Sample W&B calculations

Here is a sample procedure how to calculate W&B using the "Homebuild Data" tab of the "HomeBuild Log" software. This will also show you how to calculate weight and arm for fuel tanks and pilot, etc. The numbers in this example are fictitious and meant only to illustrate how to do the calculations. (The numbers are close to values for SQ2000 canard.)

Enter the basic empty weight

The result now gives you a line for the empty plane:

Now fill up your plane tanks with fuel and measure total result.

The 1600/120.04 is the total for fuel tanks plus empty plane. Now subtract the empty plane numbers to get the numbers for fuel tanks only.

Now you can write a list of items for the empty plane and the fuel tanks.

You can now keep going to add pilot weight. Just jump into the plane with full fuel and record the scale readings.

Now subtract the result for plane + fuel to get pilot only W&B data

Now you have a list of W&B values for Empty Plane, Fuel, Pilot

You can repeat this procedure and add any item to the list - passengers, cargo, etc.

All resultant cg arm distances beyond empty plane were calculated and NONE were guessed or approximations taken from plans or kit instructions.

But remember that accuracy is no better than your scale readings. Bathroom scales are not recommended. Buy, beg or borrow a good set of digital wheel scales. Car racing scales have excelent accuracy - about 1/10 percent. In case you want to purchase a set, a good deal is at racerpartswholesale.com

The print option on the software will print out the W&B sheet required by FAA to be carried on your plane.

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