aircraft weighing

johnM · Post by **johnM** » Fri May 09, 2008 5:14 pm

Hi

I need to get my new plane weighed and have been quoted £235 by Planeweighs, which to me seems overweight. My inspector is of the understandable opinion that bathroom scales are not adequate.
I have not found anyone who hires scales out. Is there anyone else who works in the Horsham, W Sussex area please?

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:04 pm

Where are you & what's the a/c ?

At Jackrell's Farm we've borrowed the LAA own scales & the BMAA similar as well as borrowed some privately owned good quality scales (set of three) from another strip nr. Edenbridge.

Last year in Devon we weighed my brother's PFA a/c on a bathroom scale which immediately prior to use we'd 'calibrated' by my standing on it having visited a Dr's surgery nearby and got them to weigh me FOC !

All were found acceptable by the PFA/BMAA as required.
Don't give up !

Mike.

Graeme Bird · Post by **Graeme Bird** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:38 pm

I paid the vast sum to get my plane weighed by planeweights but found it came to axactly the same as flylights had weighed it on their simple scales. next time I would use good quality bathroom scales and check the acuracy at around 50-100kg.
A chalk line was used to mark the distances to find the c of g.

Graeme

ivanmanley · Post by **ivanmanley** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:27 pm

If not used on their limits, and calibrated correctly at around the weight the aicraft is likely to exert at each point, bathroom scales are fine. I've weighed my T31 twice now with two different sets of scales and give or take a pound, they weighed out at the same!

Ivan
________
starcraft 2 replays

johnM · Post by **johnM** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:47 pm

i agree however my inspector wants to see a more formal approach. I have tried some plant hire shops but they don't do scales.
When i used to do kart racing they sometimes used portable digital scales but I don't know where to get them from.
If there is anyone else in my area looking to weigh their plane please contact me and perhaps we can get a deal
cheers

Trevor Lyons · Post by **Trevor Lyons** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:26 pm

Look on eBay. You could get three very accurate scales for much less than£235!

Bill McCarthy · Post by **Bill McCarthy** » Sat May 10, 2008 8:48 am

I bought THREE digital bathroom scales from LIDL for £12 each just to check aircraft weight. They all are spot on for agreement and are spot on for accuracy when checked out with calibration weights.

mikehallam · Post by **mikehallam** » Sat May 10, 2008 11:43 am

One other idea:

It's not AFIK necessary to have the same inspector witness the weighing. Around Horsham there are several more enlightened though otherwise strict LAA Inspectors. I should know havinfg been living/flying here for 1/3 Century.

If you are really stuck I'm sure there are friendly flyers who'd come and assist as weighing needs a min. of two competent folk.

Mike.

Nick Allen · Post by **Nick Allen** » Sat May 10, 2008 11:54 am

my inspector wants to see a more formal approach

Did he elaborate on this at all? Perhaps he just wants evidence that the scales are accurate, in which case stick a known heavy weight on and take a photo showing all the relevant detail. That should take care of the a**e-covering! (Our aircraft was last weighed using scales that had been calibrated with sacks of fertiliser...)

cardiffrob · Post by **cardiffrob** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:52 am

I called the RAF. They were happy to weigh it as a training exercise. Tokk about 5 hours. very strict/fussy/accurate. No charge (Hey, I pay tax, don't I?)

Trevor Lyons · Post by **Trevor Lyons** » Sun May 11, 2008 11:14 am

Cardiffrob: Brilliant!! How did you arrange it? Presumably you flew into an RAF base?

davec · Post by **davec** » Sun May 11, 2008 4:52 pm

Hi John,

You have a P.M

Steve Brown · Post by **Steve Brown** » Sun May 11, 2008 10:45 pm

Don't forget to put 2 metal sheets (with a blob of grease between them) between the wheel & the scales to prevent any side loading on the scales that could cause binding & inaccuracy. :

johnM · Post by **johnM** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:27 pm

thanks for the help.
Dave Charlesworth of Invicta Aviation Services has mailed me to offer his services for £100. He is in Kent.

Also it has been pointed out to me that the motor racing fraternity use scales to weigh each corner.

cheers
john

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