Test flight ballast ideas?

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Can anyone give me some ideas for temporary, but securable weight
ballasts? The situation is we're preparing for FAA required test
flights on our FIRST production aircraft. Weight will most likely need
to be positioned in the right seat area, and/or in the limited baggage
area behind the two seats. Wing bladders are not an option, nor is
anything requiring a permanent mount. A non-U.S. built model of this
aircraft has already been certified for U.S. flight. This is the first
built here; but is not a prototype or "test model". This aircraft will
be sold to a private buyer once it passes flight tests. This is the
reason for the ballasts needing to be "non-invasive". I was thinking
of something that could be bolted to the right seat mounts and/or
strap secured in the baggage compartment.

Any suggestions or sources?

Thanks,
DocS

[Carl Ellis]

>
> Any suggestions or sources?
>

One, three, or five gallon water jugs filled with sand, lead shot, or water.

You might even be able to borrow (buy or rent) lead shot bags from a
scuba diving shop. They could be easily secured in a small duffel.

- Carl -

[Vaughn Simon]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Any suggestions or sources?

I assume that you need something less than 200# in the front seat. It
would be nice if you could find a container about the diameter of a human torso
(trash can?), fill it with heavy "stuff" and strap it in place right on the seat
to avoid building something special. If necessary, remove the seat cushions to
make more room and use just the seat frame. Borrow some scrap lead from a tire
shop? It it possible to strap a suitcase in the luggage area?

Use your imagination! I once made a glider seat ballast by sewing $20.00
worth of penny rolls into an old pillow case.

Vaughn

[john smith]

Richard Riley wrote:
> On 28 Jan 2007 09:05:21 -0800, wrote:
>
>> Can anyone give me some ideas for temporary, but securable weight
>> ballasts? The situation is we're preparing for FAA required test
>> flights on our FIRST production aircraft. Weight will most likely need
>> to be positioned in the right seat area, and/or in the limited baggage
>> area behind the two seats. Wing bladders are not an option, nor is
>> anything requiring a permanent mount. A non-U.S. built model of this
>> aircraft has already been certified for U.S. flight. This is the first
>> built here; but is not a prototype or "test model". This aircraft will
>> be sold to a private buyer once it passes flight tests. This is the
>> reason for the ballasts needing to be "non-invasive". I was thinking
>> of something that could be bolted to the right seat mounts and/or
>> strap secured in the baggage compartment.
>>
>> Any suggestions or sources?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> DocS
>
> Dive weights, secured to the seat belt.

Be VERY carefull.
An acquaintance used a couple of dive weights to shift the cg of her
aircraft and was subsequently killed in the crash when the aircraft
became unrecoverable.

[Bob Upp]

How about 1 to 3 sandbags depending on your requirement. They don't take
lunch breaks and no workers comp claims. If you are good with a sewing
machine you can sew up a human shaped torso and limbs from 1000D Cordura
and pour the sand into it. Make in the anatomically correct female form
and call her (it) Sandy.




> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Can anyone give me some ideas for temporary, but securable weight
> ballasts? The situation is we're preparing for FAA required test
> flights on our FIRST production aircraft. Weight will most likely need
> to be positioned in the right seat area, and/or in the limited baggage
> area behind the two seats. Wing bladders are not an option, nor is
> anything requiring a permanent mount. A non-U.S. built model of this
> aircraft has already been certified for U.S. flight. This is the first
> built here; but is not a prototype or "test model". This aircraft will
> be sold to a private buyer once it passes flight tests. This is the
> reason for the ballasts needing to be "non-invasive". I was thinking
> of something that could be bolted to the right seat mounts and/or
> strap secured in the baggage compartment.
>
> Any suggestions or sources?
>
> Thanks,
> DocS
>

[Doug Palmer]

Fine lead shot can be bought - sometimes borrowed from a good gun suplier.
the bags are small, about the size of a standard red brick, well
packaged/secured, and weigh 20 lbs each. Stuffed into a army issue canvass
duffle bag, the type with the hook NOT the zipper, then lashed down, should
be about as secure as you will get, and you don't have to move 200 lbs at
one time.


> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Can anyone give me some ideas for temporary, but securable weight
> ballasts? The situation is we're preparing for FAA required test
> flights on our FIRST production aircraft. Weight will most likely need
> to be positioned in the right seat area, and/or in the limited baggage
> area behind the two seats. Wing bladders are not an option, nor is
> anything requiring a permanent mount. A non-U.S. built model of this
> aircraft has already been certified for U.S. flight. This is the first
> built here; but is not a prototype or "test model". This aircraft will
> be sold to a private buyer once it passes flight tests. This is the
> reason for the ballasts needing to be "non-invasive". I was thinking
> of something that could be bolted to the right seat mounts and/or
> strap secured in the baggage compartment.
>
> Any suggestions or sources?
>
> Thanks,
> DocS
>

[Don W]

wrote:

> Can anyone give me some ideas for temporary, but securable weight
> ballasts? The situation is we're preparing for FAA required test
> flights on our FIRST production aircraft. Weight will most likely need
> to be positioned in the right seat area, and/or in the limited baggage
> area behind the two seats. Wing bladders are not an option, nor is
> anything requiring a permanent mount. A non-U.S. built model of this
> aircraft has already been certified for U.S. flight. This is the first
> built here; but is not a prototype or "test model". This aircraft will
> be sold to a private buyer once it passes flight tests. This is the
> reason for the ballasts needing to be "non-invasive". I was thinking
> of something that could be bolted to the right seat mounts and/or
> strap secured in the baggage compartment.
>
> Any suggestions or sources?
>
> Thanks,
> DocS
>

Be very careful to make sure that the ballast
cannot shift in flight (of course). You may be
required to demonstrate fairly abrupt manuevers
(Stalls, etc) at full gross weight, and any shift
in the ballast location could be fatal.

My suggestion would be to obtain or build a sturdy
box such as a small lockable metal toolbox. The
box can be filled with lead shot bags to bring it
up to any desired weight.

The ballast box(es) should be securely fastened to
the aircraft at the appropriate locations for the
particular flight test.

For example, to simulate flight with a right seat
passenger, you could remove the right seat, and
fasten the ballast box to the seat mounts. You
would then ballast the box to include the weight
of the removed seat plus the maximum intended
passenger weight.

For the luggage compartment, you could use a small
suitcase weighted with lead shot bags, and secured
using luggage straps.

Good luck with it,

Don W.

[Ernest Christley]

wrote:
> Can anyone give me some ideas for temporary, but securable weight
> ballasts? The situation is we're preparing for FAA required test
> flights on our FIRST production aircraft. Weight will most likely need
> to be positioned in the right seat area, and/or in the limited baggage
> area behind the two seats. Wing bladders are not an option, nor is
> anything requiring a permanent mount. A non-U.S. built model of this
> aircraft has already been certified for U.S. flight. This is the first
> built here; but is not a prototype or "test model". This aircraft will
> be sold to a private buyer once it passes flight tests. This is the
> reason for the ballasts needing to be "non-invasive". I was thinking
> of something that could be bolted to the right seat mounts and/or
> strap secured in the baggage compartment.
>
> Any suggestions or sources?
>
> Thanks,
> DocS
>

I plan to using my punching bag for at least one passenger.

[wright1902glider]

On Jan 29, 7:08?pm, Ernest Christley > wrote:
> wrote:
> > Can anyone give me some ideas for temporary, but securable weight
> > ballasts?


Ever heard of Tubesand? Nothing more than a 60lb. sandbag that's about
8" dia. and about 30" long. They're made by Quickcrete and sell for
about $3 each at the local BOX store. Availability is regional though,
since they're intended as ballast for us 2WD truck drivers.

Harry