VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics

  #11  
Old 01-22-2014, 07:47 AM
smokyray's Avatar
smokyray smokyray is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TX32
Posts: 1,891
Default Weight a minute...

Quote:
Originally Posted by digidocs View Post
All the little savings add up! Here are a few others that seem to be good wins:

- LiFePO4 battery (~10 lbs, $30/lb) over a PC680
- 2 blade composite CS prop (10-15 lbs, ~$100/lb)
- Cheap tires with less rubber (can be 2+ lbs per wheel, $0/lb)
- ECI tapered fin cylinders (~3lb, $???)
- Lighter and less instruments/avionics (TT22 transponder weighs 0.8 lbs, MGL V6 com or similar weighs 0.5 lbs, no vacuum pump, simple EFIS instead of steam gauges)
- Replace engine hoses with SS hardlines (one -8 builder reported 7 lbs)
- Less interior/insulation
Saving weight is so fun!
David
David,
Great thread! It seems this thought process has gone by the wayside in the modern "cookie cutter" RV world. For us Jurassic RV builders, low empty weight and cost savings was everything. The first line in Van's RV8R Newsletter completions back in the day was empty weight (the second was cost to complete). Now it seems the reverse is the case, more weight, more cost. Having flown several RV's in the past 25 years, the light weight airplanes simply fly better and faster regardless of HP. Funny how that works...

Since my current RV-X and my previous RV-4 tipped the scales under 950 Lbs, I will add a few more audacious ideas I have seen and used...
1. NO cockpit upholstery or insulation. Colored NASA foam for seats.
2. Minimum or NO electrical system. (B&C SD8, ATV battery or Photoelectric cell)
3. Minimum panel. How about an iPad only,...and Good Lord forbid, no autopilot!
4. Manual flaps, period.
5. NO exterior paint. Or, only ONE coat of color/primer.
6. 0-320, (or light 0-360) Composite FP prop, Magnesium flywheel.
7. P-mags or electronic Ignition, (1/2 weight of mags, I weighed them)
8. Handheld Radio, PLB, ADS-B

The list goes on, but the logic of saving weight on bolts and nuts is awesome. However comma, adding a full panel, multicolor paint, autopilot and Angle valve IO-360/Hartzell is like ordering a Big Mac and fries with a diet Coke, just doesn't compute...

V/R
Smokey

Last edited by smokyray : 01-22-2014 at 07:58 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-22-2014, 08:34 AM
David Z David Z is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Thunder Bay Ontario
Posts: 335
Default RV-8 Manual Flaps

If I could put manual flaps in my RV-8, I'd be on that like a fat kid on cake. I haven't found a plane with manual flaps that I don't like and I've flown with several different makes/models. There's really no electric flaps that I do like. Haven't flown an RV yet, so maybe there is one that I like
__________________
RV-8
Empennage Passed Pre-close Inspection
Wings mostly done
Fuselage is "in the mail"
83126
Dash 8 day job is financing the RV-8
Donation till September 2021
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-22-2014, 12:18 PM
JonJay's Avatar
JonJay JonJay is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Battleground
Posts: 4,348
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by digidocs View Post
All the little savings add up! Here are a few others that seem to be good wins:

- LiFePO4 battery (~10 lbs, $30/lb) over a PC680
- 2 blade composite CS prop (10-15 lbs, ~$100/lb)
- Cheap tires with less rubber (can be 2+ lbs per wheel, $0/lb)
- ECI tapered fin cylinders (~3lb, $???)
- Lighter and less instruments/avionics (TT22 transponder weighs 0.8 lbs, MGL V6 com or similar weighs 0.5 lbs, no vacuum pump, simple EFIS instead of steam gauges)
- Replace engine hoses with SS hardlines (one -8 builder reported 7 lbs)
- Less interior/insulation

Saving weight is so fun!

