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Changing GW

Jr Hampton

Active Member
If one were looking at an RV to purchase and wanted to increase the gross weight, how would one go about it. Me and the Mrs are overweight. :( yes Im trying to loose some weight.
 
I just had that chat with our very helpful FSDO inspector two weeks ago about that very issue. I was looking at a '7A for a buyer. The airplane had been loaded down with all the gadgets and heavy engine but the builder had only bumped his gross by 50 lbs. I weigh 215 and the buyer weighs 185 lbs. With full fuel we were going to be 30 lbs. over gross for the trip back home after the purchase. That meant no baggage at all. It actually meant the buyer would have to fly back home commercial. Per FSDO, the process would be to note the increase in gross in the log book, put the aircraft back into Phase I for 5 hours. Demonstrate the aircraft performance at the new gross weight including stall speed at VS and VSO. Make a new logbook entry putting the aircraft back into phase II with the new established gross weight figure ( considered of course, a MAJOR CHANGE). Replace the data plate with a new one indicating the new gross. According to FSDO, that's it. He stated there is NO additional paperwork necessary.
Check with your local FSDO office first.
 
GW not the only thing....

I'm sure you've considered this, but even without flying, try SITTING in the plane you are interested in, for an hour or two.
You might just find that the weight thing isn't really the crucial element, you want to be comfortable, and able to manipulate all the controls easily.
....maybe you want to look for a -10 or -14??? Can you climb in and out with some ease? I found a Glastar :eek: to be a nice fit for some folks, as you can kind of put one foot in, grab one of the overhead structural tubes, and use that to help transfer in and out.
just my silly opinion, worth exactly what you paid!:rolleyes:
 
That part is interesting, since gross weight is not one of the required pieces of information that has to be on the required data plate.

Or is that because if you use the old EAA Data plate the information on it has to be accurate?

1001_dataplate.JPG


And still for sale by Spruce -

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pages/cs/placards_aircraft/nameplate.php

Or even the VAF Data Plate -

rv_data_tag.jpg
 
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Interesting thread

How many of the RV group have increased their gross weight above Van's published figures?

Jack
 
The data plate does NOT need to be changed to show a new gross weight.
Only a logbook entry and new W&B documents in the aircraft.

As a matter of fact, the data plate should never be changed. Even with a "model change", a new data plate is installed next to the original.
 
gross weight

??? as to mr daniels reply, can you not leave the tanks 5 gallons less than full and go fly???
 
Ok, so now I'm confused

I thought gross weight was a value that could only be altered by the designer of the aircraft.

I may be having a senior moment, but wasn't there a situation last year where an RV10 owner got cross-ways with Van over his stated change of gross weight for his aircraft? I could have sworn I read here that the gross weight change would have to be approved by a DER, even on an experimental design. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong.
 
Just thinking

Was on the verge of buying a 6A. Empty was 1085 gross 1650. Im 250 the woman is 160. 5'8 and 5'2. I promised my self and her, we would not buy if we couldn't at least take of with full fuel. That ony leave about 26G left. That's w/o any baggage. :( soooo close. Not to mention getting transition training in it. Guess I just keep saving and keep hitting the gym.
 
I thought gross weight was a value that could only be altered by the designer of the aircraft.

I may be having a senior moment, but wasn't there a situation last year where an RV10 owner got cross-ways with Van over his stated change of gross weight for his aircraft? I could have sworn I read here that the gross weight change would have to be approved by a DER, even on an experimental design. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong.

Yes, the designer may not be happy with the gross weight determined by the builder, but gross weight is whatever is stated on the airworthiness certificate application. There are RV-6's with gross weights ranging from 1600lb to 1800+lbs due to whatever the builder wished to establish as gross weight for that particular aircraft.

There are even rumors that some RV-6's have been safely/carefully flown over the registered gross weight and still within WB limits. ;)
 
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If one were looking at an RV to purchase and wanted to increase the gross weight, how would one go about it. Me and the Mrs are overweight. :( yes Im trying to loose some weight.
I'm a bit surprised by comments in this thread so far. Sure, one can (and many have) registered their aircraft with higher gross weights than the designer recommended. However, the designer's gross weight was not set willy-nilly. Whether or not the plane flies OK at a higher weight under benign flying conditions, you're still cutting into the designer-provided safety margin that may be nice to have when someday you end up in not-so-benign flying conditions.

Just my honest opinion, I would think twice about buying a plane that does not fit me and then try to change the paperwork to make it look like it fits me.
 
During the restoration of a certain little "early model" yellow RV, we realized that the airframe had gained weight over the years, and so had the prospective pilot population (including it's original pilot). Since we were during a complete re-licensing inspection, we checked with our DAR, and he asked to see some documentation from the designer that an increased Gross would be acceptable. So we had a discussion with said designer, and he allowed that if we restricted the airplane from aerobatics, we could safely bump the weight up. That's what we did, and with disciplined pilots, we have any problems.

The moral is - we didn't just arbitrarily set a new GW, we went back to the original designer and took a disciplined approach - I'd suggest the same to anyone wishing to do this - but then, I am an engineer, and like to see the numbers.
 
YEP!

During the restoration of a certain little "early model" yellow RV, we realized that the airframe had gained weight over the years, and so had the prospective pilot population (including it's original pilot). Since we were during a complete re-licensing inspection, we checked with our DAR, and he asked to see some documentation from the designer that an increased Gross would be acceptable. So we had a discussion with said designer, and he allowed that if we restricted the airplane from aerobatics, we could safely bump the weight up. That's what we did, and with disciplined pilots, we have any problems.

The moral is - we didn't just arbitrarily set a new GW, we went back to the original designer and took a disciplined approach - I'd suggest the same to anyone wishing to do this - but then, I am an engineer, and like to see the numbers.

I was there and can verify this.
 
An exception to your statement may be the ELSA/SLSA GW figures. They are set to conform to LSA requirements, and are set by paperwork limits, not necessarily design limits.

I'm a bit surprised by comments in this thread so far. Sure, one can (and many have) registered their aircraft with higher gross weights than the designer recommended. However, the designer's gross weight was not set willy-nilly. Whether or not the plane flies OK at a higher weight under benign flying conditions, you're still cutting into the designer-provided safety margin that may be nice to have when someday you end up in not-so-benign flying conditions.

Just my honest opinion, I would think twice about buying a plane that does not fit me and then try to change the paperwork to make it look like it fits me.
 
An exception to your statement may be the ELSA/SLSA GW figures. They are set to conform to LSA requirements, and are set by paperwork limits, not necessarily design limits.

I'm glad you said "not necessarily." Because many SLSA that we're designed since the rule went into effect we're designed specifically for that gross weight.

The RV 12 is a good example. It was specifically designed for that gross weight and has no extra fluff designed in that would allow for higher weights.
 
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