REFLECTOR:173 Front Seat Ballast

[steve]

Hi Ronnie,

Friday, June 13, 2003, 4:54:42 AM, you wrote:

RB> My weight and balance on my 173 Elite RG with 200 HP Lycoming and Catto Prop
RB> says I should fly with 40-50 lbs of ballast in the co-pilot floor when I am
RB> flying by myself - I weigh 190 lbs.  I recall Alan Shaw saying that the aft
RB> CG limit was too conservative due to the flat stall problem, which had been
RB> over corrected.  I am using a camping water tank that holds 5 gallons, but
RB> it is leaking and sure is a pain.

RB> Is anyone flying without ballast and weighs less than 200 lbs in a 173?

I have a 173 rge and I made a 'cupboard' just fwd of the battery box. it has a
perspex door so that i can see inside on my preflt chks. it is of course much
further fwd than the copilot seat and the floor under the rudder pedals. i have
several leadshot ballast bags of various weights that i put in this cupboard
when req'd.    Due to the fwd position, obviously less weight is req'd. This
will only work on an RG as access is through the nose gear doors.  Then if you
fly to pick up your copilot, I put move ballast bags to under a rear seat.


-- 
Best regards,
 steve                            mailto:steve_beilby@yahoo.com.au