flight thats clear.
WWhunter said:
When you say 100% original, are you saying it still has the original fabric on it also?

As Glenn mentioned in the above response, seems a bit on the chubby side. with a set of floats on, you're most likely going to be a 1-person plane with little extra load capabilities. If that's your mission, go for it. Nothing more fun than flying floats. But as also has been mentioned, flying from the sea (salt water), corrosion is going to take a toll very quickly unless yo are very diligent on a thorough rinsing and cleaning. Having lived on the gulf coast for a time, I saw the effects of just the salt air causing problems
Click to expand...
 
I had PK1500's on a PA-18-95. Two of us at 185# each with 3/4 tanks would be a bit long on the water when temps were in the 80's and light winds. A lot of fun flying it though.

Not sure a thorough freshwater rinsing/cleaning will help very much, especially once the salt corrosion starts on steel. Salt corrosion on steel is an autocatalytic process; it doesn't stop whenever there is water/moisture present.
 
There was a fellow here who bought a brand new 7GCBC on new floats. Even though he kept it in fresh water (storing it inside my hangar in winters) it only lasted a few years before it rusted out because he used it extensively in salt water. The floats got a lot of corrosion too. This was not tropical salt water.
 
skywagon8a said:
There was a fellow here who bought a brand new 7GCBC on new floats. Even though he kept it in fresh water (storing it inside my hangar in winters) it only lasted a few years before it rusted out because he used it extensively in salt water. The floats got a lot of corrosion too. This was not tropical salt water.
Click to expand...
Unless you really have a good epoxy coating on the tubing and flush with fresh water (inside and out) at the end of each days flying corrosion will take its toll if operating in salt water. Flying sea planes is a lot more work that an airplane on land.
 
dgapilot said:
Unless you really have a good epoxy coating on the tubing and flush with fresh water (inside and out) at the end of each days flying corrosion will take its toll if operating in salt water. Flying sea planes is a lot more work that an airplane on land.
Click to expand...
Fish & Wildlife sent a brand new Scout to Kodiak. I’ve forgot how long it was there but not long. A year or so…. Turned out that at that time ACA didn’t do a very good job of corrosion proofing their planes. Hopefully, they’re doing better now.
 
Washing them after every salt operation is a must.

However, often forgotten is the amount of residual salt in the air when around the ocean. Just the wind and fog in close to the ocean will make a plane corrode- so washing in the described scenario would be a weekly thing if just sitting.

All that said, expect 5 years before it needs to come apart for new fabric.

Douten has one on amphibs in Maine doesn't he? He would be a good resource.
 
I think Douten is inland away from the salt? You're right about being near salt. Landplanes at a coastal airport have the same issues.
 
My pond neighbor has a set of STC'd PK1800's for his PA-18-95. New install planned for this summer so we'll see how it performs. He still wants the Baumann 2100's parked nearby.

Gary
 
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