just wondering if you can do aerobatics on floats? It would be a pretty funny sight but I'm just curious. The other day I realized that out of the 330 hours I flew last year only about 15 of them I had more than 2 people in the plane. Now that im not living in colorado and not doing a lot of mountain flying I've been looking at citabria, kit fox, rans, ect. At 300 hours a year, it is a $12k a year difference in gas expenditure. Anyway, that was my general thought process leading into"has anyone done aerobatics on floats".

Sure you can...once Be sure and have someone video it when you do so we can all talk about you...I mean learn from your mistake.

Haha. I did not say I was going to be the first. I just wish there was a you tube video or something that could entertain me. In theory, you could still do some simple maneuvers right?

ington6 wrote:In theory, you could still do some simple maneuvers right?

No idea...that seems like a lot of weight / drag hanging out there to cause problems. I would think that it would become an issue with weight on an arm that distance from the center of balance. A basic 1g roll may not be an issue, but even then there is a lot of inertia in those floats rolling around a center axis.

I can't imagine it working that well either. One thing I'm surprised that LFB didn't say was to not let your insurance company know you're thinking this way..

AndyH wrote:I can't imagine it working that well either. One thing I'm surprised that LFB didn't say was to not let your insurance company know you're thinking this way..

Don't let your insurance company know your thinking this way.

We do get to see some interesting claims from time to time and there is no stupidity exclusion so as I said, just be sure to get a good video of it so we will have another good story to tell around the watering hole.

I have seen a lot of low level outside loops with floats, I mean the first half of the outside loop.

I had an RC Wilga with floats several years ago. It wasn't exactly aerobatic, but I did find out it would get into a really tight spin with the floats on (spins were rather boring with the big ol' tundra tires on) and would be harder to recover. Full control inputs to break the stall and full rudder opposite didn't work well without some throttle bursts. Then it would want to start in the other direction. I'd prefer to keep the side with the pond scum down...

I happen to have a 1960 citabria and curently looking for a set of floats (pk 1800) or edo ???? dont really care about aerobatics Just like to splash around a bit.

Simple answer: No, you cannot fly aerobatics in a Citabria on floats LEGALLY. The key is in the verbiage in the float STC and/or type certificate, which says when on floats, the airplane is restricted to the Normal category. Normal category by definition prohibits aerobatics including spins.

MTV

Rent the movie Murphy's War. It has a great aerobatic sequence with a Grumman Duck seaplane. Aerobatics can be done in all kinds of aircraft (not legally-as was posted above) as long as the loads don't exceed the airframe limits. That leaves a small margin for error in most aircraft not designed for aerobatics. Are you that good? I am not. I do aerobatics in aircraft certified for them. Who knows what changes adding floats would create in, for instance, a flubbed loop resulting in an inverted spin.

littlewheelinback wrote:Aerobatics can be done in all kinds of aircraft (not legally-as was posted above) as long as the loads don't exceed the airframe limits. Who knows what changes adding floats would create in, for instance, a flubbed loop resulting in an inverted spin.

It should also be pointed out that the Duck was a purpose built warbird capable of evasive maneuvers (aerobatics). It was designed with hardpints under the bottom wing and a blended fusalage float along with the strength to withstand rough seas and carrier landings with a tailhook...both of which are very stressful on the airframe. Quite a bit different than adding floats to a Citabria with regards to strength, center of balance, drag, and control surface effectiveness.

littlewheelinback wrote:Rent the movie Murphy's War. It has a great aerobatic sequence with a Grumman Duck seaplane.

Is this the scene to which you are refering? The aerobatics begin at about the 5:20 mark but the entire video is pretty interesting.

It could also be pointed out that the Duck scenes were piloted by the great movie stunt pilot Frank Tallzman (I think that is how it is spelled) and that maybe was fairly difficult even in a warbird. I knotice that the Duck seems to run out of juice coming over the top of the loop (even with 1000 hp) and the loops are not round but oblong. Anyway thanks for the link, it had been years since I saw that clip.

Citrabria on floats, dont know but a Extra300 on floats would be more fun.

I know of a J3 on 1320's that does nice loops!