- Joined
- May 29, 2022
- Messages
- 13
I have been asked to ferry a Merlin GT (rotax 912uls powered) from the southwest US to Alaska. Apparently the aircraft has 31" Alaska Bush Wheels installed. Also according to the owner the 31" tires cause the pitch on the ground to be so steep that the fuel tanks cannot be filled to normal capacity because the fuel will run out the back of the filler cap before the front of the tank is filled. SO HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS: 1. Does anyone have a Merlin GT weight & balance envelope published with the original kit? 2. 31" ABW's weight 32 lbs each, so with the wheels and larger brakes required there is maybe 40 or 50 lbs more weight somewhere forward of the previous CG Will the design handle that? IE - elevator authority, especially for 3 point landings and in slower flight when turbulence is encountered. The owner also shared that the cruise speed with this setup is now about 75 mph (not knots), and the reason for the 31" ABW's is that they were given to him! I have so far not said I wouldn't fly it up, but I did tell him that I thought that probably 26" Airstreak's were the largest and heaviest tire that should be on that airplane, and that the extra cost of dragging those heavy 31" tires all the way up here to AK would more than pay for the tires.
