Since we're talking electronic sensors...

Stealth Pilot wrote:
On 14 May 2009 10:37:08 GMT, Michael
wrote:
"The issue is that you need to certify the thing, or you can't use it
for any flight crew annunciations. So, to certify it, you need to be
able to guarantee performance. And, if you can't certify it, you can't
take any credit for it being there. Still a potential safety
improvement, but not nearly as cost effective as beating on the flight
crew and dispatches to make sure they actually put in the real
weight."

I've heard a discussion of this and the point made was that the wings
are still flying while parked on the ground. in still air the system
would work but with a breeze, or worse in gusts, the system may never
sense the actual aircraft weight.

So the system could incorporate signals from strain gauges(gages?)
attached to the wings and rudder. Then those forces could be included in
the computation. A nice side benefit of such instrumentation is that one
can view and have recorded a history of the forces on the aircraft during
flights. All your landings where you had a nice squeaker (or dropped it
in) precisely quantified and forever preserved, if you so desire! :-)

the other problem was calibrating the weighing (certifying the thing)
and finding really horizontal ground all the time.

Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude sensor (e.g.
damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side benefit to that extra
sensor, though.

on most light private aircraft just how critical is the weight anyway?

C.G. is the useful thing on all size aircraft.

do you think it might be a solution in search of a problem?

Some homebuilders are putting $10k++ instrument panels in their
experimentals that are often expensive solutions in seach of problems, so
I don't see any problem at all in experimental minded builders playing
around in such an underlooked area. Compared to experimenting with things
like engines, attaching sensors is a relatively benign area to experiment
in. (Not entirely benign of course - e.g. one could badly place sensor
wire runs that interfere with controls.)

"JL" == Jim Logajan writes:

JL Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude sensor
JL (e.g. damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side
JL benefit to that extra sensor, though.

Good grief. Just average the landing gear weight data over 10 seconds
or so.

--
Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those
whom we cannot resemble.
~ Samuel Johnson

Bob Fry wrote:
"JL" == Jim Logajan writes:

JL Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude sensor
JL (e.g. damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side
JL benefit to that extra sensor, though.

Good grief. Just average the landing gear weight data over 10 seconds
or so.


Nope.

You could have a very accurate wrong answer...

"cl" == cavelamb writes:

cl Bob Fry wrote:
"JL" == Jim Logajan writes:
JL Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude
sensor
JL (e.g. damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side
JL benefit to that extra sensor, though.
Good grief. Just average the landing gear weight data over 10
seconds or so.


cl Nope.

cl You could have a very accurate wrong answer...

Why?

--
If it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere
insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to
separate them from the rest of us and destroy them; but the line
dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human
being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?
~ Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Bob Fry wrote:
"cl" == cavelamb writes:

cl Bob Fry wrote:
"JL" == Jim Logajan writes:
JL Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude
sensor
JL (e.g. damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side
JL benefit to that extra sensor, though.
Good grief. Just average the landing gear weight data over 10
seconds or so.


cl Nope.

cl You could have a very accurate wrong answer...

Why?


ALWAYS, Always, I tell you my son...

close the hanger doors before weighing.

cavelamb wrote:
Bob Fry wrote:
"cl" == cavelamb writes:

cl Bob Fry wrote:
"JL" == Jim Logajan writes:
JL Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude
sensor
JL (e.g. damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side
JL benefit to that extra sensor, though.
Good grief. Just average the landing gear weight data over 10
seconds or so.

cl Nope.

cl You could have a very accurate wrong answer...

Why?


ALWAYS, Always, I tell you my son...

close the hanger doors before weighing.


"NO WIRE HANGERS!!!" - Joan Crawford in "Mother Dearest."

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Dan wrote:
cavelamb wrote:
Bob Fry wrote:
"cl" == cavelamb writes:

cl Bob Fry wrote:
"JL" == Jim Logajan writes:
JL Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude
sensor
JL (e.g. damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side
JL benefit to that extra sensor, though.
Good grief. Just average the landing gear weight data over 10
seconds or so.

cl Nope.

cl You could have a very accurate wrong answer...

Why?


ALWAYS, Always, I tell you my son...

close the hanger doors before weighing.


"NO WIRE HANGERS!!!" - Joan Crawford in "Mother Dearest."

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired


OOooooooooooooooo...........

I hate when that happens!

Close the hangAr doors!

cavelamb wrote:
Bob Fry wrote:
"cl" == cavelamb writes:

cl Bob Fry wrote:
"JL" == Jim Logajan writes:
JL Could also incorporate a signal from a gravity attitude
sensor
JL (e.g. damped plumb bob). Can't think of any useful side
JL benefit to that extra sensor, though.
Good grief. Just average the landing gear weight data over 10
seconds or so.

cl Nope.

cl You could have a very accurate wrong answer...

Why?


ALWAYS, Always, I tell you my son...

close the hanger doors before weighing.



I.E. Tuen off the wind...