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BRS Chute RV-7A Weight and Balance Numbers

Craw

Active Member
Gooday all,
I was wondering if anyone here has installed the BRS Chute on an RV-7A and could provide some real world weight and balance numbers (more specifically the empty weight) along with a high level description of the installed equipment:

Engine
prop
panel (VFR/IFR)

Thanks much,


CRAW
 
I was thinking about it but looks like a tough install.
It helps if you have a light weight prop and engine.
 
My future hangar mate and a fellow builder has installed the BRS package in his 7A. Jim's not on VAF (?) but I pinged him and his reply is follows:

"I don’t have the W&B numbers yet anyway, but I do believe the second post has it backwards. The engine and prop need to be heavy to offset the chute that is located aft of the baggage compartment. Not a bad installation (about 20 hrs for me except for the fairings). Would take a bit longer on a complete aircraft, but I wouldn’t let that stop me. Would require some paint work on a completed aircraft unless one is willing to just stick the white fairing on over the straps."

I've seen his plane and compared what he is doing with my 7 w/o. Install doesn't look hard other than the fiberglass fairings look fiddly. He did a great job with them and they don't detract from the look of the plane. The BRS kit looks very well done. It will be interesting when he does the final W&B as Jim notes it add weight pretty far aft and agree that a light engine / prop will hurt the balance numbers. That said the BRS will reduce the useful load but if you needed to pull the chute it might be worth it.

BTW, he's willing to offer up final numbers in a couple of months when ready to fly....

Hope it helps.
 
Thanks much for the reply! I agree with the heavier engine assessment, I'm planning on an IO-360-A1B6 as the angle valve is ~30lbs heavier. I am also leaning towards the Whirlwind 330 two bladed prop but its 20lbs lighter than a metal two blade.

Regardless I would live to hear his final numbers and engine/prop and avionics config.

All the best
 
He's using a 360 with a Hartzell CS prop BTW... I'm sure the CS will help with W&B. Good luck.
 
Quotes...

"I wish I didn't have all this space in the baggage compartment."

- No RV-7 driver, ever...
 
Last time I looked into this there was no data on what happened if a chute is pulled as it's never been tested on an RV. No test data on heights/speed limits on pulls to make them survivable, and no data on how the impact forces of a chute landing would transfer to the passengers in an RV.

I have tried asking questions of the BRS folks every time I see them at an air show and other than sales words, I get no firm data and they get cagey when I ask questions about the testing they did on the RV.

Granted all this could have changed and there is tones of new data, or maybe I have just been terrible at finding it all these years.
 
A friend had a BRS installed in a 7A he purchased some years ago. IO360 180hp, Hartzell prop, legacy D-180 VFR setup. Unfortunately I don't have a W&B report on file for this plane, but I do know that he basically was left with little usable baggage weight capacity and always flew in a near aft CofG condition. He applied for and received about a 100lb increase of Gross Weight for his CofA so additional weight could be added to the firewall to compensate for the BRS and again give him some baggage carrying capacity.
I don't know how all this affected his plane's flight characteristics, I would assume it would be quite different in feel and capabilities from other 7As & 6As.
I do know that this plane has been as far as Grenada on two Carribean trips so far.
 
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“I wish I had more baggage space rather than this BRS” as he is crashing is another never heard quote.

Lol….I was thinking the same thing. It seems it’s installed behind the baggage area? I was considering one….but in the end with a M1B up the front and fixed pitch and being a tail wheel I’m not sure it will be a go.

Adding weight up the front to get the BRS in and then more weight to get more useful baggage load would probably mean it would be solo aeros only or two very light people. Cross country only machine probably not so bad but light aircraft always fly better…..use less fuel….have more margin….etc.

I’d like one so would like to see the w and b numbers too.
 
Take your current W&B numbers and add the following weight,

40 lbs at 150" aft of datum (RV7, 7A)

You will get a good idea of its effect to your empty CG without adding weight forward
 

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He applied for and received about a 100lb increase of Gross Weight for his CofA.
Ralph - Slight thread drift, but how hard was it to get the Gross Weight approved? I would love to have another 50 lb capacity for FRVF. I’ve got one buddy who brings us right to max gross, with no baggage. 50 lb extra would do wonders.
Scott
 
A friend tried to get Transport Canada to agree to a substantial increase in Gross Weight. Lots of pushback initially but they did agree to a 5% increase.
 
Ralph - Slight thread drift, but how hard was it to get the Gross Weight approved? I would love to have another 50 lb capacity for FRVF. I’ve got one buddy who brings us right to max gross, with no baggage. 50 lb extra would do wonders.
Scott

Scott, to preserve the original thread, please give me a call & I can talk you thru the process. You have my number.
Ralph
 
Thanks Ralph, I had already baked the BRS numbers into the empty weight and basic moment based on another aircraft spec I found online so your double counting the chute in your calculations. I am still waiting on another builder with a similar configurations empyweight and C.G with the BRS chute.

Cheers
 
Need to figure out why you want one, rather than just coz Cirrus fit them ...

What is maximum deployment speed, is that faster than normal cruise?

What problem are you mitigating by installing the parachute?

Outside of USA repacking the parachute is very expensive ($1500) and required every 6 years. Replacing the rocket is required every 12 years, and almost impossible to import into some countries in Europe.

Consider all of the factors before ordering.
 
Thanks Ralph, I had already baked the BRS numbers into the empty weight and basic moment based on another aircraft spec I found online so your double counting the chute in your calculations. I am still waiting on another builder with a similar configurations empyweight and C.G with the BRS chute.

Cheers

I don't understand the "your double counting the chute in your calculations".
I used the 40# as an average weight as quoted here
https://brsaerospace.com/rv-7-9/
 
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