As I'm absolutely planning for a life on the water in my plane (when it isn't frozen solid, of course). My wife bought me an early birthday present today of my first seaplane lesson! 1.3 hours in a Citabria 150 on straight floats. What an amazing experience!





My first flight was with Sandi Randall at Romeo Aviation in Cumberland, WI, although we flew from her place in Luck, WI. Great instructor, great adventure!

Now to decide whether it's worth it to outfit the MX-A with floats or not. I don't have H2O at both ends, so amphibs are needed. Reading through the archives, it might be sketchy at best on a 180, but I do have the Universal Wings...

~Chris

Looks fun! I need to try it someday.

First "taste" is free.....

Great fun. I really enjoyed my floats for the years that I flew them. I have been flying on wheels in the summers lately due to the access to such beautiful back country. Gotta get back on floats soon.

As long as you are not trying to operate out of high lakes or rivers, I would think a M7 180 should work OK.

TD

TomD wrote:First "taste" is free.....

Great fun. I really enjoyed my floats for the years that I flew them. I have been flying on wheels in the summers lately due to the access to such beautiful back country. Gotta get back on floats soon.

As long as you are not trying to operate out of high lakes or rivers, I would think a M7 180 should work OK.

TD

The archives tell many different versions of the story, for sure. Compiling all of the experIences, it seems that it would be an acceptable 2-place amphib here in the flatlands of Wisconsin and surrounding areas. Out west would be another story altogether.

A new set of floats cost more than the current value of the plane. But so does an avionics upgrade, recover, etc. (tongue in cheek). But we don't buy airplanes to make money, do we?

Chris,
I friend just finished up his Seaplane rating with Sandi. He had a great time, and is now looking for a float plane (to add to his collection).
Enjoy
Michael

Excellent! I live over four hours' drive from there, but the flight isn't bad. So when I go back to finish, I'd like to finish it in short order, if possible. In and out!

Flying seaplanes is great fun. Second only to helicopters and back country airstrips in my opinion.

I did a fair amount of research on the idea of putting amphibs on my MX-7-180 and decided not to do it. The net weight gain of 400+ pounds along with the shorter 30'10" wing would make a poor performer with not much useful load out of the airplane.

Straight floats are a different story but then finding AVGAS without ethanol in the lower 48 becomes a problem. I even considered an auto gas conversion STC so I could get gas at boat marinas (without ethanol), but the power loss involved in using 89 octane fuel would make the performance unacceptable to me.

Jim has a MX-7-180 with the longer wing on straight floats and he likes it. However, I think he's in Fairbanks and AVGAS for straight-floated aircraft isn't a problem. Jim, is that correct?

Sorry, I meant finding AVGAS in the lower 48 for a floatplane is a problem. AVGAS of course doesn't have ethanol.

Yes, given that and the cost of floats acquisition, it may end up just being a rating to get but not use. That is, unless, I end up buying a 235 or something with floats already on it. Thankfully, I do have the longer (32'11") universal wings.

That, and talking the CFO into it, of course.