David
All good points David - but none affect the airframe. When it comes to the basic airframe, ideas like changing hardware that started the thread, have very little overall benefit.
Still, very good reminder for all where weight can be saved in areas that do not affect structure...
and, keeping Smokey's record intact, 100% agree.
__________________
Smart People do Stupid things all the time. I know, I've seen me do'em.

RV6 - Builder/Flying
Bucker Jungmann
Fiat G.46 -(restoration in progress, if I have enough life left in me)
RV1 - Proud Pilot.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 02-09-2016, 05:40 PM
David Paule David Paule is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 4,435
Default List of Weights of Things

I've been keeping a record of the weights of some things that I've gotten for my RV-3B. I'm listing them in this format:

The system they go into,
The part description,
Weight in grams,
Weight in pounds,
Any notes if applicable.

Lights
AeroLEDs Microsun
101.8 g
.22 lb

Fuel system,
Van's brass fuel selector valve and handle, stock, no bezel or fittings,
208 g,
.46 lb

Fuel system,
Andair FS 20X7T fuel valve, handle and bezel and fittings,
244.1 g,
.46 lb,
(the bezel is 15 or 16 grams alone)

Autopilot,
GRT roll servo,
997 g,
2.20 lb.

Autopilot,
GRT pitch servo,
1023 g,
2.26 lb.

Autopilot,
Dynon servo with limit bracket,
931 g,
2.05 lb.

Autopilot,
GRT servo harness,
256 g,
.56 lb.

Autopilot,
Dynon servo harness kit,
310 g,
.68 lb.

Electrical wire,
4 ga. welding wire, 100 inches,
399 g,
.88 lb.

Oil cooler,
Van's stock OIL COOLER II,
887 g,
1.96 lb.

Oil cooler,
Earl's 21000ERL,
447 g,
.99 lb.

Ignition,
P-Mag 114, without gear, without plug,
1497 g,
3.30 lb.

Ignition,
P-Mag 114, with gear, without plug,
1610 g,
3.55 lb.

P-Mag plug adapters, set of 8, with rings,
188 g,
.41 lb,
In plastic bag.

Ignition,
NGK BR8ES spark plug, one, with gasket ring,
55 g,
.12 lb.

Prop governor,
PCU5000-X,
954 g,
2.10 lb.

Oil drain valve,
Fumoto Engineering T202N, NPT 1/2-14,
160 g,
.35 lb.

Oil filter adapter,
Lycoming 77852 clone, no gasket or filter,
398 g,
.88 lb.

Hardware,
AN509-8R8 screws, 1/2" long, 50 of them,
66.7 g,
.15 lb,
My RV-3B has about 200 for both wings - replace with MS24694S3 below.

Hardware,
MS24694S3 screws, 3/8" long, 50 of them,
48.9 g,
.11 lb.

Instruments
8-Day Clock, Wittenauer
182 grams
.40 lb.

Instruments
ASI, 2 1.4”
195 g
.43 lb

Instruments
Trig TB-90 comm head
90 g
.20 lb

Instruments
SV backup battery
400 g
.88 lb

Instruments
7” Dynon Skyview EFIS
1,250 g
2.76 lb

Instruments
RV-3B panel blank, edge strip
647 g
1.43 lb

Instruments
Slip indicator
12 g
.03 g

Instruments
Honeywell TL switches for panel
196 g
.43 lb

Instruments
11” iPad Pro, 2018
472 g
1.04 lb.

Prop governor,
PCU5000-X,
954 g,
2.10 lb.

Oil drain valve,
Fumoto Engineering T202N, NPT 1/2-14,
160 g,
.35 lb.

Oil filter adapter,
Lycoming 77852 clone, no gasket or filter,
398 g,
.88 lb.

Sensor kit
Dynon kit for 4-cyl Lyc, carb engines
1,362 g with packaging
3.00 lbs

Last edited by David Paule : 12-04-2018 at 09:55 AM. Reason: Added more items, 12-4-18
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:01 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.