S-LSA on Floats whats out there

[Daus454]

I have been looking to get a S-LSA on floats for flight training was hope y’all could help me put a list of aircraft manufactures and models together or any experience y’all have will be greatly appreciated!

[Floatsflyer]

You can add floats to almost any S-LSA you'd like to have. For unmatched fun, here's some info on most of the S-LSA amphibious flying boats that are available on the market today:

http://www.bydanjohnson.com/Sidebar.cfm?Article_ID=1732

[Daus454]

So far the only two S-LSA on floats we have found are the Cygnet amphibious trike and M-Squared breese 2

[S3flyer]

Flight Design CT and Tl-Ultralight Sirius are available with floats. Searay has an S-LSA model but is a pure seaplane.

[Helen]

You can add floats to almost any S-LSA you'd like to have. For unmatched fun, here's some info on most of the S-LSA amphibious flying boats that are available on the market today:

It's actually not quite that easy unless you plan to deregister the bird to an ELSA. To add floats to an SLSA the manufacturer either has to recertify the plane through the LSA process with the floats on or else use Part 23 certified floats. Additionally, the weight of the floats knock many SLSAs out of the ASTM standars for certification. An LSA with a 912ULS needs 430lbs of useful load to be certified as an SLSA. Turning the plane into a seaplane gives you a gross weight increase of about 100 pounds but most amphibious floats weigh about 200lbs. Hence, if the plane needs to have a hefty useful load to start with to stay within the useful load limit for SLSA certification.

CT has a bird but only one and I spent years unsuccessfully trying to get a demo flight in it. FK had one but I think it had Bauman floats and Bauman went out of business. The Capetown has one and I think Aertrek.

I'm a Searey owner, CFI, and dealer since it's the best seaplane I've found by far. Happy to take you for a flight if you should visit MD. www.chesapeakesearey.com

[JAMore3]

Hi Daus454,

I am assuming that your desire to find a LSA float trainer includes using it in revenue service as part of a flight school. If that is the case, your choices are somewhat limited. It is true that any S-LSA airplane can be recertified by its owner as an E-LSA airplane to accommodate a float installation but doing so will prevent you from using the airplane for revenue.

One of the better choices available if you can find one is a CubCrafters SportCub. A SportCub on a set of Mead 1430 straight floats will just barely make the empty weight restriction to remain S-LSA with floats if you find a SportCub that is not too loaded with options. The other choice is to find a used set of straight Baumann floats (if you can find a set) and put those on.

I flew my SportCub for almost 2 years with Mead 1430 amphibs on my airplane and had a great time. However, my SportCub was recertified as an E-LSA because I wanted to put on amphibs. I am not aware of an S-LSA amphib (non-seaplane). I wish we had more choices so we could get more people flying on floats without having to spend a fortune.

Good luck.

John Moreland
SWT Aviation
CubCrafters Certified Sales Center
Florida

[Wfoz]

Hi, I Have been flying a factory equipped S-LSA float plane for several years now. It has been by far, one of the best purchases I have made in my 40 years of flying. I have flown several of the flying boats and few other float planes and this one is a "keeper". Not that there was anything wrong with the flying boats, it's all in what you are looking for and its application. My American Legend AL3 on Baumann floats will remain with me for as long as I fly. American Legend is also making their Super Cub version on composite "Legend Floats" as an S-LSA which be purchased for around the same comparative price as the flying boats. Just try to find an used AL3 or AL18 on floats and that will show you how coveted they are. They takeoff, fly and land very nicely, are easy to maintain, are built well and customer service is exceptional.

[TBO]

The A-22 Capetown is SLSA available from fpna.com