Losing the training wheel.

[MichaelFarley56]

I have not looked at W&B yet. What is the a Sonex datum? Are the TOB wheels in a slightly different spot?

The manual lists the datum as the front tip of the spinner. Everything is measured from there backwards.

[rizzz]

I have not looked at W&B yet. What is the a Sonex datum? Are the TOB wheels in a slightly different spot?

Hi regret not installing the TOB legs, those would have made the job much easier and saved me a bit of weight (every bit counts).

I really was planning to install them but at the time I was about ready to order my legs, axels etc. this post came on the yahoo groups:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/son ... pics/67350
I got scared and ordered the legs from Sonex instead…

I later realized that like with anything any supplier says about its competitors’ products, I should have taken this post with a pinch of salt, my fear was probably unjustified and I should have checked both sides of the story
(BTW, note that same post Jeremy was also advising against installation of hydraulic brakes in order not to put your Sonex on its nose, now they sell hydraulic brakes of their own…)

Anyway, I know many have installed the TOB legs in the meantime and I don’t believe anybody has had any issues with them.
With the standard titanium legs and steel axels however I know of some reports of the holes in the axels becoming oval’d after a while resulting in a lose wheel, not sure if this is due to an incorrect toe in setting, some hard landings or just general wear.

[Rynoth]

This topic is maybe starting to stray from the original intent a bit, and I can't help but chime in... This is obviously not Sonex' forum, it's our forum (well, the webmaster's forum.) The Yahoo groups on the other hand, are Sonex' forum. I see the Yahoo groups as their information box, as in, anything outside their box doesn't really fly in their discussion groups. I totally get what Jeremy said in that post in saying that to use anything outside their proven methods and experience with the aircraft plans they sell is not what they advise, and I don't even think it has anything to do with business competition.

The comments on hydraulic brakes I might put into perspective via something like the Turbo Aerovee project... I'm sure if you asked Jeremy right now if you could/should turbo your own Aerovee, he'd say it's not a great idea because there's no existing proven method of doing so. IF/When they do have a proven Turbo Aerovee product to sell, the switch will have been flipped and now they will support it. I don't view that has suspicious in any way. I view it as systematic and logical.

But I digress... regarding weight and balance, Sonex/Joe Norris have released a series of detailed videos about calculating Sonex weight and balance that I think a lot of folks will find useful, including myself when I reach that stage: http://www.sonexaircraft.com/support/videos.html

[sonex892]

I did a preliminary W/B yesterday, and am surprised how much weight I lost. I call it preliminary because I didn't weigh both mains, just assuming the same on the other and the engine didn't have any oil in it. Leg fairings and pants also not included.
285lbs on the left main and 57lbs on the tail.

My tri gear Waiex came it at 706lbs. The new weight came in at 627lbs. New configuration has Tracy Obrien gear legs and brakes. Old configuration was stock sonex solid titanium legs and Great Plains disc brakes, pants and leggings. Perhaps that is the majority of the savings. I'll try to weigh all the stuff I took off. I should have weighed all the stuff I put on too, lost opportunity..

That is a lot of weight to lose! I doubt a painted sonex has ever been that light. Was the aircraft level? Its probably best to weigh all 3 wheels at once. The highest wheel will always be lighter! I know there was a significant difference from my left main to right main when I did the original W and B. I put it down to the floor level. I would think the TOB gear legs being steel may also be slightly heavier than the titanium legs with axle attached.

I am re weighing my sonex tomorrow The SAAA scales are in town and I'm taking the opportunity to double check. My aircraft hasn't been weighed since the C of A was issued in 2010 and Ive done a heap of mods since. Im keen to see how much weight it has put on and where.

SAAA is the Australian equivalent of EAA

Steve
Sonex 892
VH-ZSX

[fastj22]

Reweighed today. The first reading was indeed wrong. this time everything was installed. Oil, exhaust tips, pants, interior, cabin heat and hoses. Numbers verified on two different scales.
This time I got 320lbs left main, 324 right main, 45 tail. Total 689lbs. That's a loss of 16lbs from the tri gear configuration. The nose wheel assembly came it at 15lbs so this makes sense now. I did not remove the tri gear main weldments, yet. Hope to be back in the air in a week or two.

[MichaelFarley56]

That's great! I'm really excited for you! Hopefully you're just about done with all major tasks and can enjoy getting the Waiex back in the air. Please let us know what you think of the "new" airplane once you get her back up!

Thank you for the info on weights as well. Given all of your equipment, that's still a pretty good number!

[Bryan Cotton]

How much weight did the TOB legs save? Just curious, if you have the numbers. No need to take it back apart to satisfy my curiosity though. :)

[fastj22]

No noticeable weight difference between the TOB and Sonex gear. Sorry, but I failed you all by not weighing the legs before install.
Good day today. Cowl installed and tweaked for the new configuration. Pulled both planes out of the hangar to do some cleaning.
I hope to fly next weekend.

[Bryan Cotton]

Where is your snow?

[fastj22]

Its just Colorado. Our lasting snow is in the mountains. We get some weekly on the front range but it melts the next day. Two days before and the taxi way was covered in snow and ice. Two hours after this picture, we had some more snow. Cold front came through. It will be gone by Friday. As they say, if you don't like the weather in Colorado, just wait a few hours.