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Dave Krall CFII

Final Approach
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Mar 4, 2005
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Dave Krall CFII SEL SES, Cmcl HELI
Hey Tom,

I was wondering if you could recomend someone at the Seattle FSDO (or designee) who LIKES to work with home-builders. My group has started on an amphib floatplane and need to get going with the FAA papers and inspection schedule.

Thanks!
 
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Dave Krall CFII said:
Hey Tom,

I was wondering if you could recomend someone at the Seattle FSDO (or designee) who LIKES to work with home-builders. My group has started on an amphib floatplane and need to get going with the FAA papers and inspection schedule.

Thanks!
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I deal mostly with the GA airworthiness inspectors, you need to talk to the manufacturing folks which is a different section.

The most informative place is the EAA chapter in your neighborhood.

The paperwork trail is not very dificult now, the aircraft must be inspected only once by the FAA or DAR. you must have an N number, and your application for the EXP class airworthiness ready at that time. AS soon as they issue the airworthiness certificate and the limitations you can go fly.
 
are there any issues with the composites getting delaminated by the water? I know that the composite prop builders put titanium leading edges on them. The water when flying through rain impregnates and separates the fiber from the matrix and then bad **** happens. Maybe its just because of the high speeds.
 
tonycondon said:
are there any issues with the composites getting delaminated by the water? I know that the composite prop builders put titanium leading edges on them. The water when flying through rain impregnates and separates the fiber from the matrix and then bad **** happens. Maybe its just because of the high speeds.
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Certain model props have had problems with water spray, therefore I'm not entirely sold on the composites with metal edges for seaplane ops and may revert to metal. Heavier duty models are less prone to problems, with a small weight penalty.
 
Dave Krall CFII said:
Certain model props have had problems with water spray, therefore I'm not entirely sold on the composites with metal edges for seaplane ops and may revert to metal. Heavier duty models are less prone to problems, with a small weight penalty.
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yea it would kinda defeat the point of redesigning the Grumman "To eliminate the extensive corrosion and maintenance problems so common to the 40+ year old design"
 
tonycondon said:
yea it would kinda defeat the point of redesigning the Grumman "To eliminate the extensive corrosion and maintenance problems so common to the 40+ year old design"
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I'm getting some good reports about a few medium weight props like Ivoprop and Warpdrive and haven't heard of any airframe problems with composites. Composite airframe was actually our first choice, but no fast build kits are available that meet our specs, so epoxy coated tube airframe & fabric covering it is.
 
oh ok, I was actually wondering about the composite airframe being in constant contact with the water, not the props. Just used composite props of an example where water is bad. I dont know that there are any composite seaplanes in the fleet now are there? I guess it doesnt matter if you are going with something different now.
 
There are a few composite floats, and the Seawind is a composite bird.
 
infotango said:
There are a few composite floats, and the Seawind is a composite bird.
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oh yea, I remember that now. Ok I retract all comments, apparently the problem has been solved or it simply isnt a problem.
 
tonycondon said:
oh yea, I remember that now. Ok I retract all comments, apparently the problem has been solved or it simply isnt a problem.
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Boat hulls actually have more contact with high speed water than a seaplane. most will fly off the water at less speed than boats that tow water skiers.

the faster the seaplane goes the less presure is has on the hull.
 
tonycondon said:
oh ok, I was actually wondering about the composite airframe being in constant contact with the water, not the props. Just used composite props of an example where water is bad. I dont know that there are any composite seaplanes in the fleet now are there? I guess it doesnt matter if you are going with something different now.
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The 182 floatplane I've flown had composite straight floats and has since been refitted with amphibious ones (still composite) by Bowmann.

And FWIW, about 95% of all boats made to day are of composite construction. There was a time when composite boats were first introduced that the materials were affected by prolonged exposure to water, but such problems were licked about 40 years ago.
 
lancefisher said:
The 182 floatplane I've flown had composite straight floats and has since been refitted with amphibious ones (still composite) by Bowmann.

And FWIW, about 95% of all boats made to day are of composite construction. There was a time when composite boats were first introduced that the materials were affected by prolonged exposure to water, but such problems were licked about 40 years ago.
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yea i realized not long after i posted that boats have been made with fiberglass hulls for years

*smacks head*
 
tonycondon said:
yea i realized not long after i posted that boats have been made with fiberglass hulls for years

*smacks head*
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If the hulls were impacting water drops at supersonic speeds like the prop tips do, they'd have the same need for protective surfaces too.
 
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