Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 8:40
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Hairy
Chested Heroes
Yeah, kind of disappointing for a bare bones
day VFR airplane. I know where some of the excess weight is:
1) Ran a ground cable to the batteries in the
baggage compartment. Thats 6 - 7 feet of 0 gauge copper. Paranoid
about ground loops/noise in such an electrically dependant
airplane. Could use the airframe as a ground and loose
that.
2) Made the exhaust header out of .062" 321
stainless. I'm sure it could have been .030" and would still live for many
years.
3) All the fuel and oil plumbing is
Earls braided stainless. And the oil plumbing is pretty long.
4) Some of the brackets are a little over
built.
5) I have 2 Odyssey PC625 batteries.
If I had Tracy's courage I could loose 1 battery and 13.5
pounds.
I probably should have mentioned that 1027
pounds includes full oil and coolant. I dont know if you guys are
including that in empty weight. Never understood why the manufacturers
dont include oil in empty weight - not like you can fly very far without
it.
Anyway, looks like my gross weight is going
to be around 1650 rather than the 1500 Vans recommends. At least the CG
looks good. All possible combinations are within the limits. This probably
due to my custom cowl which let me move the engine a little forward from
normal.
Mike Wills
RV-4 N144MW
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 7:15
PM
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Hairy
Chested Heroes
Mike,
Mine came in at 1090 which is midline for an
RV-6 with a FP-prop. Darn good for a day/night IFR RV-6 with
200h.p., though I probably (definitely) gained a few pounds with the
latest cowl, radiator, muffler, foam sound proofing and 3-blade
prop. Waiting until after painting before I re-weight. My CG
is slightly aft of average.
Not sure where you are putting on the
pounds, I thought for sure you would have been under 1000.
No
matter, it's going to fly great!
Dave Leonard
On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 6:38 PM, Mike Wills
<
rv-4mike@cox.net> wrote:
I'm located at Brown Field in San Diego.
8000 feet of pavement at 500' MSL. Things could be a lot
worse.
Weighed the airplane today. Either my
wife and I or the airplane, or both need to go on a diet. 1027 pounds
empty. Was hoping for less than 1000. For the RV guys, how did
your empty weight come out? Incidently, with batteries in the baggage
compartment the CG looks good.
-----
Original Message -----
Sent:
Sunday, May 11, 2008 10:31 AM
Subject:
[FlyRotary] Re: Hairy Chested Heroes
Mike, what airport are you doing your
first flight out of?
----- Original Message -----
Not sure I really wanted to read the
bit about after takeoff engine failure at this point. Too close to
first flight to have that put in my head. I'll probably appreciate
this a lot more after I get some flight hours under my
belt.
Mike Wills
RV-4
N144MW
--
David Leonard
Turbo Rotary RV-6 N4VY
http://N4VY.RotaryRoster.net
http://RotaryRoster.net