Weight & Balance for Patrol N316BP

[Enewton57]

Hi Everyone,

We completed the weight and balance on my Patrol today. The following are the specs:

• Basic Bearhawk Patrol built from a kit
• Poly Fiber system painted with Poly-Tone
• O-360 engine with Constant Speed Prop
• No Electrical System other than a small battery to run the Grand Rapids EIS Engine monitoring system and a small solar panel to charge it.
• Instrument panel consists of the airspeed indicator, a compass and the EIS.
• Skylight and Side windows are 1/16" Lexan and Plexi
• Grove Wheels with double puck brakes and 6.00 x 6 tires
• 8" Bearhawk Tailwheels LLC Tailwheel
• Bare Floors are .020 aluminum under the rear seat and in baggage compartment and .032 where you step in.
• Fabric seats with 3" foam on the seat bottoms and 2" foam on the seat backs.
• Poly fiber fabric on the interior side panels - nothing on the ceiling.
• No insulation anywhere.
• Aluminum Door and window formers
• 7 quarts of oil
• Zero Fuel

Empty weight = 1061 lbs CG = 12.88

I have attached a PDF file showing the figures and two Sample Loadings - One with light weight, forward CG and the other one with nearly max gross weight and max aft CG. The more observant of you will notice that some of the Arm distances are slightly different than what Bob had shown on the Prototype Patrol W & B. Our Arm distances were determined by measuring the actual distances from plumb-bobs hanging from the leading edge of the wings and the airplane in the level flight attitude. I will post some pictures of the procedure on my website within the next few days.

[Enewton57]

Here is the PDF I meant to post in the last message. Patrol N316BP W&B.pdf

[Gavin Chester]

Thanks Eric.
Your Patrol looks Great !
Gives us all something to strive for.

[Collin Campbell]

Great numbers Eric! I am about ready to weigh my Patrol, but I know it won't be as light as yours. I have a electrical system (battery, starter, alternator, etc), so am expecting a higher empty weight as a result. I will post my results soon as I get it weighed.

Collin Campbell, Patrol N180PB
Bolivar, MO

[Battson]

Glad to see you reworked the arm distances - good practice. We found every single one of our 4-place arm distances was at least a little different to the quoted numbers, some were signficantly different. It made a difference to the overall CG location, especially the longer arms. I could almost use a heavier prop so we could load more weight in the back, because the CG can never get closer than 1.5" to the forward limit as things are.

[X'N]

Looking good Eric!