It is too easy to get carried away adding weight to the aircraft. This
was especially a problem when the MTOW was only 1300lb. Just how
important it is depends a lot on pilot and passenger weights. If you can
carry at least 50lb baggage and full fuel with 2 people on board and
stay within MTOW the use of the Europa as a cruising has not been
compromised.
When it comes to allowing for weight of fuel be aware that many of the
fuel tanks expand with age. My tank started off with a 69 litre
capacity. It now holds 76 litres. This is good for range (about another
25 minutes flying) but it does add about another 5lb to the fuel weight.
Regards
Nigel Charles
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of Paul
McAllister
Sent: 23 September 2006 13:49
Subject: RE: Europa-List: Anyone install battery aft of baggage bay
bulkhead?
<paul.mcallister@qia.net>
Nigel,
I used #4 welding cable which was nice and flexible and not very
expensive,
but I remember when I was bringing the 25' roll home thinking "darn this
stuff weighs a lot"
I suspect that the thick flame proof rubber insulation added a weight
penalty over the cable you used. I really wished I weighed it at the
time..... maybe I'll buy a short section and do a rough calculation.
I tried to pay attention to weight in my aircraft, it came out at 860lb,
about average for a 914 mono, but I often think until you have built an
aircraft you really don't have a great appreciation of its importance.
Some
people have built 914 monowheels that have come in at 790 lbs..... I
sure
wish mine weighed that.
I look forward to seeing your calculations of the "battery in the back"
weight trade off.
Regards, Paul
>No for the following reasons:
>1. I already had some a/c quality #4 cable, as used with C130 a/c
>generators.
>2. The oval plastic ducting available for domestic house electrics in
>the UK provides a perfect fit to enable end feeding the cable from the
>battery to the engine bay.
>3. As the total weight penalty was about 1.5lb then the difference
>between types of cable wasn't going to be significant.
>Thanks for the info. I will bear it in mind for any future projects.
>Nigel
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