I got to thinking (new guy here, please go easy on me) about how some guys swap out floats for rubber seasonally and was wondering if many or any for that matter convert from conventional gear with wheel pants to larger tires and bigger nose strut (in the case of a 182) from time to time? Being realistic of what I want to do with my eventual airplane, 2-3 months every year would be off mostly airport use.

I do it. Taylorcraft F21. Baumann amphib floats to wheels with tundra tires and then standard tires with TrickAir skis.

Jim

MooseMeat wrote:I got to thinking (new guy here, please go easy on me) about how some guys swap out floats for rubber seasonally and was wondering if many or any for that matter convert from conventional gear with wheel pants to larger tires and bigger nose strut (in the case of a 182) from time to time? Being realistic of what I want to do with my eventual airplane, 2-3 months every year would be off mostly airport use.

I don’t think it’d be practical to change from a large nose strut to a smaller one seasonally, but you go go down a size or two in tires. No big deal to change tires, though if twer me, I’d buy an extra set of wheels, so the swap would be quicker and easier.

And, this fits within the FAA’s list of “owner maintenance” items.

MTV

Wheels, straight floats and wheel skis for me seasonally on a 170

Wheels to straight skis.

Pete

Thanks for the replies. Seems a 206 fork is the only one out there that has pants? My search capabilities don't show pants available for the air glass fork. Is that correct?

MooseMeat wrote:Thanks for the replies. Seems a 206 fork is the only one out there that has pants? My search capabilities don't show pants available for the air glass fork. Is that correct?

I've never seen a pant that fits a HD 206 fork either. So you are stuck with the small fork for a pant.
What season do you want to run the pants? Winter? Do you have snow and ice during the time you want to run pants? If so, I would discourage it. Snow and ice build up in wheel pants sucks. It's also something to trip over and the speed gain is quite small.

MooseMeat wrote:Thanks for the replies. Seems a 206 fork is the only one out there that has pants? My search capabilities don't show pants available for the air glass fork. Is that correct?

I’d be careful running wheel pants in winter, due to icing concerns. And, worst case, I know of quite a few who run them on mains only. Even with the 206 fork, you can’t run a very large tire. And, the primary STC folks use for installation of larger main wheel tires is…..the Landes Fork STC.

There are probably other STCs out there for bigger main wheel tires…..but the Landes STC gives you the biggest selection of sizes, I’m guessing.

MTV

mtv wrote:

MooseMeat wrote:Thanks for the replies. Seems a 206 fork is the only one out there that has pants? My search capabilities don't show pants available for the air glass fork. Is that correct?

I’d be careful running wheel pants in winter, due to icing concerns. And, worst case, I know of quite a few who run them on mains only. Even with the 206 fork, you can’t run a very large tire. And, the primary STC folks use for installation of larger main wheel tires is…..the Landes Fork STC.

There are probably other STCs out there for bigger main wheel tires…..but the Landes STC gives you the biggest selection of sizes, I’m guessing.

MTV

Sorry Mike, he is correct on it being the Airglas STC. It gives the most tire sizes available. It's possible they bought out Landes? I've never actually been able to find the Landes STC, and a Google search sends you straight to Airglas... http://www.airglas.com/FixedWing/Produc ... fault.aspx

A1Skinner wrote:

mtv wrote:

MooseMeat wrote:Thanks for the replies. Seems a 206 fork is the only one out there that has pants? My search capabilities don't show pants available for the air glass fork. Is that correct?

I’d be careful running wheel pants in winter, due to icing concerns. And, worst case, I know of quite a few who run them on mains only. Even with the 206 fork, you can’t run a very large tire. And, the primary STC folks use for installation of larger main wheel tires is…..the Landes Fork STC.

There are probably other STCs out there for bigger main wheel tires…..but the Landes STC gives you the biggest selection of sizes, I’m guessing.

MTV

Sorry Mike, he is correct on it being the Airglas STC. It gives the most tire sizes available. It's possible they bought out Landes? I've never actually been able to find the Landes STC, and a Google search sends you straight to Airglas... http://www.airglas.com/FixedWing/Produc ... fault.aspx

Sorry, my bad......the name of the company for many years was "Landes Airglas". Wes Landes (a good friend) started the company and ran it for many years till his son Gary (also a good friend) took over. Tragically, Gary died of a sudden heart attack, and Wes sold the company.

So, to me, it'll always be Landes Airglas..... But, yes, the company has now dropped the Landes name. And, incidentally, the name Airglas came from Wes' line of fiberglass skis. He got into the business when a friend asked Wes to build a set of fiberglass skis for his plane. Wes at the time built fiberglass boats.

They made most of their money designing and building "Tundra Pads" for helicopters, including those used on military UH-60 and UG-47 helicopters. There's a long story there, as well.....

Wes and Gary were long time supporters of aviation organizations and strongly supported the GA community in Alaska for decades. It's disappointing that the "new" company doesn't emphasize that history.

MTV