wrote:

Snip...

Thirdly, my weight and balance is "odd", to say the least. I've only
got a 9-lb range to stay within CoG limits, which seems fairly narrow
(same was true for the factory-delivered W&B). Granted, my previous
experience was with club ships (1-34, L-33, G-102) which had a wide
range. The plane has also flown 40 lbs under min. pilot weight (we
goofed) but flew beautifully -- certainly not like an aircraft beyond
aft CoG. Is this typical for the Kestrel?

TIA,
John

I don't normally jump in on things as this - having never actually seen
a Kestrel 19 except in magazines - but conceptually something's not
right here as-stated.

Assuming a 36" root chord and an allowable CG range of (e.g.) 25%-40% of
root chord, you'd have an allowable range of CG movement of 5.4" and
there's no way a 9-lb increment will move you from outside front to
outside rear of such a range on a man-sized glider of Kestrel mass.

That noted, "Rotsa Ruck!" solving your mystery.

Regards,
Bob W.