Ladyfisher's article stirred the old memory sticks ! I seem to recall a floating line before Aircel. Gladding made one called Bubblet-that was the one with the bubbles, or is my memory playing tricks ? The next one was also Gladding but this had a plastic coating which peeled off like poor varnish. We had Milwards in UK making terylene floaters(which sank) and nylon based ones with a sticky coating which stopped it going through the rings. Then came Aircel,and since then we have never looked back !
Let's start another thread--When I started fishing casts(or leaders) were gut,real gut,and one bought spare 14" points for replacing the tippet.Us old farts can remember some things, not everything , but a lot.