Winter landing gear - ski's?

Dubro plastic skis are pretty simple to attach and inexpensive. They work pretty well, except when the snow is real slushy. One of these years I plan on building floats and see how they will work on snow.

I've flown a .46 size trainer (CG Falcon 3) on skis, made them out of aluminium. I could give you the size I used if I can find one, they are in the workshop 'somewhere'. I don't think the size is too critical, enough to support the weight of the model and no more. Shorter and wider than standard 'people' skis.

Normen,

Thanks! --

Jim L.

David,

If you run across them, fine....if not, no problem. --

Jim L.

I'll go down the workshop and look for something else. I'm bound to find them straight away that way!

Try this link:

Floats are the best way to go, I tried skis and did not like them at all. where the skis would hang up on the runway, the floats glide right over.

I found that the skis only really work on fresh, soft snow. If it has a good hard crust, or there is bare ice (we fly on the lakes, too) then wheels are better.

Jim L.

Jim, I find more people fly here in the winter than do in the summer. The only possible explanation is that they have to much to do in the summer. We have a great club field which is virtually unused, but there are often up to half to dozen on the ice in the winter.

David,

We have one member waiting for a pond to freeze, so he can retrieve a plane stuck in a tree in the middle of that pond.

--

Jim L.

Fancy leaving a tree in the middle of a pond!

Made me smile, though, thanks!

I've got a pair of GRP floats (40 size) kicking around; I might try them this winter. Good tip!

If you go with floats, it is a good idea to apply some of the grey fabric type duct tape to the bottom. This will protect them from getting eaten up by the snow and ice crystals. Gord Schindler MAAC6694

Sounds like another good tip, thanks; I'll remember that.