Weight and balance, ballast, trim when flying alone

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

Robert M. Gary writes:

What a very, very odd question. I don't believe I've ever been asked
such a question by a student before.

Is that why you haven't answered it?


No, it's probably because you're a tit .

Bertie

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in news:2dfb1737-25f3-4d30-96eb-
:

On Jan 15, 11:58*am, Mxsmanic wrote:
Robert M. Gary writes:
What a very, very odd question. I don't believe I've ever been asked
such a question by a student before.

Is that why you haven't answered it?

I usually start my students out with a $49 intro flight. Once they'd
taken that flight they would probably not think to ask this question.


I'm guessing you don't teach in a 150, then.


Bertie

John writes:

How much does it pitch to the side if you don't put offsetting weight into
the passenger seat and how does it compare to the normal variation caused by
fuel burn from a single side at a time?

I never burn fuel from a single side at a time, so I cannot comment on that.
Both the Bonanza and the Baron let you draw fuel from both tanks, and that's
how I leave it set.

If you are heavy and alone in the plane, it has a distinct tendency to bank
towards the heavy side. The Bonanza does this, anyway, so it's harder to
notice, but the Baron will do it, only not as obviously. When I first started
flying these aircraft I noticed odd banking tendencies and it took a while for
it to dawn on me that the aircraft was simply loaded unevenly.

If you do the math I think you will
see that the moment caused by the fuel burn changes is much higher then the
moment caused by the weight of the passengers so close to the centerline.

No doubt, but I don't alternate tanks.

WingFlaps writes:

Will wonders never cease, he admits it at last! The answer is that
MSFS simulation is nothing like really flying.

I didn't say it was nothing like really flying, which would be an absurd
exaggeration. I simply said that I don't know how accurately it simulates
weight and balance issues. They aren't difficult to simulate, so I imagine
it's pretty close.

Robert M. Gary writes:

I hope not because I still can't land the Cessna 150 in MSFS.

Trust your instruments.

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

John writes:

How much does it pitch to the side if you don't put offsetting weight
into the passenger seat and how does it compare to the normal
variation caused by fuel burn from a single side at a time?

I never burn fuel from a single side at a time,


You never burn anything , fjukkwit.


Bertie

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

WingFlaps writes:

Will wonders never cease, he admits it at last! The answer is that
MSFS simulation is nothing like really flying.

I didn't say it was nothing like really flying,


It isn't anything like flying.


Bertie

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

Robert M. Gary writes:

I hope not because I still can't land the Cessna 150 in MSFS.

Trust your instruments.


Nope.


Bertie

I'm not sure, but would guess the outer edges of fuel tanks on
something like a Mooney centered about 8 feet from the centerline. If
there's a 10 gallon differential in the tanks -- 60 pounds -- that's
480 foot pounds of unbalance. That's about the same as a 300 pounder
sitting 1.5 feet from the centerline. We tend to burn an hour's worth
out of the takeoff wing (10 gallons easy) before switching, and the
airplane does not fly especially wing heavy.

Bertie, MX may not be overqualified as ballast. If, for example, I was
PIC (about 130 pounds) with a center of gravity (watch it now, if you
comment on the location of my center of gravity) 18 inches to the left
of centerline, a 260 pound ballast sitting in the back 9 inches to
the right of center would bring things into left and right balance.
There should be enough trim for fore and aft balance. You might assume
I would not invite ballast to sit in front.




On Jan 15, 1:03 pm, Bertie the Bunyip wrote:
Mxsmanic wrote :

What is your method for handling weight and balance when you are
piloting a small aircraft alone?

Do you just trim to adjust for the
lateral imbalance, or do you put something on the other side of the
plane (ballast, luggage, etc.) to balance it out, or what?

Why, you thinking of becoming ballast?

you're overqualified.

Bertie

Tina wrote in
:

I'm not sure, but would guess the outer edges of fuel tanks on
something like a Mooney centered about 8 feet from the centerline. If
there's a 10 gallon differential in the tanks -- 60 pounds -- that's
480 foot pounds of unbalance. That's about the same as a 300 pounder
sitting 1.5 feet from the centerline. We tend to burn an hour's worth
out of the takeoff wing (10 gallons easy) before switching, and the
airplane does not fly especially wing heavy.

Bertie, MX may not be overqualified as ballast.


OK, he's perfect. I can't imagine any box of lead doing a better job.



If, for example, I was
PIC (about 130 pounds) with a center of gravity (watch it now, if you
comment on the location of my center of gravity) 18 inches to the left
of centerline, a 260 pound ballast sitting in the back 9 inches to
the right of center would bring things into left and right balance.
There should be enough trim for fore and aft balance. You might assume
I would not invite ballast to sit in front.

Wel, you put ballast where it does the most good!

In anthony's case that would be in the Dumpster behind the airport cafe.


BTW, on big ones, there is a L/R loading issue, but it's only for floor
strength issues. It's only on widebody AC, though.


Bertie