Upcoming Fly - Out

[rkittine]

So anyone in the Club in the Charlotte area?

Dan and I just helped one of my primary students negotiate to buy Nelson’s Super III. The pre buy is being done on the 28th and if all goes well, Donovan, who will be the new owner and I will be traveling to North Carolina to pick it up and fly it back to New York. So maybe when this happens we can get a few Beech Drivers to get together to wish us well on our return trip.

 

[cmmguy]

I am in Hendersonville, about 35 minutes West flight time from KCLT. What airport are you actually flying out of?

 

[rkittine]

KEHO Shelby-Cleveland Regional

 

[rkittine]

Just found out from Nelson that he does not have any aft ballast in his Super III (FP). My student weighs 225 dressed and I weigh 180 dressed. Will probably have two small suite cases that we can put in the baggage compartment. Any suggestion on what else we should do to bring it home.

Also where is the best place e to buy a ballast set and should we get the 10 pound 2 ounce one or heavier?

Thanks

 

[jhbecker]

Easy movable ballast is to use a 3 gallon gas can filled with sand. 7/8th full will give you 40# of ballast in the baggage compartment that is easy to move and relatively cheap.
BAC member Derek Duke made up a batch of aft bulkhead weights last Dec. I don't know if he made any spares. I think he was doing both 10 and 22 pound version, but I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn anytime in the last 5 years.
As to which of the two approved weights to use - that's up to the owner and should be based on the expected weight in the two front seats and a bit of time working out various W&B scenarios. I have a 10# in my SD. 98% of my flying is just my wife and myself - total 390# in the front seats. If I have 50 gallons of fuel or less my W&B calc says I do not need more that the usual 20~25# of stuff that I always carry in the baggage compartment. With full fuel and light luggage I put the jug of sand on board. YMMV

 

[N6008L]

I use 2 5 gal flexible plastic water jugs used for camping. They're very sturdy and so far haven't leaked. They go in the baggage compartment. If you don't need the weight, dump them out on the tarmac. I also consider them my automatic fire suppression system.

 

[cmmguy]

KEHO Shelby-Cleveland Regional

ahh... that is this side of CLT. Been in there a couple times. Let me know when you plan on going there and I could fly over and say hey.

I used bags of chicken feed when I needed the extra weight in the back during my initial flying.... but that might be difficult to get into the carry on. I think what Jack suggested is a good idea or maybe just a 5 gallon can of water or a 10 gallon bladder with water.

 

[nevadah]

I have two of these that I usually just keep in the baggage compartment.

Wake Ballast 25lb Ballast Bag USA | 3 Year Guarantee | WakeBallast

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wakeballast.com

 

[jhbecker]

I like the sand because it's heavier than water and takes less space for the same weight. If, after burning fuel off, you don't need it so far aft it's simple to move to the back seat and put a seat belt through the handle.

 

[rkittine]

May just pick up some 25 pound bags of no. 9 shot while I am there. I can use it at home anyway. Skeet Season is starting

 

[tortugaboats]

Get a 22 lb aft ballast weight. It works magic. No more sand bags for me .

 

[N6008L]

Are the mounting holes the same for a 22lb weight the same as for the 11lb weight? I put in an 11lb weight when I painted Sunny, but I think I could go to a heavier weight. I have the split tail cone so getting to it should be not be too tough.

 

[rkittine]

Thanks to all. Now to find a 22 pounder approved ballast weight. I have a mechanic that knows how to put it in.

 

[mvanover]

I have never seen a 22 lb ABW. But I have heard it is a one piece unit. It extends through the middle of the aft bulkhead on both sides of the stab horn (stab rod). This means to install the original 22 lb ABW, you are required to remove the stabilator. I am currently installing Derek's two piece 22 lb ABW on a Sport. There seems to be some issues with the one I'm installing, but I'm sure they will be easily worked out.

Robert, I don't see a need for a 22 lb AWB in a Sierra. I had a factory 10 lb ABW in my Sierra and could load two 250 pilot/co-pilot in the front seats with full tanks and still be within the forward CG limits.

 

[markweiss]

Marty,
Bob is enquiring about a Super A23-24. I agree, 22# is not necessary , but it will make for a much nicer airplane.

Bob,
Derek's two-piece 22#er is designed for the original mounting points.

 

[rkittine]

Thanks guys. Had the 10 pounder in the Sierra and it was fine. This is for a Super III. There is a Lowe’s right by the area where the plane is and I need some cement back at my hangar so I think two 25 pound bags of sacrete should get me home OK. The student buying it , who will be flying it has never flown anything but a 172 so I don’t want to have flare issues for him.

 

[cmmguy]

When are you going?

 

[mvanover]

My mistake, sorry. However, I would think that the Super III isn't much different than the Sierra. MC-1 was a Super III modified for retractable landing gear. My Sierra had an empty weight of 1785 lbs with the CG @ 112 inches aft of datum. Later I added the 10 lb ABW. However, the last Super III I worked on had an empty weight of 1610 lbs with the CG @ 107 inches. That just doesn't sound right to me, even though it had a C/S prop. That is three inches forward of the Sierra's CG limit. Can some Super III owners provide your OEW and CG location?

 

[dbdicker]

N31PA - MA-132 Super III

Basic Empty Weight: 1466.4 lbs.
Basic Empty CG : 111.47
UL: 1066

 

[cmmguy]

Seems like a good idea to build a database of as many as we can, of those stats, so an owner can see if their bird is way out of line with the mean and worthy of figuring out why. Hmmm....