Maximum weight for entry step and wing

[tmcguff]

Does anyone have any information or personal experience on how much weight can be supported by the entry step and wing walk area?

 

[JSOliveira]

Step up onto the step and if the tail does not go down you are OK. It would vary depending on the CG and load in baggage compartment.

I know on mine a person on each step will depress the tail slowly. As far as the wing walk goes, it is pretty well reinforced with closer rib spacing and a heavy skin doubler. I would not worry about it.

 

[airguy]

Make sure the ladies don't step on the wing walk with high-heeled shoes! The weight concentration on that very small heel can dent even that stronger wing skin there, and she doesn't have to be a large woman to do it!

 

[Paul B]

Call Vans to confirm

I took a demo ride at Vans and I remember being told their limit for demo passengers was 250 lb. for the RV-9, and that this was to prolong the life of the step and protect the wing-walk area. I did not get the impression that this was a "hard" engineered limit. More like prudence from someone who gives lots of rides to a "wide" spectrum of people. Of course, my memory is not perfect so you could confirm this with a phone call or e-mail to Vans.

 

[Brantel]

The seatbelts that Vans sells are a limiting factor for larger people like me. I wound say that 275 is a limit unless you take the seat back cushion out. If you take the seat back cushion out, I would say you can get 320+ in there.

Of course all of this depends on where someone carries the majority of their weight.

The Crow belts have room to spare and the stick then becomes the limiting factor...

 

[jjconstant]

I have given 2 rides to a guy whom I'm guessing was 5'8" or so, 275, and carried most of his weight in his belly. I had to remove the passenger stick but was not worried about boarding. I always carefully brief boarding and supervise it unless they've flown recently in an RV. The one caveat I can think of is to be SURE there are no existing cracks in the boarding step.

YMMV

All Best

Jeremy Constant

 

[Sam Buchanan]

I always carefully brief boarding and supervise it unless they've flown recently in an RV. The one caveat I can think of is to be SURE there are no existing cracks in the boarding step.

Yes, passengers will sometimes "jump" down on the step when exiting the plane instead of "stepping" on the step. That can put a bunch of stress on the step which can eventually cause cracks. Pilots accustomed to the heavy construction of Cherokee steps can be the most unsuspecting offenders.