Model 4 weight question

[Mcogar88]

Good Evening, I’m currently looking at purchasing a Model 4 1200 with a Lycoming 235 on it. It’s empty weight is 822 and it has 2 six gallon wing tanks with the 1.5 gallon header. It’s currently certified to 1320 lbs as when it was built it had a Subaru and Floats on it. Both have since been removed and it has a grove gear and the lycoming now. I know the 1200 weight limit is 1200 but with this plane being certified at 1320 is that an acceptable weight to fly it at? The gentleman that owns and built the plane is super knowledgeable and an excellent experimental plane builder and he sees no issues with exceeding the 1200 gross weight. The plane is within weight and balance and flys beautifully but as a beginner pilot I’m nervous to get into a plane that ultimately ends up becoming a single seater as with the lycoming, myself and fuel we are close to the 1200 gross and I won’t be able to take my friends or wife with me on flights. Thanks Mike

[avidflyer]

That is heavy for a Kitfox 4. Mine has an 80 HP 912 and performs great at almost 200 lbs less weight. There are lots of reasons why a gross weight is what it is. Maybe even the axels on the grove gear. A couple of months ago, a guy had one of his 3/4" axels break on a grove gear, and he is now rebuilding that plane. Maybe this one has the 1 1/4" axels, so that may not be a concern. You will be putting a good bit more stress on the longerons where the landing gear attaches. It would be nice if he wanted to keep that engine and you could find a 912. It would be a great plane. If the price was good enough, maybe you could sell this engine and get a 912. Course if you don't like wrenching, and just want to fly, maybe that's not the way to go. But you could be one slightly hard landing away from wrenching as it is.

[Delta Whisky]

Mike - I don't know anything about the engineering considerations or trade offs when the plane was designed but, as a general rule, flying at 10% over is quite a bit on a regular basis; avidflyer touched on some things to think about. I'm only adding another consideration - the small fuel load. Don't know what your planned flight parameters are but for me it doesn't carry enough fuel. Taking into account responsible if not legal reserves, your range might be somewhat limited and, using my flights as an example, almost guarantee fuel stops on over 50% of flights. Just a thought.

[airlina]

Michael , there are many reasons the designer has the max weight at a certain number and when you exceed this number you immediately become a test pilot and are venturing into an area that you may not want to go. While you may think that an extra 120 Lbs doesn't sound like much , it can become double that number or even triple if you are flying in any turbulence. I have a g meter in my airplane can easily see 2 G on a moderately bumpy day and that extra 120lbs is now 240 lbs instantly . Not a good idea to exceed the design limits of the airplane. Bruce N199CL