To all builders and Moose owners,
I don't generally get involved in comments and discussions about our
products on builders sites unless I see bad info. It seems a company
called Aerotek aviation out of QC. Canada Has done just that. They made
some claims on this web that I would like to address:
1 That our floats are hand made and theirs are all automated.
well I guess I'm not sure what that means, maybe they have all robotic
riveters and sealant spreaders. if they are talking about CNC( that's
computer numerically controlled) equipment,all our hull parts,bulkheads
top decks,side skins,spreader pickups, hatches, ect. are all cut and
drilled on a 5 ft. by 12 ft. CNC cutting machine. All our landing gear
parts, rigging, hydraulic cylinders,even the box for our electronics,
comes off our in house CNC machine. We have a machine shop with both
Manual milling machines and lathes and CNC milling milling machine.
All our parts are first drawn with a computer, programmed, and then
machined. After all of that we still rivet and seal pretty much the old
fashioned way, just like every body else in this business.
2. They claim a weight of 525 lbs. and ours at 660 lbs. Now ours do
weigh 660lbs, that weight includes all rigging,steps on rigging,
electric pumps, hand pump, lines, fittings,water rudders,mounts fittings
in the aircraft,
Electronics box,water rudder cables, ect. installed on a Moose.They
say rigging materials avalible, so that must mean the don't have that
figured in to their weight. if that's the case our floats weigh about
560 lbs. in same condition.2 floats with spreader bars.
3. price, they say why pay $43,000 for ours when you can buy theirs for
$31,900? Well when you get ours you get the full package, there is
nothing else to buy, it comes complete with all attachments, rigging,
electric pump, hand pump, all hydraulic lines and fittings, Dual water
rudders, all water rudder rigging,wiring, circuit breakers, landing gear
position lights for each wheel up and down, a audio warning system that
is airspeed controlled, and adjustable, It gives a gear position audio
warning when you slow down to preset speed, a voice will announce
Landing gear up or down. also if your gear has a problem, it will
announce gear unsafe. these messages will repeat until canceled by the
mute switch. this can be hooked in to your audio panel, intercom, or
cabin speaker. Also on top of your glare shield there is a small box, in
it are 2 lights, a blue and an amber.
If all wheels are up and locked, the blue light will remain on steady,
if down and locked, the amber light will remain steady. during gear
cycle, the light (blue if wheels are going up)will blink until gear
cycle is complete. if in flight the light starts to blink, something's
wrong with the gear.
I looked for Aeroteks web site and found nothing (I'm not to good with
the internet, maybe some one could enlighten me) A check of Rasakti's
web site said nothing about floats at all. They appear to be a parts
manufacture for turbine engine gear boxes, although I don't read French
either. It would seem that a company that has all kinds of float
sizes,in both anphibs and straits + wheel skis, would at least mention
them on there web.
We now have had 5 SR3500 airplanes on our floats, 4 anphibs and one
strait. We have delivered 1set of anphibs that haven't been installed
yet( he will be flying this spring). Of the 5 that have or are flying, 4
were lycoming powered and one M14 powered. All have preformed well. We
have another set here at the factory that will be going to paint in Jan.
this set is scheduled to be mounted on a M14 moose this spring.
Currently their are 3 more being built now, with hopes that some will
also fly this summer if the builders get there airplanes flying. All in
all we hope to have about 7 or 8 mooses flying this summer. I would like
to take this opportunity to thank those that have bought our floats and
wish them well.
Bottom line is no matter what float you buy check to see if you are
getting every thing you need to mount your aircraft on them. building up
a rigging or having some one do it for you can get expensive. look at
the quality and workmanship. and most importantly, have they flown on a
Moose before. It also helps to have a reasonable customer support.
Thank you, and seasons greetings to all
Keith Kinden
Montana Float
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