It's Time To Enjoy The Aquatic Side of The LSA Biz

There are fewer 'cooler' pursuits than taking a perfectly good airplane and strapping a set of floats to it... thereby expanding the envelope of that airframe in amazing ways. It's even better when that perfectly 'good' airplane is actually a perfectly great airplane... like Flight Design's hale and hearty CTLS.

Developed by Flight Design distributor Airtime Aviation of Tulsa, Oklahoma in cooperation with Clamar Floats of Ontario, Canada, the amphibious CTLS fills another niche in a comprehensive line of Light-Sport Aircraft. The German company also manufacturers the carbon fiber CTLS, CTLS Lite, and CTLSHL, plus the all-metal MC.

Installed price on a customer’s airplane has been set at $38,000 for the amphibious float option for all component parts, the mechanical work, and all FAA documents. Airtime Aviation tells ANN that while the system is presently available only for the CTLS model, work has been started to add floats to the CTSW model from Flight Design.

The Clamar float system is constructed from carbon fiber, Kevlar and S-glass to make the CTLS floats a premier product. The float manufacturer is able to use aramid fabrics like Kevlar because of their proprietary infusion process. The composite materials make the floats substantially lighter in overall weight than aluminum or composite floats of same displacement, said Clamar. The floats are 14 feet 5 inches log and 22.6 inches wide.

They have four compartments which are all accessible with 6-inch spin-off covers. Gear movements are produced by an all-electric 12-volt system.  A visual notification system for gear position is standard and audio gear warning is available at extra cost. With a buoyancy reserve, each float can hold 1,430 pounds, which is the legal limit for a Light-Sport seaplane.

FMI: www.flightdesignusa.com, www.clamarfloats.com, www.flyct.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews