Bud,
But in, but in......I have a lot of respect for your opinion.....so I will
error towards the "closer to perfect and repeatable" measurements. It'll be
my butt up there, and boy would I be pissed at myself if I killed myself.
Thanks for your input.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: Bud Yerly <budyerly@msn.com>
Sent: Wed, Mar 23, 2011 8:40 pm
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Weight and Balance Scales
I hate to but in, but weight and balance is not a sorta, kinda, maybe about
this many pounds measurement. We all spend hours making sure our aircraft
is within .1 degree and exact sweep and incidence and then weigh the aircr
aft and measure the balance points with a grease pencil and a bath scale ce
rtified by our last physical weigh in.
I know calibrated scales are expensive, but go to your airports certified w
eight and balance professional or if you insist on doing it yourself, go to
the racing community and find a set of certified scales of the proper size
and range and rent them or borrow them for a day.. Load cells are best, b
ut I must admit some spring types are quite accurate. It amazes me that th
e car guys and go cart enthusiasts have superb scales. I have seen them fo
r as low as $500 new. I know this as I lived next door to a sprint car bui
lder and he had the neatest stuff.
Use a good level, plumb bobs, and tape measures and be accurate. Follow th
e operators handbook instructions. I recently had a plane in the shop that
was touted as only 875 lbs, using bath scales. The actual weight was 904
and his CG was off by a half and inch because he used the dimensions in the
book instead of measuring his own plane. Luckily our little bird is toler
able of many things, including loading and weight and balance errors. Putt
ing a 2 X 6 between two scales can work, but verify with accurate weights a
nd get a good tare of the scales. Make sure the weigh ins are repeatable a
nd use a known set of weights to verify the scales range and accuracy. If
using two scales with a beam between, verify the positon of the beam and wh
ere the tire center will sit.
It costs me a couple of hours and a couple hundred bucks for Walter Hudson
(FAA Certified weight and balance tech, A&P and homebuilder) to come by and
weigh the planes in my shop. Dead on, certified, and repeatable results.
Kevin, I do the same thing. I built ramps and blocks the exact height of t
he scales and of course from plumb bobs down the cowl line, the axles and t
hen careful measurements to get my distances for the moments. Jigs like th
is make things simple. For the mono I must admit, to being extremely lazy
and use a finger to balance the wing by pushing up on the heavy wing and do
wn on the light wing and average the difference. I have not found a mono m
ore than a couple of pounds out of perfect balance.
Bud Yerly
----- Original Message -----
From: K BURNS
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2011 2:20 PM
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Weight and Balance Scales
Hi,
One set of scales would do with two spacer blocks under the wheels same hei
ght as scale, weigh at one wheel then either with jacks or 3 ramps move th
e scale from wheel to wheel , replacing with a block to keep the a/c level
, recording your figures as you go on your balance sheet.
(easier to use 3 blocks if only using one jack so you can lift remove scale
lower on spare block then move jack to next wheel)
Kevin
From: Robert Borger <rlborger@mac.com>
Sent: Sunday, 20 March, 2011 14:44:45
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Weight and Balance Scales
Mike,
I played on balances.com for a bit and on a 400 lb search I found a Siltec
440LB GS1 digital scale for $78.95. It's a bathroom scale but three of the
m ($236.85) would probably do the job as long as your aircraft is under 900
lbs and you are careful getting the mains onto the scale.
Bob Borger
On Mar 20, 2011, at 1:36, DuaneFamly@aol.com wrote:
In the USA, what are people using with regard to scales when they do their
weight and balance calculations? What capacity is needed?
Mike Duane
Redding, California
Europa XS Conventional Gear
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