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What is worth a few pounds?

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Canuck Bob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
132
Location
Calgary, AB
A question in a trade/mission study has always intrigued me.

What would you sacrfice weight for on a design? I'm wondering about were would one add weight specifically.

Assuming a weight conscience builder aiming for the safest low weight possible what would you add for convenience, improved component materials, and for simple whims? I'm looking as much for peoples wish or complaint list as much as a logical choice based on a benefit study.

Me. I am always looking at simple homebuilt designs for cheap recreational flying. Here are some ideas that I often consider.

1- Utilize auto windshield glass rather than the usual plastics. The care required for the plastics and the degraded view with time bugs me. The clarity and easy care of safety glass seems worth a few pounds. I'm refering to the simple flat panel screens like a Fly Baby or a Wittman design.

2- After squezzing my trim 6'2" 280# 56 year old arthritic body head first into the bowels of my Fly Baby cockpit I am willing to sacrfifice weight to allow removeable panels on the sides and bottom of the cockpit area like crop dusters have so one can work on thier machine easily.

3- Designing a comfortable cockpit with a comfortable seat for a fat butt, mine of course. I would never imply anyone else here has a wide rump.

4- The tough engineering questions like how much added weight to sacrifice for lowering drag, ie. cantilevered versus braced surfaces. Or decisions like electric flaps versus manual flaps versus no flaps. Tight tolerance construction suitable to utilize laminar flow airfoils as compared to less critical turbulent airfoils.
 
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