Empty Weight and CG Data Collection

[jaredyates]

Fellow builder Joe Lisanke had a good idea. Let's collect a list of the empty weight and moment numbers for completed airplanes. If we can get some replies then I'll create a fancy spreadsheet.
I'll start it out with 1330 pounds, and 15024 inch pounds.

[whee]

4-place O360 w/ CS prop:
1270lbs and 15.38"

Hoping mine will come in under 1400lbs and around 11"

[jaredyates]

Whose is that one whee?

[whee]

I don't really want to name names but wanted to add the data point. The owner reads the forum but doesn't participate...he is too busy building. If I did the same I might be flying by now😐

[wpackard]

My 4-place (N370CC built by Collin Campbell) with a Superior XP-360 & an 80" Hartzell CS prop is 1321 pounds and 14,983 inch pounds (11.34").

[tailwind]

4 place 94RT, O-360 A1D with MT prop, 1397 empty, 13.35 inches.

[bearhawk2015]

4 place, empty: 1366, cg: 11.4 inches, 0-540 3-blade catto prop, includes oil, unusable fuel, and rear seat

[bearhawk2015]

Double post

[Battson]

4 place with IO-540 and the bigger tires all round, 679kg and 0.271m

[Battson]

Lighter - no aux tanks, lightweight all glass instruments, electric trim, fabric interior, no autopilot, lightweight upholstery.

Heavier - engine driven + electric fuel pumps, 26 inch tires 12 inch tailwheel, HD tailwheel brackets, conventional exterior fabric, HD fabric on tailwings and belly, carpet, skylight and plexiglass doors, alloy prop, baggage tube, gel battery.

I have calculated I could be 90 lbs lighter, by removing the heavy list.
But for my mission, I needed to sacrifice weight for functionality, non-negotiable.

[kestrel]

Nice! Thanks for the details.

[Bcone1381]

1496 lbs, 10.67 inches

[rstaton]

my 4 place w/ lyc o390 full dash and interior,spring gear and large tires constant speed....around 1490

[kestrel]

4 place, 100 gal of fuel capacity, 0540: 1600 lbs 10 inches.

[n144sh]

4 Place, Aux tanks, O540, MT 3 blade prop, Oratex fabric. Kydex / minimal interior. 1463 lbs, 9.2 inches

[kestrel]

Do you have any issues with landing/flaring with the back empty? Prior to elevator VG's and gap seals, I did with a 10 inch CG. How do you like the Oratex and for an airplane with fabric only on the fuselage, how much weight do you think you saved?

[n144sh]

I haven't had any issue with landing / flaring. I do have the airfoil wood strips on the horizontal stabilizer - maybe that helps. I am at the trim limit when solo however for landing. I have the trim tabs set at the least amount of travel position though so I could increase that. I do also have elevator VG's, but flew it without them too with no problem.

I'm not sure how much I saved in weight, maybe 15-20 lbs from the reading and research I've done.

What did you do for gap seals? I would like to give that a try.

[Av8rPaul]

Bump to the top.

[DemoDollCate]

Yesterday was the first time I flew mine light. Two light adults and 35 gal fuel. First landing at the local dirt strip left me wanting a little more elevator.

The empty wt is 1550, cg 10.42 and moment 16235.

I have gap seals, aux tanks, O-540 with a 2 blade hartzell.

[Mark Goldberg]

I would suggest a little weight in the back or alternately VG's on the bottom of the hor stabs. Usually not needed. But they might help you.

[JimParker256]

I attended a forum at OSH about bush flying (by CC Pocock), and he mentioned that getting the CG right was one of THE most important things for flying in the bush. If you're running out of up elevator, you probably need considerably more ballast in the rear of the plane. Check out his Bush and Mountain Flying Handbook - it's a great read, and has lots of interesting information in it.

[Ray Strickland]

4-place, IO-360, dual electrics, Hartwell 80”, lots of paint, upholstery, fabric interior, 8.00 tires
1375 lbs
11.6”

[schu]

This has been discussed a lot. It usually breaks down to:

0-360, light 1400 to heavy 1550
o-540, light 1500 to heavy 1650

What eats up that extra 100-150lbs? Heavy avionics, interior, extra features, autopilot servos, bushwheels, heavy prop, lots of windows, skylight, extra battery, extra alternator, etc....

It is absolutely possible to get it even lighter, but you really need light weight stuff and stick with only what you need.

On a side note, I wonder where the wheels end up on the CG range. Mine are pretty heavy being 31's.

[tailwind]

For the record mine is 1396 at 20.2 inches. The plane has a lot of creature comforts including a heavy carpet that probably adds 20 pounds to the plane. There are other creature comforts that could be left out but I enjoy it the way it is. It does not perform like a 250 but it performs respectably. The 250 is a real performer. It is fun to have that much potential at your finger tips. If you want the most performance for the least cost then a 180 hp with great attention to weight reduction would be the way to go. No interior, no paint on the wings, minimal paint on the fabric, minimal panel....