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Thread: Questions on weighing the airplane

  1. #1
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    Default Questions on weighing the airplane

    Thinking ahead on my restoration of this KF4, at some point I'll need to weigh it and do a new weight and balance. Many years ago when I worked at a Beechcraft dealership we had nice big platform scales for the little birds and load cells for the KingAirs. What the heck am I going to use for my Kitfox? And I don't think we ever did weigh a tail dragger. It has to be level to weigh, so do I put a bathroom scale on a short ladder?!?!

    This is the stuff that keeps me up at night during the winter when I can't work on the airplane.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    I used "heavy" bathroom scales for the mains and a regular scale for the tail after leveling the plane.
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  3. #3
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    Quote Originally Posted by Av8r3400 View Post
    I used "heavy" bathroom scales for the mains and a regular scale for the tail after leveling the plane.
    Are you saying I'm heavy?!?!? Lol
    Thanks!

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    Senior Member ken nougaret's Avatar
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    Quote Originally Posted by Av8r3400 View Post
    I used "heavy" bathroom scales for the mains and a regular scale for the tail after leveling the plane.
    I did the same thing. Then after i was flying i took it to work and weighed it again using load cells on jacks. I found my home scales to be 20 lbs heavier. In a way that was good news.
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    I see a lot of 300-400 pound max scales. How high do I need to go?

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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    Quote Originally Posted by ken nougaret View Post
    I did the same thing. Then after i was flying i took it to work and weighed it again using load cells on jacks. I found my home scales to be 20 lbs heavier. In a way that was good news.
    Did you do the "dog food bag" calibration check???

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    Quote Originally Posted by beeryboats View Post
    I see a lot of 300-400 pound max scales. How high do I need to go?
    The Mangy was about 700#. It's a modified Model IV-1200 Classic. The mains were ~325 each.

    My old IV-1050 was 650#, and showed about 300 on the mains.
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    Super Moderator Av8r3400's Avatar
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    Quote Originally Posted by beeryboats View Post
    Did you do the "dog food bag" calibration check???
    No, but I did the bag of wood pellets calibration test.
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  9. #9
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    So I need a 400lb scale.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Questions on weighing the airplane

    Quite a good article I thought:

    Weighing a taildragger

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