FoamFloats.com submission for the Kavan Wingo

Submitted by: Jon Daniels

1: How did you cover your floats? I used transparent red Ultracote. I ironed it on in four sections per float.

2: How did you mount the rear strut? I bent a piece of music wire into an upside down, shallow u shape and used a rubber band to attach it to the Wingo's boom. see picture.

3. Where do you like the step to sit in relation to the CG? My step is approximately one inch behind the CG. This works very well.

4. How is the take-off, taxi, and landing performance? Taking off is not what I would call 'easy'. I think a slightly wider float that provided more surface area to surf on when on step and more floatation in general is needed. I used to have a pair like this on my Wingo and taking off was very easy in less than 30 feet and once on step it would really pick up speed and skim across the surface. These floats seem to plow through the water more and never get the Wingo up out of the water on a good step. However I've made dozens of takeoffs and landings with them and have not gotten wet yet :) It takes slow acceleration for 30-100 feet to coax her into the air with a lot of up elevator to get out of the water. The Wingo taxies around very well on these floats with plenty of control. In wind over 5mph it becomes difficult to turn and wants to to catch a wing and flip over. Landing is easily accomplished with either a very slow instant-stop 'splat' landing or a higher speed, scale like, sliding landing.

5. How does flight performance compare with no floats on? In-flight airspeed is slightly lower due to the increased drag but it does not decrease stability or cause any strange flight behavior. Inverted flight is actually much easier with floats :D