Does my 6A need to go on a diet?

[rolivi]

Had my plane re-weighed and the empty weight is 1129 lbs with CG 72.57

Assuming max gross weight of 1650 lbs I have a useful load of 521 lbs.

Easy enough to do the math and stay within that (I'm only 150 lbs) but I'm curious if anyone uses a max gross greater than 1650 lbs on 6A.

Thanks.

[turbo]

yes they do.

[morganjp]

Total weight is not as big an issue as getting out of cg. My 6A weighs 1107 and I have often flown with 1800 lbs gross weight. Where you get in trouble is flying by yourself with lots of weight in the baggage area and then landing with little fuel in the tanks. This gets you with the cg way aft and you scrape the tail even on a good landing. Load it up all you want but put heavy items in the passenger seat and not the baggage area when flying solo.

John Morgan

[RONSIM]

and flight tested at that weight. My empty wt is just shy of 1200. However, never needed to fly above about 1850. I am "nose-heavy" and aft CG is never a problem. Unfortunately, for my airplane, the aerobatic gross weight limit precludes serious "fun factor"!

If flying on the heavy side, take it easy on the landing gear.

Ron

[rv6ejguy]

I'm at 1167 and gross set at 1750. Just ok for me and GF, full fuel and 45 lbs. of baggage. Not ok with 2 heavy guys.

The TO and climb performance is noticeably better solo, half fuel and nothing in the back. Build light if you can.

[Neal@F14]

My 6 has an empty weight just under 1020, but only has a 160hp O-320 and a fixed (ground adjustable) prop. At high density altitude, mountain airports on hot days, my 1600 lb max gross is about all I care to push it. If I had a 180hp O-360 and a CS prop, I'd think a 1800 lb max gross would be perfectly ok, but the 1600 lb limit is a wise choice if you're taking off from such airports on a hot day with only a 320 engine and a fixed prop pitched for cruise, since fully loaded it takes off and climbs about like a Cherokee 140

[titanhank]

I have the same problem. Rv6, hollow crank 0320, catto three blade prop, lightweight starter and alternator, steam gauges. My empty weight is 1064 lbs and empty cg is 72.76" with 20lbs of dive weight strapped to the engine mount. I figure 240 pilot, 240 pax, no baggage and 30 gals of fuel for a takeoff weight of 1724 lbs. this is just about all i care to put in the plane. I find i can fly for 1 hr or burn 9gals of fuel and still be within the aft cg range for landing. The lighter the pax, the longer you can fly. I think it would be easier for me to go on a diet than the plane. The max ideal weight for pilot and pax is 220lbs each. This gives you full fuel, 1738 lbs takeoff weight and a burn of 28 gals. The cg is what really gets to be a problem. I need more forward weight and less gut.

[jpowell13]

My 6A weighs 1040lbs, has an 0320 with fixed Sensi. I spent the past 5 days in Winslow AZ. The field is about 5000' and we took off one afternoon in 104 degree temp on a sight seeing hop. The total weight was about 1600lbs. I think my climb rate after leaving ground effect was about 300fpm. You have to be careful. For the trip back over the mountains I arranged for my passenger and his baggage to go by land and meet me in TX. We'll meet up and fly together the rest of the way back to Baton Rouge. John

[titanhank]

So it still out performed a c172.

[Neal@F14]

Originally Posted by titanhank

So it still out oerformed a c172.

Most definitely.... But if you only have 160HP and a fixed prop pitched for cruise, when high density altitude, hot and heavy, you'd better be prepared for it to perform more like a C172 or Cherokee 140 than an RV on a cool day, light, and nearer to sea level.