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<strong>ALPHA</strong> <strong>Trainer</strong> 4-5<br />
Weight and balance REV. 0<br />
Baggage and CG<br />
The amount of baggage you can carry in the baggage behind the seats is limited by the centre of<br />
gravity of the empty aircraft (pilots’ weight does not significantly influence c.g.) and by the MTOM.<br />
To calculate how much the c.g. shifts because of added baggage into the solid baggage compartmet<br />
or the baggage behind the seats use the following formula:<br />
where:<br />
CG<br />
with. bags<br />
=<br />
( G × CG )+ G × L<br />
G + G<br />
total mm bags mm<br />
total<br />
( )<br />
bags<br />
Gtotal is the aircraft empty weight,<br />
CGmm is the position of CG of empty aicraft in milimeters (mm),<br />
Gbags is the weight of the baggage,<br />
Lbags is the lever arm from the datum to baggage area (1160 mm).<br />
Again, express the new c.g. in percentage of MAC:<br />
where:<br />
CG<br />
( + bags)%<br />
MAC<br />
=<br />
CG<br />
with.<br />
bags<br />
MAC<br />
− R<br />
( 292kg<br />
× 287mm)+ 10kg × 1160mm<br />
=<br />
292kg<br />
+ 10kg<br />
316mm<br />
− 43mm<br />
⋅ 100 =<br />
897mm<br />
( )<br />
⋅ 100 = 31.<br />
6%<br />
CGwith.bags is the position of CG now with bags in milimeters (mm),<br />
R is the difference between wing’s leading edge and MAC’s leading edge (43 mm),<br />
MAC is the Mean Aerodynamic Chord (897 mm).<br />
= 316mm<br />
We now have the data of c.g. of the sample aircraft with 10 kgs (22 lbs) of baggage. You can recalculate<br />
the formulas using the weights and c.g. of your empty aircraft and the planned amount of baggage<br />
for your flight.<br />
CAUTION: The baggage weight limitations in this manual represent fool-proof limits for safe<br />
operation, even without special c.g. calculation. However, the actual baggage weight limitation<br />
is different of each individual aicraft and can be determined using the above formulas. The decision<br />
of how much baggage to carry on a flight is the pure responsibility of the pilot in command!<br />
WARNING! Always make sure that the baggage is placed fixed inside the baggage area.<br />
Movements of baggage in-flight will cause shifts of centre of gravity!<br />
WARNING! Do not, under any circumstances attempt to fly the aircraft outside the allowable<br />
c.g. limits! Allowable c.g. range is between 10.5'' mm and 14.5'' , measured from the wing's<br />
leading edge backwards.<br />
WARNING! Maximum takeoff weight (MTOM) MUST NOT, under any circumstances, exceed<br />
1040 lbs (472.5 kg).