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

Ed,

My trike is from back in 2002, well before LSA/SP was a gleam in the eye of the FAA.
It is a grandfathered E-LSA trike, N-50433

Its' frame is steel, rather than aluminum and has suspension (shock absorbers/springs)
on all wheels. The current empty weight is 387 pounds.
Add me, add wing, add fuel, add instructor, and the all-up weight is right at the max
wing loading of 1050 pounds.

The trike carriage and engine are both made in the Chex Republic.

It is advertised as the strongest trike in the world.

I like my trike very much and fly it when ever conditions permit.

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 -------

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sport_Aircraft/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sport_Aircraft/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
Sport_Aircraft-digest@yahoogroups.com
Sport_Aircraft-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Sport_Aircraft-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/