REFLECTOR: CG's and Final empty weights (was Reflector LevelingA/C)

Fri Dec 14 13:11:12 CST 2007

You guys got me curious, so I just weighed one of my hand made wings: 88.5 lbs with the aileron and rudder and 6 coats of Smooth Prime. Mine is one of the early short chord wings. I'll be disappointed if my empty weight is over 1350 with an IOX-360 and a fixed pitch prop. I'm doing everything I can to come in under 1300.

Doug Holub
Standard FG w/ electric nose gear
80% done, 35% to go
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ron Brown 
  To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
  Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 12:42 PM
  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: CG's and Final empty weights (was Reflector LevelingA/C)

  Vlad was able to build a set of standard wings that weighed 70-80 pounds as I recall.  This sounds similar to yours, Larry.

  Alan Shaw bragged that my wings came out very light at 125 lbs!  

  Thanks for the data points!

  Ronnie
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Laurence Coen 
    To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
    Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 12:41 PM
    Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Reflector Leveling A/C

    Jim,

    I have a slow build Standard RG/Elite With a Franklin 6A350 and IVO prop.  The only difference between our planes are the wings.  My gross is 1347 empty with a CG of 126.98".  The larger wings are bound to be heavier but 200 pounds does sound like a lot.  My wings weighed 150 pounds total.  That does not include the wider center spar and larger strakes.

    Larry Coen
    N136LC
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Jim & Sharon Beck 
      To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
      Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2007 4:44 PM
      Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Reflector Leveling A/C

      Ronnie & Jerry
       Thanks for your help, I finally got my new weight & balance using both of your methods.  I found 1 inch difference and weighed it both ways and found that having the main gear 1 inch higher only changed the nose gear weight by 1& 1/2 pounds with full fuel, from 92 to 91.5.
      I was a bit surprised and disappointed in how heavy my aircraft is.  It weighed in at 1530 empty for a 173 RG Elite with IO 360 lycoming and mt 3 blade electric prop and  dynamic wings fast built delivered in 4/96 . The builder had told me that he thought the wings were about 100 lb overweight. this extra weight may explain why it seems to use so much runway to get in the air. Just wondering what others have for empty weights on similar aircraft.
      Thanks 
      Jim
        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Brainard, Jerry 
        To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
        Sent: Friday, December 07, 2007 6:06 AM
        Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Reflector Leveling A/C

        Fore/Aft Level will depend on the specific mid-spar installation.  I have an early fast build and that particular leveling task became an issue since there was not "bolt hole" and the cowling was already removed.  The factory just measured a about four plane in the service center and determined that the tip of the nose should be 1.5 inches below the bottom of the mid-spar.  Of course it also was explained that they had built them with the nose higher and lower and it did not really make any difference.  

        On a completed plane, I suggest using the wing incidence gauge.

        - jerry

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        From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Ron Brown
        Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 7:38 PM
        To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
        Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Reflector Leveling A/C

        Hello Jim,

        If memory serves me right, the bottom of the CS spar next to the fuselage and the tip of the nose are the level points.  Use a clear plastic hose with water in it.  You can use the bottom of the wing next to the fuselage and 1/4" below the nose with the wings on.  Just make sure you are level side to side too.

        Ronnie
          ----- Original Message ----- 
          From: Jim & Sharon Beck 
          To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
          Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 5:00 PM
          Subject: REFLECTOR: Reflector Leveling A/C

          Can anyone help me with the best place to get a for & aft level on a finished aircraft. I want to do a new W/B and can get a side to side level off of my spar.
          I did not build the aircraft so don't know where the level spots are. I have the level for the main wings and canard with the small jigs used to build it, but they do no have the same incidence.  the firewall and the main spar seem to have enough glass and epoxy on them to make it difficult to find a spot that a level will sit on and give me an accurate reading. 
          Thanks for any help you can give me.
          Jim  
          173RG N29RP
          250 hrs

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