VansRV12Driver
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I recently had a new weight and balance performed on my RV-12 and wanted to ask the group whether the results seem reasonable.
The prior weight and balance, performed several years ago, showed the left and right mains within about 1 lb of each other. The new calculation shows a 22 lb difference between the left and right mains:
Left Main: 290 lb
Right Main: 312 lb
Nose: 162 lb
Total Empty Weight: 764 lb
The previous empty weight was 743 lb, so the airplane is now showing approximately 21 lb heavier overall. I am not aware of any equipment additions or configuration changes that would explain that increase. In fact, the prior weighing included the wheel pants installed, while the current weighing was done with the wheel pants removed, so I would have expected the weight to be slightly lower, not higher.
The A&P who performed the new W&B indicated that it was done with empty fuel. Under the original W&B, the builder indicated that zero fuel was calibrated. Assuming both are accurate, that seems to make a fuel quantity issue less likely, but I am still trying to understand the result.
One thing that seems odd to me is that the increase in total empty weight versus the prior W&B is about 21 lb, while the difference between the left and right mains is 22 lb. That may be purely coincidental, but I’m curious whether anyone with RV-12 weighing experience thinks that pattern suggests a possible setup, scale, or measurement issue.
A few questions for those with RV-12 weighing experience:
Thanks in advance for any guidance.
The prior weight and balance, performed several years ago, showed the left and right mains within about 1 lb of each other. The new calculation shows a 22 lb difference between the left and right mains:
Left Main: 290 lb
Right Main: 312 lb
Nose: 162 lb
Total Empty Weight: 764 lb
The previous empty weight was 743 lb, so the airplane is now showing approximately 21 lb heavier overall. I am not aware of any equipment additions or configuration changes that would explain that increase. In fact, the prior weighing included the wheel pants installed, while the current weighing was done with the wheel pants removed, so I would have expected the weight to be slightly lower, not higher.
The A&P who performed the new W&B indicated that it was done with empty fuel. Under the original W&B, the builder indicated that zero fuel was calibrated. Assuming both are accurate, that seems to make a fuel quantity issue less likely, but I am still trying to understand the result.
One thing that seems odd to me is that the increase in total empty weight versus the prior W&B is about 21 lb, while the difference between the left and right mains is 22 lb. That may be purely coincidental, but I’m curious whether anyone with RV-12 weighing experience thinks that pattern suggests a possible setup, scale, or measurement issue.
A few questions for those with RV-12 weighing experience:
- Does a 22 lb difference between the left and right mains seem plausible on an RV-12, or would that make you suspect a weighing/setup issue?
- If the prior W&B had the mains within 1 lb, would you expect a later weighing to vary this much side-to-side absent a major equipment/configuration change?
- If the airplane was weighed with empty fuel, and the original W&B also indicated calibrated zero fuel, are there any RV-12-specific issues that could still explain both the total empty weight increase and the side-to-side main difference?
- Are there common weighing setup issues that could create this kind of discrepancy — scale height mismatch, aircraft not laterally level, scale/tare issue, wheel not centered on the scale, brake drag, etc.?
Thanks in advance for any guidance.
