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Re: Gross weight

Subject: Re: Gross weight
From: Peter Zutrauen <peterz@zutrasoft.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 18:04:30
Hi Dave,

I'm surprised that the gross weight for the long-wing has not been
increased. Indeed in an older brochure for the MG, the GW was listed as
1400.

Somebody (Andy?) please correct me if I'm incorrect in my assumptions
but....
**Assuming adequate power** this increased max gross made sense to me at
the time since the increased wing-weight is 'self-flying' and thus
shouldn't impact on the wing's g-loading rating (as those tests are
obviously done leveraging on the exposed wing spar). In my thinking, any
increase in wing weight should be added to the max gross weight of the
short wing configuration...no?

What is the weight difference of the two wings?

If I'm way off on this, I'll be very interested in hearing the rational.

Cheers,
Curious Pete


-----Original Message-----
Subject:  Gross weight

Hello all,

I am rapidly approaching completion of my airplane -- the long wing
version. 
My official list of action items is down to 11, and I should get 2 or 3
done 
today. Yesterday for the first time, I weighed the airplane. That leads
to 
some questions:

I checked the web site and they show a typically equipped empty weight
of 750 
pounds for the short wing and 790 for the long wing mono wheel. That is
a 40 
pound weight difference due to the bigger wings. I checked the Europa
club 
and the weights of a short wing, 914 equipped mono airplane average 860 
pounds, with a low of 782 and a high of 947. If these airplanes had long

wings, this would translate to:

average 900 pounds.
Low  822 pounds.
High 987 pounds.

With the increased performance of the 914 engine over the 912S (15% at
sea 
level and more above that), one would think the airplane could carry
more 
weight. There is no difference between the max gross of any Europa
airplane, 
regardless of the engine. I know the structure is the reason for this,
but 
the max weight of the long wing is also listed the same as the short
wing, 
even though it has an ultimate wing loading of 10.89 Gs, vs 8.55 for the

short wing. In ancient times, I did flight test work for the Lear Fan
and we 
routinely flew the airplane over the max gross planned. So here is my
big 
question to the group:

My airplane looks to weigh about 926 pounds empty. In the real word
(just 
between the two of us!), what gross weights do people typically operate
this 
airplane? If you put 2, 180 pound people in a 900 pound empty weight
short 
wing airplane with full fuel, you can cannot carry anything else, since
you 
are right up against max of 1370.

I don't have the operating manual for the long wing airplane, so I don't
know 
what the official number will be yet. The good news is the CG falls
right in 
the middle, so I won't have to do any adjusting there. I did get carried
away 
with system redundancy and equipment, but all in all, it should be a
good 
airplane. Theoretically, I could pull it out the door and fly it today.
It is 
ready - I'm not and the FAA is not either - yet.


Thanks,

Dave
A227
Mini U2


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