Real world useful loads

[6643]

What is evident is damage to structure, particularly the tail spring area. A lot of planes have scabs on the rudder where the tail wheel has rolled up into the bottom of the rudder, mine included.

At least some of those planes suffered broken tailsprings. Due to dropping the tailwheel too hard on a plane with extenders, no doubt...

[8233]

My 120 shows it left the factory with an electrical system installed but no radio and Empty Weight was 854. I see where a radio was installed about 2 weeks after it left the factory bringing it to 862.

[8359]

My 120 has the O-290, I bought it with an empty weight of 1080, I have it down to 1046 by replacing the exhaust, light weight starter, removing generator for alternator and removing/replacing old radios. While I'm happy with the result, I still wish it were lighter, with me and full fuel I'm pretty much only able to carry a child legally. I do fly single pilot 95% of the time anyway though.

I will admit, I'm not keen on re-weighing it anytime soon as I don't want to end up gaining a bunch of unexpected weight.

[sbmackie]

I’m creeping toward a pre buy on a metalized 140 (metalized soon after build) that has an 0200, one comm a transponder, alternator, skytec starter, Cleveland wheels, 150 exhaust. 337 for 0200 installation, which was the last significant mod, was done in 2003, Does that sound in the ball park? 514 useful? And on a 337, which weight it is it? Basic (as equipped, full oil, unusable fuel)?

Thanks. There is no facility that I can find near it to do a weight.

[6352]

My 140 is equipped almost identically to the one you are considering. Metal prop. It was last weighed at 1010 pounds. Polished fuselage but painted wings. I suspect the metal wing weights vary widely in how they were done.

[8322]

120. C85. 770 MT, 680 UL
140, O-200, 829 MT, 621 UL

Challenge!

Anything under 950 is suspicious. Maybe 850 for a 120 with no electrical system.

The difference between a C85, a C90 and an O200 is negligible.

There's an old saying that goes "never weigh your 120/140 unless you're prepared to loose 75 lbs of useful weight."

I'm thinking I'm in the opposite boat, but only because of a dedicated mission of putting her on a diet! Mine had a re-weigh in 2016 and was at 1012. I have done a lot of weight reduction projects but not all can be calculated exactly... So this annual I am going to have an official reweigh.... 950 is my goal... With the Oddysy I think its doable. I was told "how much can you find on that thing to remove, here is an off the top of my head list so far that will be coming off the 1012

Seat Redo. -10
Oddsy Battery -15
Stripped Interior and painted instead of new upholstry -10/15
Had 1 of 2 Grimes lights removed -6
Light Weight Starter -6/8

So I'm hoping my experience is the opposite. The only things I've added were VGs and repainted a few spots...

[6930]

951 empty weight on my plane leaves 500 lbs useful load. C85, ragwing '47 140.

Mike

[regular122]

Raymond, if you want to sell that other Grimes light, please let me know. I have been looking for one for my 1948 restoration. With respect, Steve

[7509]

My C-140 was weighed in 2013. 1,025 empty = 425 useful load. Has the C-85, metalized wings, entire aircraft is painted. Would love fabric wings again to increase useful load.

[V529]

If you haven't had the airplane weighed.........be ready for a shock. Judging by the numbers posted earlier I would be suspicious of ..some of them......

I've seen lots of 120/140's weighed. At the 2016(maybe it was the 2006.........memory getting old) Fairbault Minnesota convention, the host had a set of scales and I'll bet 1/2 of the attendees weighed their airplanes. Average number difference between the last calculated W&B and the actual number was a +60lbs in empty weight.

Mine is a rag wing 120, painted with an 0-200 & light weight starter, alternator, and slick rather than bendix mags. Metal prop, original seats and light weight oddessy battery, Scott 3200 tail wheel.

It still weighs 965 dry. So............1450-965 = 485. These are real ....not imagined weights.

With full fuel, I can legally take 1 person my size.......that's reality.