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  #1  
Old 03-13-2020, 09:54 PM
klussman84 klussman84 is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, Mo
Posts: 22
Default W&B in an 8A

I am a big guy, 6?2? and 285 lbs. I am concerned about CG and weight and balance in an 8A. Wife is typical 135 lb lady. Can anyone send me a weight and balance program for their 8A or give me some feedback?

Barry
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  #2  
Old 03-14-2020, 03:11 AM
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rv8ch rv8ch is online now
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: LSGY
Posts: 3,199
Default RV8 W&B

Here's a good thread on RV8 W&B.

http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ad.php?t=74046

Most RVs are similar, but you really should have a specific W&B worksheet for your aircraft. If you don't have this, it might be useful to get with a local EAA chapter and get some help weighing your machine, and making sure that the numbers are good for your aircraft.

Van's has some excellent information here as well for every RV model.

https://www.vansaircraft.com/downloads/

I also found a W&B DB and put it into google for others to view and to add their information - you might find something useful there.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

Best of luck!
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  #3  
Old 03-14-2020, 10:34 AM
bifft bifft is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 92
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The W&B will vary a lot based on how you build it. IO-360, constant speed prop, stuff every possible option in the panel and the plane will be heavy with the CG far forward. O-320, wood prop, day VFR panel and it will be light with the CG further back.

My 8A leans more toward the latter. O-360, Catto 3-blade, Rotec TBI instead of carb, day VFR panel with no lights or gyros. Ended up only 1005 lbs (that is with no gear or leg fairings, hope to get those painted today) and a empty CG of 79.83. That is much farther back than the ones I see listed on the google sheet listed above. I expect that putting the fairings on will push it further back.

I'm also not small (6'4" 250 lbs) and so have the "tall pilot" option which reclines the pilot seat further back causing the pilot CG to be a touch further back as well. It also causes the rear stick to hit the seat back sooner, I find I need to take it out to be able to get full use of my inverted fuel and oil.

Using my W&B spreadsheet you and your wife would have no trouble both flying in mine, but baggage would be limited to 50 lbs up front and 39 in the back to keep the empty fuel CG forward of the aft limit.

With a heavier engine, prop and panel as most seem to do you would be limited by the max gross weight instead of the aft cg limit. Just as a simulation I added 30 lbs up toward the front of the engine compartment. That would then let you put 50 lbs both front and back with two up. Good reason to go with a constant speed prop if you can afford it.
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  #4  
Old 03-14-2020, 04:19 PM
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RV8JD RV8JD is offline
 
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Not to be a downer, but it would be interesting to see what maximum pilot/pax weight Van's used in sizing the seat structure, its attachments, and the supporting fuselage structure.

An inconvenient truth might be that the design seat weight that Van's used in the design of the older RV's was 240 pounds, IIRC. I believe the RV-14/-14A used a higher design seat weight.
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Last edited by RV8JD : 03-14-2020 at 04:54 PM.
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