Thread: water bag usage
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Old August 14th 13, 03:42 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Ralph Jones[_3_]
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Default water bag usage

On Tue, 13 Aug 2013 13:18:56 -0700 (PDT), lynn
wrote:

On Tuesday, August 13, 2013 11:51:02 AM UTC-5, Echo wrote:
Given the record setting soaring weather in the mid-south and southeast this year, does anyone have any experience inflating their water ballast bags so as to be used for a flotation device? Seems like the only way to use them. That's what they're for right? By the way, how do you thermal in the rain? Has anyone ever calculated a polar for an ASW20 fitted with a float kit? Thanks



E


Perhaps filling the hags with helium would be more productive?


Well, let's see. An AS-W20 holds 120 kg of water, so the volume of the
bags is 120 liters.

The density of sea-level air is 1.28 grams per liter, and helium is
0.179. So the lift you'll get is 120L * (1.28g/L - 0.179g/L)=132.5
grams or about 4.7 ounces.

We'll listen to your voice on the radio and tell you if you have a
helium leak...;-)