So about a ten days ago I flew my Skywagon N185BS to Surfside Seaplane base in Lino Lakes, Minnesota. The plan was to work with Brian at Adventure Seaplanes and Bob at Seaplane Services to get me and the plane ready to head to Ontario for the rest of the summer.

Brian had access to numerous floats that would work form my plane. After going over my options I went with the oldest ones on the lot, a set of 1966 PK A3500's. Old, weathered, but according to a few sources airworthy, and the price was right.

So, for the next few days Bob at Seaplane Services mounted them on my plane while I trained in Brian's 185. After 5 hours I had my rating, a few more hours and I was feeling pretty good. At that point my bird was ready and we finished up the instruction with a few hours in my plane. If I could do it again I would have tried my first flight with my plane empty. I made the mistake of instead going with full tanks, 2 of us in the cockpit, and quite a bit of weight in the back. With the hot day and the floats she sure was slow to get off the water and into the air.

Turns out I had some fuel issues and it was back in the shop for a few hours to tweak the fuel system. The second flight test went great and the next morning I was off with Sarah and our dog Loki on a cross country to Saulte Ste Marie, Ontario to check in with customs and then off to Temagami and my friends camp.

I've been at camp all week now and am loving the floats. The PK's are way tighter than I ever anticipated and they perform great. Thanks to Brian with Adventure Seaplanes and Bob at Seaplane Services, they both do great work. Also thanks to MTV for the phone consult on the floats. If folks are in the area they should stop into Surfside, its a great spot and there's always folks to chat with and some cool planes to check out.






So here's where my plane is living for the next month:


I'll be getting used to it locally, then maybe taking it up north at the end of August. Stay tuned for some more pics.

Brad

Glad to see you made it OK to Temagami. You are in great floatplane country. Have fun.

Congratulations on joining the float flock. You will have a ball. It also appears that you share the same inability to come up with a nifty "N" number, too. I am N185BL. Have a fun summer.

FF,

Another connection !!!

Brian Schanche introduced me to Steve Riggins at Lake Lowery in Florida

Gary

Have fun Brad!

PC: It is a small world, especially when your feet are wet! Hope the summer is going well for you. Finally getting some good flying in with the weather being near perfect. Steve must be in Canada and without internet?

Damn, that bird is a thing of beauty! I've never flown floats, but I'm chompin' at the bit!

That 185 looks good on those near mint floats, however if the white paint was replaced with yellow it would really look good, perform really well, plus be a chick magnet also, kinda like 185AS! Hey guys, Brad was trying to get my mint 3430 edo's from me but i could not part with them and i needed my aerocet 3500L's on my 180. Those 3500A's have carried some very big loads on my yellow bird all over the arctic. They will do Brad fine with his near perfect float flying technique! How about at least painting a yellow stripe on the floats!

Hey Brian-

The floats are awesome, I already had a guy try and by them off of me on the dock at Soo St Marie.

I still owe a case of beer for my last rudder infraction, I'll pay up next week when I drop Sarah off.

-Brad

Brad, make sure to let all those float operators know just how much easier and more joyful it is to use your 185's flaps to work the step than it is in their airplanes

if u like the Pk 3500A u will love the B models...............

Brad: glad you got that thing going. Another pilot ruined for life. Now you need to find someone with a boat cache on a remote lake and really have fun. Are you going to see Polar bears with Brian?

Gary and Ford: Life has been hectic here lately. I have been fighting rainy weather trying to do dirt work for the new float plane hanger, plus just got house guests headed back south yesterday. I will e-mail tomorrow.

Brian: I know you had a rainy week fishing, hope you brought your rain coat. Steve

I love the paint on that 185. Red, white and blue looks great in the outback!