>In the Europa the passengers are forward of the c.of g, (cog) while the
>fuel and the baggage are well aft, the numbers being -4, 16 and 28
>respectively (from a nominal 60"). While any particular set of conditions is
>easy to calculate it is more instructive to run a program which will explore
>the limits. The first thing that turns up is that it is virtually impossible
>to get out of limits in the forward direction (-2) with passenger load.
> Indeed the reverse is true, i.e. it is easy to have too low a passenger
>weight, and the fuel pushes you out of the aft limit (2.5). So you may have
>to collect a passengers or bags of cement to put full fuel aboard. The same
>goes for baggage only more so, as it is further aft. You need more
>passenger/ballast in the right hand seat to get maximum fuel and baggage.
> This is eased somewhat if you have a heavy fit of instruments for they can
>substitute for passenge/ballast, being even further forward. You will know
>this as soon as you complete the weighing, as your cog will probably then be
>found to be less than 60 from datum.
>
>As I have yet to fit anything heavy on the instrument side, my cog is already
>nearing the 61 specified as the aft limit for first flight. Which means I can
>load very little fuel for it, even if there is a crew of two !. Sandbags on
>the feet ?
>
>Grinding out tables of numbers also shows that max. a.u.w. weight only limits
>loading in rare cases, as fuel or baggage usually sends the cog too far aft
>first.
>
>Perhaps all this is obvious to those flying but I would recommend wriiting a
>suitable progam, as there are some constants specific to each aircraft to be
>fed in, before the correct conclusions can be drawn. Anyone is welcome to
>mine if they are too busy building.
>
>Graham C.
>
Evidence suggests that the A.P.S. (Aircarft Prepared for Service) c.g. of
many Europas is actually well forward. I give below figures of c.g. known
to us for flying Europas:-
59.82" AOD
60.28
59.57
58.55
59.34
60.57
59.69
59.4
58.74
60.31
59.76
58.81
60.15
60.6
58.96
59.72
60.85
If you take as an example an aircraft weighing 780 lb with c.g. at 58.7",
then pilot plus passenger @ 170 lb each, zero fuel, will put the c.g. at
57.88", which is too far forward, so a little baggage/ballast would be needed..
Conversely, a light pilot, say 120 lb. plus full fuel (115lb) would be at
the aft limit OF 62.5" if the weight was 780 lb. again, and the A.P.S. c.g.
was 61.5". To my knowledge no Europa has yet had a c.g. that far aft.
Some recent Europas have had their batteries moved behind the baggage bay to
overcome an empty c.g. too far forward.
Regards
Roger
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Web Site at www.europa-aviation.co.uk
Fax No 44 1751 431706
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