Weight on tail wheel

[Stewbronco]

Hi folks ….just wondering how many pounds on your tail wheel as last weigh in ….? …..also what would be your max passenger / baggage weight ? Thanks. Stew

[Flyhud]

Mine is at 53.5#

[Stewbronco]

Sorry …should have added the additional question ….thanks for response. Cheers. Stew

[fixnflyguy]

Stew, my T/W weight was around 47 lbs. when I first weighed it and my "personal" limit for passenger is 200 lbs. The figures posted are somewhat irrelevant because its possible to have variance in T/W weight based on nose weight as you can surmise. My personal experience with RV-4's, mine included ,is that if the plane is within build/W&B recommendations from Vans, your back seaters weight capability may exceed what your comfortable handling in various conditions. If I have a "hefty" person that wants an RV grin, I make sure I'm at full fuel (CG moves FWD), smoke tank (in cargo area) is empty and I set my trim for take-off to my hefty PAX position. I can carry more than a 200 lb. person because I have before, but the pitch just gets too sensitive, and any emergency maneuver like bird avoidance or go-around requires forward thinking before doing, or the G-meter gets excited or the nose rockets up on go-around. Also, if you are traveling, and fly to minimum fuel (CG AFT) things can really get your attention. Plenty of folks on here have had the 220-275 lb. PAX, but that is no fun! Again, these are personal limits for me, and i dont make many exceptions.

[swjohnsey]

I have a nose heavy RV-4, IO-360, Hartzel CS prop, tail wheel 40.6. What they said about heavy pax. It can get very interesting. Be wary of takeoff trim setting and don't try to three point it.

[andoman]

I, too have a nose heavy plane. I worked up to my aft CG comfort level with weights in backpacks secured in the rear seat and baggage compartment.
I can fly comfortably with 200 lbs. in the back.

[CATPart]

I have 56# on the tail wheel. o320, wood prop, inertia ring (not too heavy). I can fly a 200# person no prob but at the limits of the envelope,yes it is a different airplane.

Still, I only do 3 point landings, and I find it lands nicer with a passenger.

[Jvon811]

N249P tailwheel weight was showing exactly 50 lbs at last weigh in about a year ago. O-320, wood prop, no Landol ring. 966lbs empty.

Too many variables in your original question to give one answer but I'll give a few.

For just a mathematics exercise:

To stay in CG limits (and disregard Max Gross) with 0lbs baggage and full fuel, and my 215lb butt in the front seat, max rear pax is a surprising 335lbs to get a 30% MAC. Gross Weight of 1708lbs (my airplane is 1500lbs)

To stay within 1500lbs Max Gross, 0lbs baggage, full fuel, my butt in the front: max rear pax weight is 127lbs yielding a 22.8% MAC.

To stay within 1500lbs Max Gross, 0lbs baggage, my butt and a 250lb pax, Max fuel is 11 gallons giving me a 28% MAC CG.

I've seen your youtube videos flying with 2 up in a -4, even doing Acro, so I don't need to tell you what the rear CG feels like. But my personal limit is around a 250lb pax weight. Any bigger, and they have a hard time even getting in or out.

What's most surprising about the maths, is if the builder put the higher gross weight on the airplane, 335lbs and full tanks is within CG?!?! No thanks... haha

[YellerDaisy]

53 lbs.

I limit passengers to 160 lbs.

[Stewbronco]

Originally Posted by Jvon811

N249P tailwheel weight was showing exactly 50 lbs at last weigh in about a year ago. O-320, wood prop, no Landol ring. 966lbs empty.

Too many variables in your original question to give one answer but I'll give a few.

For just a mathematics exercise:

To stay in CG limits (and disregard Max Gross) with 0lbs baggage and full fuel, and my 215lb butt in the front seat, max rear pax is a surprising 335lbs to get a 30% MAC. Gross Weight of 1708lbs (my airplane is 1500lbs)

To stay within 1500lbs Max Gross, 0lbs baggage, full fuel, my butt in the front: max rear pax weight is 127lbs yielding a 22.8% MAC.

To stay within 1500lbs Max Gross, 0lbs baggage, my butt and a 250lb pax, Max fuel is 11 gallons giving me a 28% MAC CG.

I've seen your youtube videos flying with 2 up in a -4, even doing Acro, so I don't need to tell you what the rear CG feels like. But my personal limit is around a 250lb pax weight. Any bigger, and they have a hard time even getting in or out.

What's most surprising about the maths, is if the builder put the higher gross weight on the airplane, 335lbs and full tanks is within CG?!?! No thanks... haha

Not my YouTube videos .....must be someone else