derekb
New Member
Hello all.
I have owned and flown a Cessna 180H float plane for the last 7 years on straight floats and two short stents on wheels. I like the plane but as is typical of us humans there are a few things I would like to change. Number one on my wish list is a fiberglass or other wise composite hull as I fly into salt water all the time and it cost a lot to keep up. I also would like a bit more useful load (915 Lbs right now) something that is not 43 years old (again maintenance cost) and better avionics. A three blade prop to keep the noise done would not hurt neighbor relations...
The way I look at it I could buy a Cessna 206/185 or build a Murphy Moose but still have an aluminum plane in salt water, look hard at the CompAir6 that for some reason has never seamed quite right or go crazy and build my own design. When I say my own design I mean my own spec but I would have professionals for the final design details and engineering.
Right now my concept is to take take an existing wing such as the Cessna 206 wing that is well understood and build a fuselage to attach it to out of carbon and fiberglass. I would build the tail feathers in composite also. I would look hard at commercially available tubes and panels with and eye to keep as much of the custom layup flat to save on molding time and easy layup. As much as possible I would like to assemble parts rather then invent or create all new. IE I might use existing SeaPlane's west motor mount rather then make a new one from scratch.
I started working with Composites back in the mid 1980's and build a few sailboat rudders and other bits out of Carbon way back then. I am skilled though not an expert at many things such as welding, electronics, fabrication, mechanics and so forth. I built my own race cars and went on to win in them etc.
Thoughts?
Derek
I have owned and flown a Cessna 180H float plane for the last 7 years on straight floats and two short stents on wheels. I like the plane but as is typical of us humans there are a few things I would like to change. Number one on my wish list is a fiberglass or other wise composite hull as I fly into salt water all the time and it cost a lot to keep up. I also would like a bit more useful load (915 Lbs right now) something that is not 43 years old (again maintenance cost) and better avionics. A three blade prop to keep the noise done would not hurt neighbor relations...
The way I look at it I could buy a Cessna 206/185 or build a Murphy Moose but still have an aluminum plane in salt water, look hard at the CompAir6 that for some reason has never seamed quite right or go crazy and build my own design. When I say my own design I mean my own spec but I would have professionals for the final design details and engineering.
Right now my concept is to take take an existing wing such as the Cessna 206 wing that is well understood and build a fuselage to attach it to out of carbon and fiberglass. I would build the tail feathers in composite also. I would look hard at commercially available tubes and panels with and eye to keep as much of the custom layup flat to save on molding time and easy layup. As much as possible I would like to assemble parts rather then invent or create all new. IE I might use existing SeaPlane's west motor mount rather then make a new one from scratch.
I started working with Composites back in the mid 1980's and build a few sailboat rudders and other bits out of Carbon way back then. I am skilled though not an expert at many things such as welding, electronics, fabrication, mechanics and so forth. I built my own race cars and went on to win in them etc.
Thoughts?
Derek
