Thread: Weight/Balance

Hi Guys,

Finally a weight/balance that really works.
It is an Excel program based on FD weight/balance numbers. Just plug in your own numbers i.e. pilot/passenger weights, fuel and baggage. The program does the rest.
It is really hard to get the CT out of CG. FD did a great job in setting up the aircraft for a very stable CG.

Roger:
Thx for the Excel W&B sheet. Sure beats E6B input. See ya in McMinnville.

Tony & Rose

Roger Lee,

Thanks for the weight and balance spread sheet, it's very useful.

I find that any way I load my CT I am within the CG limits. The worst I can do is get a little over gross but between our limited weight (Erin=125lbs Ed=185lbs) and the limited space for luggage it is even hard to get over gross. A really large passenger is another story.

Hi All,

Like I said FD did a great job on W/B. It is really hard to get it out of CG. I think you would actually have to work at getting it out. Even with 450 lbs. of pilot/passenger, full fuel and 75 lbs of luggage the CT weighs in at 1465 lbs and well within CG. You would have to have a very light pilot (110 lbs) and solo to take it out of CG or purposely over load the baggage. The CT is just well balanced.

On the chart you will have to replace my plane weight of 740 and put in your own plane weight and then save it to your computer.

I would not use the older W/B and go with the new version. It is new and improved and there are some differences.
Everyone out of the USA just take the numbers and make them metric.

Originally Posted by Roger Lee

Hi All,

Like I said FD did a great job on W/B. It is really hard to get it out of CG. I think you would actually have to work at getting it out. Even with 450 lbs. of pilot/passenger, full fuel and 75 lbs of luggage the CT weighs in at 1465 lbs and well within CG. You would have to have a very light pilot (110 lbs) and solo to take it out of CG or purposely over load the baggage. The CT is just well balanced.

Exactly. You would need to have a waif of a pilot and a LOT of baggage to have CG problems.

Just make sure that your baggage is tied down and doesn't fall backward in the tail boom

Originally Posted by Roger Lee

On the chart you will have to replace my plane weight of 740 and put in your own plane weight and then save it to your computer.

Why so heavy. The published specs say the empty weight is 650. I thought I was being conservative estimating the plane weight at 700. Where does all of your weight come from?

Hi Art,

My planes empty weight is 739 lbs. They all come in more than the published advertised weight. Things like the BRS chute, different instrument panels, tires, props, type of seat (leather v.s. cloth), ect...

my early 06 is 701 lbs empty. FD has continuously modified the airframe design and it is typical for weights to step up due to the latest change.

As the empty weight increases the published empty weight tends to remain the same.

Originally Posted by Roger Lee

Finally a weight/balance that really works.
It is an Excel program based on FD weight/balance numbers. Just plug in your own numbers i.e. pilot/passenger weights, fuel and baggage. The program does the rest.
It is really hard to get the CT out of CG. FD did a great job in setting up the aircraft for a very stable CG.

Great idea, Roger! Looking at the 2006 CT-SW Aircraft Operating Instructions (Rev. No. 3), Page 23, the maximum CG location is indeed 18.7 regardless of the gross weight. However, the minimum CG location depends on the gross weight, and is 13.28 only when the weight is exactly 995 lbs. When the weight is 805 lbs. the minimum CG location is 13.6. When the weight is 1320 lbs. the minimum CG location moves all the way back to 15.1.

I edited your Excel worksheet to take the gross weight into consideration. Here is the modified worksheet. When you customize it for your own aircraft, remember to put not only the correct weight of your empty aircraft, but also the arm of your very own empty CT. It is the number at the bottom right of the Weight & Balance Equipment List, right next to "CG Empty (in) according G2*b/G-a=".