Throw a Weight in the Back?

Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight and
balance? I am flying a C182 with 430 pounds (pilot & passenger) in the
front row. The point is I would like both of us to sit up front for the
flight. I have other aircraft that I can fly, and this is not a required
flight (no safety flaming please).

Calculated arm is 37.99, and minimum arm at that weight is 38.15. I am
144.85 pounds UNDER gross weight at this point.

If I throw a 20 pound weight in the main baggage compartment the arm is 38.4
(meets the minimum requirements) and we can both sit up front.

Yes, many times. Instructional flights in the Seneca or Cherokee Six always
required a case of oil in the back.

Bob Gardner

"Kirk" wrote in message
news
Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight and
balance? I am flying a C182 with 430 pounds (pilot & passenger) in the
front row. The point is I would like both of us to sit up front for the
flight. I have other aircraft that I can fly, and this is not a required
flight (no safety flaming please).

Calculated arm is 37.99, and minimum arm at that weight is 38.15. I am
144.85 pounds UNDER gross weight at this point.

If I throw a 20 pound weight in the main baggage compartment the arm is
38.4
(meets the minimum requirements) and we can both sit up front.

In article ,
Kirk wrote:
Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight and
balance? I am flying a C182 with 430 pounds (pilot & passenger) in the

I'm a little suspicious of your W&B for that 182, but obviously I
don't have all the numbers, so you may be right.

If you're that close, I'd consider a few things:

1) Most Cessnas have some knees in the CG curve as gross weight
increases. Make sure you aren't narrowing your CG range by making
the plane heavier and consequently subject to a tighter range.

2) Look at what's going to happen to the CG as the fuel burns off
during your flight.

But sure, you can put weight in the back. The plane doesn't know
the difference between real baggage and CG-fixing baggage...

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/

Kirk wrote:

Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight and
balance?

Never done it, but I've read of cases. I've considered doing it myself to
make my Maule a bit less squirrelly. Shouldn't be a problem.

George Patterson
The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
James Branch Cavel

I'm suspicious of your calculations or W&B info. In my 182L, there
is no way I can get out of the envelope with 430# forward, nothing
aft, regardless of fuel load.

MikeM
Skylane '1MM


Kirk wrote:

Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight and
balance? I am flying a C182 with 430 pounds (pilot & passenger) in the
front row. The point is I would like both of us to sit up front for the
flight. I have other aircraft that I can fly, and this is not a required
flight (no safety flaming please).

Calculated arm is 37.99, and minimum arm at that weight is 38.15. I am
144.85 pounds UNDER gross weight at this point.

If I throw a 20 pound weight in the main baggage compartment the arm is 38.4
(meets the minimum requirements) and we can both sit up front.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight
and
balance?

Never done it, but I've read of cases. I've considered doing it myself to
make my Maule a bit less squirrelly. Shouldn't be a problem.

Weight in the back (rearward cg) will tend to make an a/c squirrelly. A
more forward cg makes it more brick-like. Flying with 4 and baggage and
almost full fuel (gotta love it), I have to aggressively move baggage
forward to get it inbounds (flt bag underneath front passengers knees, small
dense items underneath rear seat, rear seat passengers may have a light item
on their laps or around feet). At the rear limit, it definitely gets
squirrelly. Feels unstable. Hunts a bit in pitch. Very sensitive on the
controls.

But it is nicer to fly just inside that rear limit.

Just a guess, but I am probably carrying about 138 more pounds in the fuel
tanks than the 182L (65 gallon tanks?). This aircraft is a 1979 Cessna 182Q
with 88 gallons of useable fuel. Thanks for eveyones feedback!

Item Gallons Capacity Weight
Capacity Arm Moment
Empty Aircraft 1842.15 35.4719362 65344.62
Main Fuel 88 88 528 47 24816
Main Baggage 25 60 97 2425
Aft Baggage 0 20 115 0
Seating Row 1 430 37 15910
Seating Row 2 0 74 0
Totals 88 88 2825.15 38.4 108495.62
Allowable 2950 38.34 to 48.5
% of Allowable 96% 0%
Status OK OK
Zero Fuel 0 88 2297.15 36.43 83679.62
Zero Fuel Allow 33.44 to 48.5
Verify all numbers with the Pilot Operating Handbook


I'm suspicious of your calculations or W&B info. In my 182L, there
is no way I can get out of the envelope with 430# forward, nothing
aft, regardless of fuel load.

MikeM
Skylane '1MM

"Kirk" wrote:

Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight and
balance?

I have a small tank in the base of my glider fin. I fill it
with water when needed to get the W&B correct.
Todd Pattist
(Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)
___
Make a commitment to learn something from every flight.
Share what you learn.

Maule Driver wrote:

Flying with 4 and baggage and
almost full fuel (gotta love it), .......

You pig! I can get four adults in mine. I can even taxi around with them!

I have to aggressively move baggage
forward to get it inbounds (flt bag underneath front passengers knees, small
dense items underneath rear seat, rear seat passengers may have a light item
on their laps or around feet).

Yep. Heaviest person in front, heaviest baggage between the seats, flight
bag under my legs, I know the drill.

George Patterson
The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
James Branch Cavel

Yes. In my Sundowner I put weight in the back .. helped a lot.

In a Bell 47 for solo I used to put weight down in the bubble in
front of copilot pedals. I was a lot lighter then. ;-)



"Kirk" wrote in message
news
Anyone ever throw a weight in the back to get within allowable weight and
balance? I am flying a C182 with 430 pounds (pilot & passenger) in the
front row. The point is I would like both of us to sit up front for the
flight. I have other aircraft that I can fly, and this is not a required
flight (no safety flaming please).

Calculated arm is 37.99, and minimum arm at that weight is 38.15. I am
144.85 pounds UNDER gross weight at this point.

If I throw a 20 pound weight in the main baggage compartment the arm is
38.4
(meets the minimum requirements) and we can both sit up front.