Searching for a small aircraft that is not currently on floats with the intention of putting it on floats, you also need to figure out how commonly that make and model was installed on floats....ie: How many floats are out there with appropriate rigging. I have never seen an Aeronca Chief on floats, though they are approved on floats. Lots of T-Crafts were put on floats, lots of Champs, etc.

Again, if you start thinking too big initially, you may spend all the $$ you can scrounge on just the airplane and be no better off as far as SES goes, cause you can't afford floats.

First you need to decide how much money you can put together, from savings and/or a loan. THAT will drive your airplane choice more than anything.

The 7AC Champs have increased in value a LITTLE, since they're now LSA qualified. Same with J-3. But, there are lots of little Champs out there that aren't LSA eligible, whose prices are still reasonable. Like the 7GC, FC, etc.

Do some poking around. They're out there. But, first go to the credit union or bank and find out what they'll work with you on. Then call the insurance companies. If you're getting into a seaplane, call an insurance broker who does SES insurance as a specialty. They'll know which underwriter to go to.

Good luck

Looks like there's a nice pair of EDO 2000's in Marketplace right now. Snap those up and that could open up your aircraft search. An older 7GCBC might be fun. Gotta have flaps

The problem I keep coming back to with the smaller experimentals, citabria, ect is that they are all fabric. Unless you have amphibs, you really should not be keeping these guys outside right? So what the hell do you do? Do they make good covers that will help protect the fabric from uv and weather? I'm looking for a kit fox IV 1200 with 912 right now and need the folding wings to get hanger space. Also a concern with fabric on land.

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ington6 wrote: Do they make good covers that will help protect the fabric from uv and weather?

Yes, it is called silver... Or in Stewarts and Airtech, Primer. UV is the only thing that will damage Ceconite in any less than reasonable amount of time. The silver, and primer respectively are specially designed to block UV.

Today's fabric coatings out last the typical metal airplanes paint. Said another way, you should intend on recovering your airplane just as often as a typical Cessna owner should think about painting.... So the worry of parking outside should really be no different. Personally I don't like to park any plane outside when I don't need to, but it probably wouldn't be a limiting factor into what kind of plane I chose.

Look at the FAA registry and you will notice that by far and away most cubs built are in the state of Alaska. It also happens to be the state with the least amount of hangars...

My $.02
Take care, Rob

Rob is exactly correct. I owned a Super Cub for years, a J-3 before that, and a PA-12 before that, and none of htem ever lived in a hangar.

MTV

I started out in a 7AC champ, with exactly 4 hours of dual seaplane under my belt. This was 15 years ago, but at the time AVEMCO wanted 10 dual and another 10 solo before taking passengers. Carried liability only. Built time. Bought a high performance seaplane. All they wanted to insure me in the high performance was 10 takeoff/landings with a "qualified" instructor. Built more time, bought higher performance seaplane. That required a qualified instructor signing me off as competent in the plane, no minimums. You just have to work your way up the food chain. A small seaplane is a great way to do it. Insurance never was outrageously expensive along the way. I now carry full coverage on $120,000 hull for about what I carried liability only on the champ for 15 years ago. Under $3000. Russ

Zane wrote: Gotta have flaps

No ya don't.

My little T-Cart on Edos was a laser as to spot landings. Slowed down and trimmed, the throttle made you go exactly where you wanted to go very precisely.

Now take-offs.... Another story. Hot and heavy and the step hiding from you. Some days five miles of water wouldn't be enough.

Gump

GumpAir wrote:

Zane wrote: Gotta have flaps

No ya don't.

My little T-Cart on Edos was a laser as to spot landings. Slowed down and trimmed, the throttle made you go exactly where you wanted to go very precisely.

Now take-offs.... Another story. Hot and heavy and the step hiding from you. Some days five miles of water wouldn't be enough.

Gump

I figured you'd chime in to defend your beloved T-craft. But, it sounds like we're agreed.

Now, you and everyone else knows I don't have my SES, but I've studied some, and even got a good hands-on lesson from one of our Minnesota float pilots, so everything I say is somewhere in the realm of educated speculation. If I ever get some free time, I'm going to become an Oregon river rat.

Flaps for landing = don't need em. I flew that 7EC quite a bit before it's untimely demise, and I loved it. The concept of short fields just doesn't seem to apply to float flying as much.

Flaps for takeoff = this seems a little more valuable when trying to break from the water's surface and get into ground effect earlier, even if you're not ready to climb out. It seems like all flap-equipped aircraft on floats sure as heck use 1 or 2 notches for takeoff.

So I guess my point was, if comparing Citabrias, look for 7GCBC models, because having those flaps sure would be nice, especially with 150hp at your disposal.