Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group Weight problems, was: is everyone here to bash Skycatchers?

Ed,

My trike has no CG adjustments.
I modified it to handle my weight in the front seat by, amongst other things:
--shortened the front strut by some 8 inches (this was also needed for prop clearance)
--moved the battery back to just under the engine
--moved the engine up 2 inches and back 4 inches.
--replaced the original steel motor mount with a stronger but heavier aluminum mount.
....

I do wish I could move the front seat back further as the leg room is a bit short for
getting into/outof the pilot seat. While I'm at it, I would also like to make the
front seat a bit wider and the bottom cushion more tilted for my personal flying
comfort.

All the changes have resulted in the hang block being over the back of the pilot seat
rather than the more usual position over the passenger seat and fuel tank.

I've been working on the attainment of the SP license since 2004.
Progress has been excruciatingly slow.

R. Williams

---------- Original Message -----------
From: Ed Burkhead <ed@edburkhead.com>
To: Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:17:58 -0500
Subject: Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group Weight problems, was: is everyone here to
bash Skycatchers?

> On 2010-08-09 12:36 PM, Richard Williams wrote:
> > The problem is that most trikes are not setup to have my weight in the front seat.
> > so the weight and loading is all wrong.
> > With me in the front seat, most trikes land on the front wheel.
> >
>
> Ah, a CG issue as it relates to the trike's cart!
>
> Hmm, aren't there adjustments on some trikes that allow for adjustment
> of the cart hang point relative to the cart just for CG reasons?
>
> Or, perhaps much less costly, can a replacement or supplemental
> control bar be fitted to your trike, temporarily, to allow the
> instructor flight control access? Adding a rear kill switch is very
> simple. Ground steering from the rear isn't as easy but it's doable,
> I'd bet. Ah, but you said your trike was factory built. I presume
> it's N-numbered as an SLSA, not a kit-built ELSA and especially not as
> a grandfathered experimental ELSA? Thus, you can't make changes?
>
> You're running out of answers.
>
> 1. I KNOW just how hard it is to lose huge amounts of weight. Though
> I've managed it once, I'm not succeeding now.
>
> 2. Modifications to your trike - discussed above.
>
> 3. Finding an instructor who owns a two-control trike that can be
> adapted to your weight in the front.
>
> 3-alternate. Come to think of it, is there a requirement on a trike
> that the pilot in command be sitting in the front? Can you find an
> examiner who'll let you fly the two-control trike from the rear seat
> for the check-ride?
>
> 4. Buy a suitable trike for the checkride then sell it.
>
> 5. Fly illegally till you get caught or have an incident that brings
> you to the attention of the authorities then pay the heavy penalties.
> (Having a fatal accident while flying blatantly illegally voids your
> insurance, assuming you have insurance that covers you while flying.)
>
> 6. Sell the trike and buy a motorcycle - at least as dangerous and
> the danger is less under your control, but what the fuss - that's fun,
> too.
>
> Keep us posted on your final solution. It's an interesting puzzle.
>
> Ed
------- End of Original Message -------

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