In Balance

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:02 pm

Just out of interest, when did you last do an accurate weight and balance calculation using the operaters manual with your exact aircraft's arm, cg, and weight and moment?

MikeW · Post by **MikeW** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:10 pm

Are you giving a checkride that we are not aware of? Just kidding. Every plane should have one or two done for different configurations and stuck in the flight manual to refer to.

Mike

a64pilot · Post by **a64pilot** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 4:41 am

About two months ago when I installed the heavier maintenance free battery. Maybe just as good a question is how long has it been since your aircraft was actually weighed using certified aircraft scales?
Not sure exactly how much, or all of the reasons why, but aircraft gain weight as they age from many different causes, weight that isn't accounted for in the W/B sheet.
Jeremy, think it would be worthwhile weighing a couple of aircraft during this southeast fly-in, just to see?

Lowflybye · Post by **Lowflybye** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:38 am

a64pilot wrote: Jeremy, think it would be worthwhile weighing a couple of aircraft during this southeast fly-in, just to see?

Hey, now there is an idea...since we will be that close to the factory and or Thrush

, I am sure we could find a set of scales to do so.

I created an Excell spreadsheet that is a simple plug-n-play deal for the W&B of our MX7-180. I will be glad to post it for others to use and modify it for other models if there is any interest...of course I will have to figure out a way to attach a file to a post on this site...

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:28 pm

I photocopied the W&B graph from the AFM and tables then laminated it to the clipboard on my airplane with the Empty weight and CG marked on the graph.

A grease pencil or wet erase marker makes it easy to put it all on the chart. I'm a little anal on W&B paperwork from a career of trash hauling, but it sure made me grin, when an FAA guy walked up doing ramp checks when I had the back seats and aft baggage loaded.

You could tell he was thinking there was no way I was in CG.

I just set the clipboard down where he could see it, chatted briefly and he headed off for more furtile hunting ground.

Lowfly, there is a downloads page on the other Maule website. You could post there, but I am clueless on Excel.

Kirk

Lowflybye · Post by **Lowflybye** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:13 pm

Kirk wrote: Lowfly, there is a downloads page on the other Maule website. You could post there, but I am clueless on Excel.

Kirk

Which "other" wesite are you referring to?

This spreadsheet is easy to use...you just enter your empty weight and hit the TAB key to move through the fields and enter your various weights while it does all the calculations for you. You can print out the finished calculations along with the CG graph and take it with you. It takes all of about 1 minute to complete if you know the weights of your passangers and cargo.

a64pilot · Post by **a64pilot** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:56 pm

I fly with a tablet PC. An excel spreadsheet for W&B would be nice

maules.com · Post by **maules.com** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 6:58 pm

Scary talk, this spreadsheet exel stuff. No batteries in the outback, but Maule's table and graph are easy with a pencil, or credit card calculater.

W.A.T. · Post by **W.A.T.** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:11 pm

I would be glad to share the one I have with anyone that is interested.

Some great guys at "Boeing" developed it for the Maule used for top secret test flights and was nice enough to share it with me. It's only Wright for me to pass it along.

This version even includes a graph to instantly show if you are within the flight envolope.

Unlocked and easy to edit for your aircraft model.

Email me and I will forward a copy... wrightaircraft@windstream.net

Lowflybye, I would like to have a copy of yours to compare.

David

Lowflybye · Post by **Lowflybye** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:12 pm

a64pilot wrote:I fly with a tablet PC. An excel spreadsheet for W&B would be nice

I just need a place to post the file...

I think the spreadsheet will work on a PDA or Blackberry as well. I should be gettting a Blackberry next month so I will try it out and let you know.

a64pilot · Post by **a64pilot** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:44 am

Lowflybye wrote:
a64pilot wrote:I fly with a tablet PC. An excel spreadsheet for W&B would be nice
I just need a place to post the file...

I think the spreadsheet will work on a PDA or Blackberry as well. I should be gettting a Blackberry next month so I will try it out and let you know.

David E-mailed me his. It's quite impressive. It's not up to Longbow standards, that one was dynamic and all the numbers for engine performance, best range, power required, available etc. all changed as fuel was burned off, weapons expended etc. But, it's easy enough to use that even I can use it. Only one problem, how to pretend ignorance to the accident investigator now?
Seriously if your one of those people that fly around with a bathroom scale and weigh everything that goes into the airplane, then this spreadsheets for you.

a64pilot · Post by **a64pilot** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:46 am

David,
Welcome to the forum, it took you long enough

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:33 pm

Here's the lonk for the "other Maule site" Not as active as this one, administered by a nice fellow from the UK. He has even kept the site going after he sold his Maule.

Click here: Maule Pilots Group

There is a downloads section there, has a few engine performance charts on it etc.

Jeremy, I still like my grease pencil

Kirk

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:35 pm

awww nuts the link didn't paste, here it is:

http://flymaule.org/index.php

Kirk

Lowflybye · Post by **Lowflybye** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:59 pm

I tried that forum...only problem is that you have to insert a URL to link the download to...this means that I have to have the file on a server to link to...I could do the same thing on this site, but I need a server to upload the file.

a64pilot wrote:
Lowflybye wrote:
a64pilot wrote:I fly with a tablet PC. An excel spreadsheet for W&B would be nice
I just need a place to post the file...

I think the spreadsheet will work on a PDA or Blackberry as well. I should be gettting a Blackberry next month so I will try it out and let you know.
David E-mailed me his. It's quite impressive. It's not up to Longbow standards, that one was dynamic and all the numbers for engine performance, best range, power required, available etc. all changed as fuel was burned off, weapons expended etc. But, it's easy enough to use that even I can use it. Only one problem, how to pretend ignorance to the accident investigator now?
Seriously if your one of those people that fly around with a bathroom scale and weigh everything that goes into the airplane, then this spreadsheets for you.

I can easily modify that spreadsheet for the other models...it is really not all that hard to create, just takes a little time and math skills.

In Balance

In Balance

Excel W&B

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