ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

Located in a group of islands country with 28hp 2 stroke maxplane should have to think about ditching just in case. I' m still sorting out how to save this little plane most likely with floatation device. Any thought?
I'll be open for any idea that might viable.

Regards,

Phil V

A flotation device for the entire airplane?

Quoted from Cy V A flotation device for the entire airplane?

Absolutely..since minimax  wood/ fabric airframe is bouyant engine weight should need bouyancy device that is light and compact to carry.

Phil

If your just thinking keeping it from sinking to aid recovery maybe throw some  "packaging pillows" (essentially6"x4"x3" bubble wrap cells) in the wings and behind the seat. Very light and would displace alot of water for very little weight.

If trying to keep the engine out of the water, mylar ballon material can be bought by the yard and heat sealed to shape, combined with a light air tank (or large paintball style co2 canister and valve you could make a custom "airbag."  Heck a STRONG magnet on the end of a pipe with a ball bearing ball in it and a contactor style plug on the other end and you could make it auto deploy on an impact.

I have seen pictures of minimaxes on floats.

See Cabela's ZX4000 auto PFD. But the bubble wrap sounds like a winner to me. Maybe ping pong balls in the wings.   

The Spruce Goose used ping pong balls, albeit a lot of them!!!!
Joe

soft drink bottles. 2 litre bottle provides more than four pounds of buoyancy. Fill the wings with them. Forget the engine. If you ditch, the aeroplane is scrap anyway. Survival is the priority. Good lifejacket and a location transmitter will pay better odds.

There was a guy who flew an UL from South America to Oshkosh.  He had to cross the Caribbean ocean, island hopping.  He filled his wings with blown up condoms for floatation.  Nothing like having "protection".

Quoted from tomshep If you ditch, the aeroplane is scrap anyway. Survival is the priority. Good lifejacket and a location transmitter will pay better odds.

That's what I'm thinking.  

However,  see pic below.  Just a thought.......

My 28hp landplane minimax has no way for a float type gear.
Ditching could have no power at all its lightweight and mushy attitude
might also lead and hopefully with an intact airframe. In boat mode, this could easily be seen in open
water. And definitely Type-5 life vest is ready to save this lonebuzzard.
Appreciated your ideas/comments guys and considering the latest 'high tech floatation device' the BUBBLE WRAP!

Phil V.

It does have a lot going for it, cheap, readily available, in the event of structural damage causing a rupture it only effects the damaged cell, light enough to put in a huge safety factor without much impact on normal flight performance, and might even provide some energy absorbtion in a higher energy impact depending on angle of contact

Phil, I would be more concerned about going upside down than anything else. Without any  floating devices for water landing the plane most likely will do a nose over, unless the water surface is real flat. If you fly over water always wear a life saver jacket.
As far as the plane is concerned, don’t have worry too much, it will never sink.
Long time ago, a very young member from this group had his plane ditched (by his dad) in a lake. If I can recall,  it had a 28HP engine. On sea waters it will even float much better.

Quoted from Ricardo If you fly over water always wear a life saver jacket.

Correct; however, the type of personal floatation device chosen is also important.  The proper type to wear is an inflatable style, such as the one at this link:  
https://www.academy.com/shop/p.....epChildCatid=5944477

Disable the auto-inflation feature, because you DO NOT want to inflate the vest while in the cockpit, it may prevent you from egressing the plane. Always egress the plane first, then inflate your vest.

Used to be able to find the old "Mae West" life preservers at the surplus stores for cheap, same idea as the last post but no auto-inflate.

I still have unused 'mae west' purchased in 90's. The latest is automatic Type 5 jacket. (But made in china). Emergency procedure in water landing vest inflation should always clear from a/c cabin.  As with minimax it makes sense due to nose over tendency.

Good grief Phil are yuo not worried about the SHARKS. Have you ever seen the movie "JAWS"?

Quoted from aeronut Good grief Phil are yuo not worried about the SHARKS. Have you ever seen the movie "JAWS"?

Big sharks and shark attack very rare here but coast guard rescue in most remote areas are impossible on third world..make drinking water first in the
list for survival with marine handheld radio to relay passing vessels and ferry boats.

MukTuk Floats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0qbNQeoqh0
Back in the day I purchased a set of plans, around here somewhere, the problem was taking off from a dirt runway on floats to go fishing...