Which GRP single-seater has the lowest cockpit weight?

On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:07:09 +0100, Andreas Alin
wrote:

The mother of a teenage flight club member made a polstered cushion with
plummet sheets inside. They say it weights 20 kg (about 40lbs). It was
hard for the boy to carry it to the plane, but he managed it. He
additionally needs the Ballast Weights near the pedals.

Most of the girls in my club need about the same amount of lead
weight. Usually the boys carry the weight around for them...

Sex sells.



Bye
Andreas

Andreas Maurer wrote:
On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:07:09 +0100, Andreas Alin
wrote:

The mother of a teenage flight club member made a polstered cushion with
plummet sheets inside. They say it weights 20 kg (about 40lbs). It was
hard for the boy to carry it to the plane, but he managed it. He
additionally needs the Ballast Weights near the pedals.

Most of the girls in my club need about the same amount of lead
weight. Usually the boys carry the weight around for them...

Girls?

In a glider club?

How'd you manage *that*? Our ratio is on the order of 60:1. That's the
female to male ratio, not the glide ratio!

Jeremy

On Feb 1, 11:06 am, "Maciek" wrote:
PW-5 - 121 lbs
A friend of mine, who had similar problem, used to carry a little bag filled
with sand (made by her mother;-), which placed under her...you know where,
added some extra lbs (even 20 ). One thing you should do if you use this
solution is to make sure, that the sand never gets out into the cockpit - it
may cause seizing of some mechanisms and it can end badly. Better if you
raplace sand with some stones (less comfortable, but more safety)

Maciek



PW-5 as an One Class Design by definition must acomodate the pilots in
widest range of weights. The gross weight of all mashines at the grid
must be the same, adjusted to the heaviest pilot in the competition.
It has two system of balasts. Four removable weights in tail, which
you add when the (pilots + parachute) is over 167 lbs as far as to
231 lbs. We also have eight small compartments under the removable
pilots sit pan, where you can put eight 10 lbs bags of lead shot. With
all begs in place firmly secured and no tail balast you could be as
light as 81 lbs with a parachute. Preatty wide range and very
safe. :-)
Richard

Tom Gardner wrote:
On Jan 31, 5:06 pm, "Dan G" wrote:
A friend of mine weighs just 110lbs with parachute. With ballast, she
can fly some K13s and a couple of wooden single-seaters which have
particularly low cockpit min weights.

Which GRP single-seaters tend to have low min weights, and how much is
it?

I guess that person is also small, so are there any examples of
adding
extra weight in the form of a "very heavy cushion" between the pilot
and the seat? Perhaps a very heavy cushion could be fashioned from
lead or rubber sheeting, and placed between the energy absorbing
cushion and the seat pan.

We have some bags of lead shot and at least one lead plate that we use as
you describe for those front-seaters who are too far under the limit for
our available normal ballast to fix. It works well and, I'm told, is
perfectly comfortable if positioned properly.

I heard a frightening story about a kid who needed ballast for his first
solo in some sort of powered plane. They stuck a lead plate under him to
bring his weight up to the minimum. Sometime during the flight the plate
slid up, jamming the stick full forward. He completed several outside
loops before unjamming the stick, regaining control, and landing safely.
Obviously you should make sure this can't happen to you.

--
Michael Ash
Rogue Amoeba Software

Ok folks, I think I've read in just about every "How to fly
sailplanes" book including those by Piggott and Knauff that you don't
want to add ballast using an "under the deriere´ (never could do
French)" type. If you are going to add ballast make sure it is
attached to the airframe and not held on by your butt! I think this is
in a couple of POH's I've read also.

Bob (who unfortunately does not have a need for ballast)

OK, then use it with an 5 point harness and it should be safe. Thx for
remembering, I forgot to add this to my satement before.

Andreas

schrieb:
Ok folks, I think I've read in just about every "How to fly
sailplanes" book including those by Piggott and Knauff that you don't
want to add ballast using an "under the deriere´ (never could do
French)" type. If you are going to add ballast make sure it is
attached to the airframe and not held on by your butt! I think this is
in a couple of POH's I've read also.

Bob (who unfortunately does not have a need for ballast)

I don't think that is the point, Andreas... The problem is that you
then have a substantial weight that will be free to mash against you if
you hit turbulence or an accident, pinning you between the belts and a
pretty heavy mass.



Larry





"Andreas Alin" wrote in
message :

OK, then use it with an 5 point harness and it should be safe. Thx for
remembering, I forgot to add this to my satement before.

Andreas

schrieb:
Ok folks, I think I've read in just about every "How to fly
sailplanes" book including those by Piggott and Knauff that you don't
want to add ballast using an "under the deriere´ (never could do
French)" type. If you are going to add ballast make sure it is
attached to the airframe and not held on by your butt! I think this is
in a couple of POH's I've read also.

Bob (who unfortunately does not have a need for ballast)

wrote:
Ok folks, I think I've read in just about every "How to fly
sailplanes" book including those by Piggott and Knauff that you don't
want to add ballast using an "under the deriere´ (never could do
French)" type. If you are going to add ballast make sure it is
attached to the airframe and not held on by your butt! I think this is
in a couple of POH's I've read also.

Our club members who need ballast often use a lead cushion tied/clipped
to the seat belt attachment points. By definition, these are strong
enough to take both weights. The difficulty is the integrity of the
attachments at the cushion end.

GC

Bob (who unfortunately does not have a need for ballast)

"Graeme Cant" gcantinter@tnodedotnet wrote in message
...
wrote:
Ok folks, I think I've read in just about every "How to fly
sailplanes" book including those by Piggott and Knauff that you don't
want to add ballast using an "under the deriere´ (never could do
French)" type. If you are going to add ballast make sure it is
attached to the airframe and not held on by your butt! I think this is
in a couple of POH's I've read also.

Our club members who need ballast often use a lead cushion tied/clipped to
the seat belt attachment points. By definition, these are strong enough
to take both weights. The difficulty is the integrity of the attachments
at the cushion end.

GC


Do what I do...just have them sit on your lap ;-)